For most, Christmas is one of the few days of the year when the diet goes out the window and is replaced by a joyful frenzy of feasting.
But that’s not the case for wellness enthusiasts, who still methodically stick to their meal plan on the big day.
For the 40million Americans who are on a GLP1 such as Ozempic or Mounjaro, they will need to keep their portions small, as the drug reduces appetite and users report eating far less than before they were on the drugs.
They will also need to avoid overindulging, as doctors warn this can lead to vomiting and nausea because the drugs slow the emptying of food from the stomach. In serious cases, it could even raise the risk of a potential life-threatening intestinal blockage.
For biohackers seeking to optimize their body and extend their lifespan, extra helpings of Christmas cookies will not be on the menu.
Daily Mail spoke to two individuals, a biohacker and a weight-loss drug user, to find out what those committed to a certain lifestyle eat on Christmas Day.
While both said they would find room for mashed potatoes and desserts, each said they would avoid alcohol.
For the weight loss drug user, she said she would likely only eat a few mouthfuls of many festive classics before feeling satisfied, while the biohacker insisted she would largely stick to meat.
A study by Wren Kitchens found that the average person eats 5,370 calories on Christmas Day, twice the recommended daily amount for men and three times that for women.
This gluttony would take nearly nine days of non-stop walking for someone to burn off.
Below, Daily Mail reveals what each’s holiday menu looks like and uses AI to craft the ideal Christmas meal for biohackers and people on weight-loss drugs.
Shown above is an AI-generated image of a Christmas meal that may be eaten by biohacker Amie Hornaman
Biohacker
Amie Hornaman is an avid biohacker who promotes a lifestyle she claims can improve thyroid, hormonal and metabolic health.
Years ago when she was a body-builder, Hornaman said she would eat everything in sight on Christmas Day.
But now, at 51, with the biological age of a 42-year-old, she has taken a step back and says she still enjoys her holiday favorites, but in a more restrained way.
Unlike many Americans who will reach for the red or white wine, Hornaman told Daily Mail she has done away with the habit years ago.
Instead, she drinks a mushroom nootropic that is infused with THC and CBD.
Hornaman, who is a doctor of clinical nutrition, said this gives her the alcohol-like buzz without any of the associated downsides.
While alcohol has been linked to poor sleep, a higher risk of depression and other health issues, some experts have claimed that CBD-infused drinks can boost relaxation and reduce inflammation.
Amie Hornaman, shown above, is a biohacker who works to help resolve metabolism issues
Hornaman said she uses CBD and THC in her drink so that she can still get a buzz, but without consuming alcohol.
For the main meal, Hornaman will enjoy the traditional servings of turkey, alongside fish and steak, before diving into sweet potatoes and roasted Brussel sprouts.
She said she prioritizes the meat, filling most of her plate with this, and only leaves a little space for vegetables.
Hornaman said she follows a largely carnivorous diet because she is concerned that some vegetables could raise her inflammation levels.
However, scientists promote a vegetable-heavy diet, saying it is linked to lower inflammation levels, blood pressure and a reduced risk of cancers and diabetes. It has also been linked to helping manage weight.
Hornaman also said she eats her protein first, after studies showed that this could reduce the risk of blood sugar spikes and aid digestion.
For dessert, Hornaman tends to enjoy a few cookies, she said.
Hornaman also microdoses the weight-loss drug tirzepatide weekly, taking between 0.5 and 1.5 milligrams (mg). Normally, tirzepatide is prescribed at doses starting from 2.5mg.
This, she said, helps her enjoy foods over the holidays without overdoing it.
She told Daily Mail: ‘For cookies and brownies, I can now have just a little bit, and that is enough. I do not need to continue eating. I have the enjoyment of the food, without the disordered eating and without going overboard.’
GLP-1 user
Shown above is an interpretation of the holiday meal consumed by a GLP-1 user. This image was AI generated to mimic the diet of Sarah-Marie Cole on Christmas Day
Sarah-Marie Cole is now entering her third year on a weight-loss drug.
A step-mother to two children, the 44-year-old was horrified when she unexpectedly gained 100lbs in her mid-20s, taking her weight to 277lbs.
She tried every diet under the sun, but none worked, she told Daily Mail.
Then, in late 2023, and amid their growing popularity, her doctor recommended she try a GLP-1.
Cole, who lives in New Hampshire, agreed and started on Mounjaro, which has the active drug tirzepatide, before shifting to Zepbound.
In the two years since, she has lost 109lbs, or about two pounds a week, and says she only has 10lbs to go before reaching her goal weight of 158lbs.
She started taking the drugs in late October 2023, facing her first Christmas Day barely two months after starting on the weekly shots. At the time, she said she only ate a few mouthfuls before feeling full.
This year, however, Cole now says she has developed a strategy for Christmas; Enjoying all the foods she loves while sticking to her Zepbound-tailored diet.
For the main meal, she gets herself a small salad bowl and fills half with the roast beef tenderloin that has been cooked for the day. The other half of the bowl is topped up with mashed potatoes and butternut squash, alongside a few spoonfuls of green beans and Brussel sprouts.
Sarah-Marie Cole, 44, pictured at her peak weight of 277lbs (left) and after losing more than 100lbs. The New Hampshire native revealed how she navigates the Christmas period
She enjoys dessert too, but rather than taking festive-sized helpings, she has a sliver of pumpkin pie, pecan pie, cheesecake, and a homemade cookie.
She told Daily Mail: ‘You can still enjoy everything you like, you just have very small portions and bites of it [when on a weight loss drug].
‘It is not even on purpose for me; it is just I am taking how much food I am comfortable with and I can choose how to portion them up.’
For drink, like the biohacker, she almost completely steers clear of alcohol, maybe only having a few sips of red wine.
Instead, she also has a CBD-infused beverage to get a buzz and ‘be part of the party’, and enjoys a glass of a mocktail, although not the super-sweet variety.
She is currently on Zepbound and takes 12.5 milligrams a week, one below the highest dose on the drug. She says that when she reaches the goal weight that she plans to remain on the medication, and is already drawing up a plan with her doctor.
She added: ‘I just feel like this medication has given me control back of my body in a way that, for a while, I wasn’t sure was possible.
‘I am so grateful, and I think it was exactly the shift and adjustment that I needed.’
