3 Step Plan to Get Back on Track After Indulging
The holiday season is here in full swing, and so are the parties and gatherings- which can mean a lot of food and drinks too! So if you’re feeling stuffed, or if you’ve had an occasion in the past few weeks (or you will have one in the few weeks to come) where you’ve felt like there’s too much food and you’re feeling stuffed- you’re not alone.
The holiday season is one of the most common times of year where clients end up feeling overly stuffed and find themselves needing some relief. Although we can be really hard on ourselves for overindulging, it’s something that we all fall victim to at one point or another; to help us overcome the overindulging that can happen at this time of year I think we need to instill a certain amount of kindness and forgiveness to ourselves, and also have a strategy to get back on track.
So, you had a big night out and you wake up feeling over-stuffed and frankly, quite like garbage- what to do?
Here’s my 3 step plan to help get you back on track after overindulging:
Step 1: Drink a big glass of water
One of the major issues that can occur the night after celebrating the holidays is that we can be dehydrated- which can affect how energetic we feel, and can also affect digestion and bowel movements (ahem, constipation). To help you start in a positive way, get a glass of water (or 2) and feel free to add some lemon- it’ll help promote detoxification (thanks to a compound called de-limonene in the peel that can help the body process toxins better) – and it also helps to promote digestion.
Step 2: Make a balanced breakfast
Frequently the plan can be to skip eating until later in the day when we feel more hungry- but your best plan of action is to get up and make something healthy to eat because it helps to prevent falling off track even more by skipping meals. When it comes to food choices- you want to focus on some healthy fat and/or some protein in your meals throughout the day- so make yourself a plate of eggs like this one (with veggies), or a well-balanced smoothie that has protein and healthy fat like avocado, or almond butter along with a vegetable and a fruit..
Step 3: Get moving
I know, it’s about the last thing you want to do, but it helps get the blood flowing and can help to boost mood and energy. Any movement you do can help you to feel better, much more quickly. If you’re looking for ideas here’s a few of my favorite workouts:
But that’s not all, here’s a few other things to keep in mind to get you back on track if you’re finding that you’re having trouble staying on the healthy eating wagon this holiday season.
A few more tips:
As a general rule of thumb the day after a big night out- you want to eat plenty of plants (50% of the meal or more should be vegetables), eat some protein (keep it clean and lean like chicken or fish) – and drink plenty of fluids. When it comes to planning your meals here’s a few other foods and nutrients to include the day after a big night out.
Include these foods the next morning:
- Watermelon: It’s hydrating and contains a nutrient called l-citrulline that helps to promote circulation and can help the body detoxify.
- Clean protein powder: Add your favorite clean protein powder to your smoothie to help promote satiety and balance energy.
- Bananas: They get a bad wrap but are a good source of vitamin b6 that can help to kick hangover symptoms and promote energy as well.
- Tomatoes and tomato juice: Tomatoes help to boost liver function and can help to also provide electrolytes like sodium and potassium that can give you energy.
