Healthy Holiday Hustle 2024: For the Love of the Hustle - An Anniversary Celebration!

Nearly a decade ago, I found myself sitting in an Italian restaurant with a few friends, a week before Thanksgiving, groaning about the upcoming holiday season and the dreaded weight gain that always seemed to come with the six weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's…

It felt like every day on the calendar was filled with holiday obligations, wine, appetizers, and a lack of time to exercise. That night, we came up with a small challenge to stay accountable to at least the exercise portion of staying healthy through the holidays—hoping it might also help balance out our food and alcohol habits.

Since the holidays are not only a time for weight gain but also for giving, we decided to make the "punishment" philanthropic. The challenge was simple: 20 minutes of movement every day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. For every day missed, we’d donate $5 to charity.

That night, in 2015, the Healthy Holiday Hustle was born.

Fast forward to 2024, and I can hardly believe we’re celebrating 10 years of this little fitness challenge. I’ve seen the years fly by, filled with countless life changes, big events, and unforgettable moments. Through it all, the Healthy Holiday Hustle has been a constant presence in my life, especially throughout my 30s. From the joy of getting engaged and married, to the pain of infertility and a heartbreaking miscarriage, to devastating loss, a painful divorce, a high-risk pregnancy, the miracle of a baby, a global pandemic, new jobs, new homes, and new states—I've experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Through it all, the Hustle has been front and center, right there for the journey. I’m sure many of you can relate.

But what really stands out to me as I reflect on these past 10 years are the themes of the Holiday Hustle—Health, Community, Celebration, Giving Back, and Fun. These themes have woven their way through every season, through every joy and challenge.

When we first started, the Hustle was about exercise and staying healthy, but over the years, it has grown into so much more. It has brought people together to form a community, lifting each other up and spreading positivity. It has encouraged balance and celebration—to be present and enjoy the holidays, even when life gets busy and stressful. It has fostered a philanthropic mission, encouraging us to help those who need it most. And, I hope, it has made exercise fun and non-negotiable, offering family-friendly ways to stay active, no matter what stage of life you're in.

The Healthy Holiday Hustle has become not just a fun way to stay healthy during the busiest season of the year, but a way of life.

To date, our movement has reached over 1,200 people, and together, we’ve raised more than $110,000 for 11 hand-selected charities that align with our mission. If you know me, you know I love a good party, and if there’s ever been something worth celebrating, it’s this monumental achievement.

In honor of our 10-year anniversary, we’ll be walking down memory lane and supporting some of the charities we’ve worked with over the years—organizations that I hold close to my heart and who continue to embody a relentless mission to help others:

Year 3: Detroit Prep – Hustle for Detroit

Year 4: Enriched Living – Hustle for Quality of Life

Year 7: Matthew D. Barsamian Foundation – Hustle for Barso

Year 8: i understand – Hustle for Mental Health

Year 9: Angels of Hope – Hustle for Hope

While the funds will be distributed equally among these five incredible organizations, my hope is that we’ll come together to encourage one more friend to participate and experience the joy of the Healthy Holiday Hustle. Together, we can make this 10-year anniversary our biggest year yet—a celebration you won’t want to miss.

Thank you for being there through it all, Healthy Holiday Hustle. I love you, and I can’t wait to celebrate you (and all of YOU!) big time this year.

For the Love of the Hustle,
Erin