Ditch the Cookie Cutter Diets and Embrace Self-Care

Mike Collette • December 16, 2020

By Leah Hantman

 

We’re not all the same. This is why cookie cutter diets fail and wreak havoc on our body image. Have you ever tried a diet only to think you were the problem when it didn’t work?

 

This is the cookie cutter diet way and it perpetuates Diet Culture Damage by making you feel you need to fit certain standards and follow certain food rules to be successful. The one size-fits all days are OVER. This method simply doesn’t work.

A piece of dough with star shaped cookie cutters on it.

We are encouraged by our diet-obsessed culture at a young age to look a certain way at any cost. Society has been highly prescriptive about what people need to do to meet ideal beauty standards. This is why the diet industry is worth $72 BILLION. Dieting is normalized and disconnects our mind-body connection. We stop listening to hunger cues and start paying attention to rigid food rules that have been prescribed by society. This disconnect takes us out of the present moment.

 

This holiday season I challenge you to ditch the diet cookie-cutter diet for an actual cookie-cutter. Bake, eat, enjoy and learn to honor your body!  Aside from ditching diets and things that make you feel bad about yourself, p rioritizing self-care is an absolute must!

Here are our top 5 tips to get you started with ways you can honor your body and be present to soak in the magic of the season!

  •  Prioritize Regular Exercise

Keeping a regular exercise routine is an absolute must to help buffer stress. Regular physical activity improves mood by triggering hormones called endorphins and Serotonin that give you a sense of peace, relaxation, and happiness. Exercise is a natural anti-depressant. Exercising at Prototype virtually or in person gives you the added bonus of community and challenge!

  •   Prioritize Sleep and Rest

Chronic sleep deprivation is a major contributor to depressed mood and anxiety. Lack of sleep makes us more susceptible to illness, injury, and increases our sensitivity to micro-stressors.

  •  Exercise Daily Gratitude

Developing an attitude of gratitude is a practice you should strive to have year-round, ESPECIALLY during the Holiday Season. When we focus on everything we DO have we can handle stress more easily. Neuroscience studies have proven that even practicing gratitude boosts feel-good hormones that promote happiness and joy.

  • Create a mindfulness/stress management routine

The holidays bring up strong feelings for a lot of people. Having a regular meditation or mindfulness routine will help you stay ahead of those feelings. When you feel more grounded, everything else feels more stable which means we have more time to be present.

  •     Reach out to family and friends often

Connection, community and relationships are top predictors of happiness and joy. Reach out to friends and make sure to interact with people daily. Don’t forget to make time for recharging too!

 

Previous Blogs

By Mike Collette February 9, 2026
Recovery isn’t new—our focus on it is. Explore a quick timeline from early stress science to burnout research to wearables and recovery studios.
By Mike Collette February 3, 2026
Sharang is a standout part of the Prototype community—steady, positive, and always putting in the work—and his commitment to consistency, camaraderie, and long-term progress makes him a perfect example of what PTS is all about. Below he answers some questions and shares his experience. Share your experience at Prototype—favorite memories, moments, or stories or what’s your favorite part/what do you look forward to? What stands out most about Prototype is the camaraderie. The members, especially in the 7AM and Noon classes, create a great balance of fun and focus. Everyone is friendly and supportive, but when it’s time to work, people take the WODs seriously and push themselves to improve. That combination can be hard to find. All the coaches play a huge role in setting that tone. My favorite moments are the everyday ones i.e. showing up, putting in the work together, leaving class feeling accomplished. What I look forward to most is continuing to train alongside people who genuinely enjoy the process and want to get better. “Because summer’s coming.” Who at Prototype has made the biggest impact on you and why? As a dad of two young daughters, the people who’ve made the biggest impact on me at Prototype are the women in the gym. They all train with confidence, strength, consistency and set a powerful example. It’s the kind of environment I hope my daughters grow up seeing where strength is normal and earned. What are your hobbies and activities outside the gym? I dabble a bit in photography, star gazing and love to travel. Playing atrocious golf. How has Prototype helped you or solved a problem for you? Prototype has helped me stay active. There’s a real sense of happiness and accomplishment after each workout, and that feeling has become addictive in the best way. Knowing I’ll leave class feeling stronger, physically and mentally, keeps me coming back. Prototype has turned working out from something I should do into something I genuinely want to do, which has made a huge difference in maintaining a sustainable fitness routine. What are your current fitness goals? Steady progress and longevity. If I can keep lifting, moving well, and feeling good years from now, I’ll consider that a win. I hope my future self will thank my present self. Favorite Quote If you can’t explain it simply you don't understand it well enough.
By Mike Collette December 30, 2025
Greg is an amazing part of our community — consistent, encouraging, and ready to get after it. He truly represents what the PTS community is all about. Prototype of the Month is well deserved! Below, he answers a few questions about his time at PTS. Share your experience at Prototype—favorite memories, moments, or stories or what’s your favorite part/what do you look forward to? I definitely look forward to that feeling of clarity after finishing up a workout. I feel ready to tackle the rest of the day. Sometimes I have trouble getting mentally ready for a tough looking metcon, but I always feel better afterwards. Who at Prototype has made the biggest impact on you and why? All the coaches and members are great, I look forward to seeing everyone when I am there, but the person who has made the biggest impact is Bridget Owens. She is my motivation and always pushes me to keep going and push myself to get better. What are your hobbies and activities outside the gym? I love cycling and mountain biking, the workouts at prototype have definitely helped improve my fitness so that I can do better on the bike even though I don’t get out as often as I would like. Also spending time with my family, grilling and BBQing when the weather is nice and getting to the beach in the summer. How has Prototype helped you or solved a problem for you? Prototype has helped enormously with my level of anxiety, I was really struggling when we first moved into town, the community and workouts at Prototype have been a life saver for my mental health. What are your current fitness goals? I want to get better at gymnastics, maybe get some toes to the bar. Favorite Quote Two Quotes: “Bone on bone, stack it” -Jon “Activate the lower half” -Brian
More Posts

Climb to New Heights

Prototype Training Systems is more than a gym - it is a lifestyle. Join us today!

Book Free No-Sweat Intro