‘Survival Of The Thickest’ Star Michelle Buteau Helps Redefine The New Year Reset

Premier Protein is rethinking the traditional New Year reset with its “New Year When You Need It” campaign, encouraging people to start fresh on their own timeline rather than forcing resolutions straight out of the holiday haze. Acknowledging that early January often feels more like recovery than renewal, the brand wants to encourage everyone to ease back into routines when it actually feels right. 

To help spark that renewed “go get ’em” energy, Premier Protein has partnered with comedian and “Survival of the Thickest” star Michelle Buteau, who brings humor and relatability to the idea that the New Year doesn’t have to begin the moment the clock strikes midnight.

Buteau sat down with The Blast to exclusively share a little about the partnership, how she views the new year, and what fun she has in the works. 

The actual New Year may start on January 1, but Buteau and Premier Protein want you to rethink that mindset with the thought of starting the “New Year When You Need It.” 

The “Survival of the Thickest” star is totally on board with the idea of starting the new year on a day other than January 1.

“It’s an awesome campaign, the ‘new New Year,’ because we always are just like January 1 is when the New Year starts,” she told The Blast exclusively. “I love that Premier Protein is like, let us help you.”

From January 5-9, 2026, consumers in specific cities can get a free protein shake from Premier Protein at goget2026.com, to help get your “new New Year” started right. 

Buteau shared one of her favorite ways to include a protein shake in her morning routine.

“When I put a little protein shake up in my coffee, I’m a nicer person. I have a little frother, and I froth it in my coffee. I do the caramel flavor with a little cinnamon on top,” she shared. 

“I have 7-year-old twins with curly hair, a Dutch husband and two dogs that are over 100 pounds. I got a lot of things to do before 9 a.m. so I’m very thankful for anything that will give me energy and make me feel healthy to kickstart the day, because, you know, I’m really lucky that I have so many responsibilities in a day.” 

On the topic of the new year approaching, Buteau suggests it’s all about doing what you want.

“Do you, why not? It doesn’t have to be January 1, it could be January 5, whatever that means for you. Give yourself some grace. You have a lot more days in the year to get done whatever you need to get done. Don’t worry about it,” she said. 

“Have fun, be healthy, be happy, laugh, buy the thing that you always wanted, wear the thing that’s been sitting in your closet, light the candle that you’re waiting for the nice people to visit, do the things.” 

Buteau’s hit Netflix comedy, “Survival of the Thickest,” centers on starting over without shrinking yourself. The series follows Mavis Beaumont, played by Buteau, a plus-size stylist in New York City whose life takes an unexpected turn after a breakup forces her to reassess her relationships, career, and sense of self.

Equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and relatable, the show blends humor with themes of friendship, body confidence, and resilience, offering a fresh and honest take on dating, self-love, and ambition. 

“If season 1 was a love letter to the fatty-baddies and oddly-bodies, season 2 was definitely a love letter to women, all types of women. Big women, short women, all types, colors, shapes, sizes, trans women, just women, and to people who love women and take care of them,” she told The Blast. “And so, season 3 is a love letter to myself, to my journey, my IVF journey of welcoming my twins, and it just feels like a warm hug of hello.” 

Buteau has been booked and busy! Coming soon - “Spa Weekend,” with an all-star cast! This indie comedy, that stars Buteau, leans into the thought that friendship and a wellness retreat can help a reset happen, but instead, it opens up some old tension and unspoken frustrations. 

“The writer, directors of the movie also did ‘Bad Moms,’ and so these guys completely understand what it’s like for women to have really strong friendships and what it means to lean on each other and give ourselves grace, as I’m talking about for the new year, to let our hair down, let loose, to have fun, not to feel like we have to fit into this and do that, that we could just be ourselves,” Buteau said. “That really attracted me to the movie, besides the comedic powerhouses that are Isla Fisher, Anna Faris, and Leslie Mann. And it’s a really fun movie that I think will motivate women to take some time for themselves, go on a spa weekend, perhaps.”

Buteau is also going on her comedy tour, “Surviving and Thriving,” in 2026. 

“It’s going to be so fun. I just love writing jokes and I love performing,” she said. “‘Surviving and Thriving’ I feel like is what we all try to do just within a day. Surviving for me is like having a clean kitchen and thriving for me is getting all the laundry done, like actually washing it, folding it and putting it away.” 

Don't forget! Kick-start your energy during that first "real week" of the year with a Premier Protein shake. From January 5-9, 2026, consumers in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Miami, and Atlanta can go to www.goget2026.com between 5 and 9 a.m. to claim a free shake delivered right to their door, while supplies last.