Holidays usually mean an abundance of foods we don’t typically eat every day. From second helpings at dinner to stacking up at the dessert table, it can be pretty easy to go overboard with food when surrounded by loved ones in celebration. That is okay! Holidays should be days filled with joy, and often food is a big part of that.
But when the party’s over, and you’re wondering how to get back on track, we’ve got six tips to help!
1. Get Over The Guilt
First—accept what happened. Guilt is not an ingredient in any of your foods, no matter how “bad” some of them might seem to be. Whether you ate a huge dinner or an entire chocolate bunny, acknowledge and accept that you got off track and then let go. Wallowing in guilt or thinking you’ve “ruined” your diet for the week will only lead to more slip-ups.
2. Use Your FitTrack Scale
Usually, people say skip the weigh-in because you’re likely bloated/ retaining water after a binge. But we want you to step on your FitTrack Smart Scale to see that any of that extra weight you feel like you’re carrying has NOT immediately turned into fat. Check your fat metrics for a bit of encouragement that you haven’t caused long-term impacts to your health.
3. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
It sounds counterintuitive to drink more water when you’re retaining water, but it helps! That is because this encourages your body to flush out what it is holding (including extra sodium) and keeps your digestive system moving along. Staying hydrated will help you reset and get back to feeling normal in no time.
4. Exercise, But Don’t Go Crazy
You may be tempted to go all out and burn those extra calories, but this isn’t always the right choice. Not only do you risk injury by going too hard, but it can also lead to another binge. Feeling extra hungry or having the false sense that you don’t have to worry about overdoing it could end up doing more harm in the long run. Instead, stick to your routine and get back on track.
5. DON’T Skip Meals or Snacks
Just because you over-ate earlier in the day or even yesterday doesn’t mean you should under-eat later to “make up the calories.” Your body still needs calories to function properly, and cutting too many can send mixed signals to your body. Healthy meals and snacks will help manage hunger, stabilize blood sugar and prevent another binge later.
6. Get Lots of Sleep
When you’re tired, you’re irritable. Candy can give you a sugar high that makes you feel better temporarily. Make sure you’re well-rested to amp up your willpower so you can turn down the extra snacks.
Recovering from a snack binge can feel like a big deal, especially when you’re on a weight loss journey. In reality, one meal or one day isn’t going to undo your efforts drastically. What is more important is that you get back on track and continue the healthy habits you’ve put in place.
Fitness is about progress, not perfection!
How do you recover from a food binge?