Are you still keeping it real this holiday season? I’ve only attended one party so far. It’s been pretty easy not to over do it. However, this week is Christmas. I have a full schedule of family, fun and food leading all the way up to New Year’s Eve. I know myself. I know my family. There will be pizza. There will be biscuits and gravy. There might be cheese. I will over eat.
When I overeat I don’t feel like myself. My energy gets very low. My digestion becomes sluggish, to say the least, leaving me a bit bloated. I don’t like the sick and tired feeling that comes from overindulging. I want the bounce in my step back and for my skinny jeans to fit properly again as soon as possible. I crave my normal routine but I also have a couple of extras things I throw in to bring me back in balance. If you’ve gone a little overboard already or perhaps know it’s coming, here are some things you can do to reset and get back to feeling like yourself again
- If you do have one too many cocktails at the office party it’s important to start hydrating again as soon as possible.
Plain water is best and at least 64 oz. of it for most people. You can also try coconut water or a natural sports drink like Recharge to help restore electrolyte balance. I personally don’t drink alcohol but all the salty foods bring on the water retention for me. Strange but true, drinking more water will help diminish water retention. - Take your vitamins.
When you’re eating nutrient devoid (but tasty) holiday treats you may not be eating your greens. Cover your gaps by making sure you take your multivitamin. I also take EmergenC year round but I might take two a day when I am feeling run down from too many late nights. - Protein breakfast.
If I eat poorly the night before I am starving the next morning. If you give don’t give your body what it needs, it will keep signaling you to eat more until it gets it. In my case that’s usually protein. I start my day with my Morning Mug Souffle, Vanilla Coconut Protein Pancakes or Baja Eggs Benedict. (If you’re digestive system isn’t moving as well as it should try swaping the milled flax for psyllium husk in the Morning Mug Souffle. It’s a great fiber boost.) - Drink tea.
Green tea is a wonderful way to get an extra anti-0xident boost but pu’erh tea also has some great health benefits when your eating habits have been off track. Pu’erh tea has a natural statin compound that may help scrub out the bad (LDL) cholesterol. If you’ve spent too much time with the cheese and sausage tray, start your day with a cup of pu’ Incidentally, when I was in Hong Kong the women in the teashops promoted pu’erh tea to help with weight loss. While there isn’t enough science to back it up it certainly won’t hurt you to add it to your morning routine (unless you need to avoid caffeine).
If you’ve been on your fitness journey for any amount of time, you’ll have come to appreciate the energy, joy and strength you feel when you’re treating your body well. You start to crave that feeling; you miss it when it’s gone. Life is to be lived but it’s also about balance. Enjoy the holidays and don’t feel guilty. Get back to normal as soon as you can to start feeling like your healthy and fit self again!
