Recovering from an Easter Binge

I hope everyone had a wonderful (hopefully long and relaxing) Easter weekend! I know a lot of that time was probably spent eating decadent foods, snacking on candy, drinking and not practicing much self-care. While you might have been busy and having fun, today (Monday) might have felt a little rough. 

It is ok to indulge a little every now and again. If you ate or drank a little too much, didn't workout, skimped on sleep and did more for others than yourself....don't beat yourself up. The key is to start getting back on track today. 

You might be thinking you need to punish yourself and start fasting and workout for hours each day. This binge/deprivation cycle is not a healthy way to live your life and will not help in the long run. Instead, take care of yourself with the following 5 steps.

Forgive Yourself: Let the negative thoughts about the food you ate over the weekend go. Let the guilt go. A healthy diet is not ruined by a weekend of over-indulgence...it happens to the best of us. 

Drink Water: Your body is probably holding on to a lot of water at this point from all the simple carbs (candy and bread) and sodium (processed foods), which is why you feel bloated. While it might seem counter intuitive, drinking water (at least 8 8 oz glasses) will create a much needed flushing effect.

Exercise: Don't overdo it here as punishment. Go on a walk, a run, anything to get your heart rate up and make you sweat. 30-60 minutes is enough, you don't need to spend hours at the gym trying to compensate for the extra calories. 

Eat Nutrient Dense Foods: Focus on eating mainly veggies, fruit, lean protein and drink a lot of water! Try to avoid the unhealthy leftovers and candy. Get rid of it if you can't resist the temptation. Also, don't skip meals, the goal is to get back to your normal eating pattern ASAP.

Sleep Well: Practice your favorite self-care ritual tonight, relax and get to bed on time. Aim for 8 hours of rejuvenating sleep. 

Remember, it is ok to treat yourself from time to time, don't deprive yourself or waste time feeling guilty. Focus instead on what you can do to get back on track. 

If you need any more help with starting to live a healthier lifestyle or you just want to get a jump-start on a healthier spring season in preparation for an even better summer...check out Boost, my 28-day healthy living course.