You’ve been working hard; pushing play or hitting the gym and eating clean to see serious results because you have big goals. Then, the weekend hits. There is a crawfish boil, a beer tasting, a birthday or just a fun Friday night out with friends. You had a few drinks and before you know it, you were chowing down on the chips and dips, pretzel sticks and dessert. The next day you feel bloated and sluggish and you step on the scale or struggle to zip your jeans and you want to cry. Sound familiar? It happens to the best of us, but don’t let it be an excuse to quit! Here are some tips to get back on track after an evening or weekend of junk food.
1. Forgive yourself!
Beating yourself up about the calories you consumed does absolutely no good. Negative self talk starts to take over. (I can’t believe I ate that! No wonder I’m so fat. Why should I even bother working out today? Nothing will ever work because I can’t stop shoving food in my face. Why did I drink those beers? I’m so stupid. I bet skinny chicks never drink beer. Oh my gosh, I look terrible. I shouldn’t even leave the house today. I’m disgusting. I HAVE to go exercise now to punish myself for everything I ate. I don’t even deserve to eat today. Etc, etc, etc.) This kind of negative internal monologue alters the hormones in your body to make you feel stressed, depressed and GAIN WEIGHT! Yes, the thoughts that you think can make your body produce stress hormone (cortisone) that will actually make your body deposit fat, in addition to putting you at a higher risk for diabetes and suppressing your immune system. Not only that, but when you talk to yourself like that, you are hardly going to be motivated to go work out! Could you imagine if I talked to my training clients like that? No one would ever come back! Instead, talk to yourself as if you are your own coach. Tell yourself, “There’s nothing I can do about those calories now. I’m going to focus on what I CAN do today to get back on track because I know I feel better mentally and physically when I exercise and eat well.”
2. Sweat!
I cannot stress the importance of this step enough. If you have been eating junk, you have filled your body with toxic sludge. The only way you are going to feel like yourself again is to have an intense sweat-fest! It doesn’t have be a long workout. In fact, high intensity workouts are best at 20-30 minutes, provided you push yourself. (check out this study here on how effective shorter workouts are.) Sweat will help your body rid itself of toxins such as trace minerals and BPA. Exercise will also get your digestive tract working better and reduce bloating and discomfort or possible constipation from indulging in foods your normally don’t eat. If that isn’t enough of a reason, working up a good sweat gives you an emotional boost and lifts your mood. It can help you recover your confidence and feel more like yourself again.
Drink Extra Water.
Whenever you eat or drink junk, your kidneys end up working overtime to filter all the crap out our system. Water helps the kidneys function better. Also, junk food and alcohol tend to dehydrate our bodies which slows down metabolism and adds to the bloated, puffy feeling. Extra water can help flush our the excess salt and flatten your stomach and reduce the look of cellulite. It also helps the skin in your face look better so drink up! A splash of lemon or lime brightens the flavor and gives your metabolism a boost.
Continue to Eat Healthy. Do NOT fast!
Its so tempting to try to starve yourself the next day, but you can’t “make up” for too many calories and fasting the next day can have some serious consequences. Mentally, if you follow up a binge with a day of fasting, you are much more likely to binge again that much sooner. Our bodies really hate it when we go without food and your brain sends signals to your body to produce hormones that will change to make it much more likely for you to over-indulge the first moment you relax. This roller coaster of binging and starving can wreak havoc on your emotions and your health and it will slow down your metabolism. The goal is to build healthy habits that focus on fueling your body well. If you slipped up, just eat that much cleaner (but still eat) the next day. Add in some extra raw fruits and veggies. The extra water and fiber from the raw foods will help your digestive tract get moving again and the nutrients will help you start craving the right foods again.
I hope this helps! Remember, we want to have a healthy lifestyle AND still enjoy our lives. If you find you’ve had a little too much, FORGIVE yourself, SWEAT, SMILE, and EAT WELL!
Would you like additional help with nutrition and healthy living? I’m here to help! Contact me and let me know how I can help you with your goals today!
Just Sweat and Smile!