10 Ways To Bounce Back From A Weekend Of Binge Eating
Have you ever come off of one of those weekends where you know you did too much? I’m sure you can relate.
You ate a little too much of something. Consumed more alcohol than you needed to. One slice of cake turned into three (or the entire thing). It’s a pretty crappy feeling when you know you’ve slipped up and eaten things you have been trying to avoid or that make you feel physically off the next day. But just because you did a little bit more than you should doesn’t mean you’re doomed. It doesn’t mean your fitness goals are finished. It doesn’t mean you’ve put on 20 pounds you’ll never be able to get off. It doesn’t mean you have zero control and are falling apart. You took a day off, or a few days off, from what you’re used to, and yes, you enjoyed yourself (a lot).
So if you’re sulking about what you ate all weekend long, don’t. Try the following measures to help yourself bounce back.
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Don’t Go Down a Rabbit Hole
Just because you spent one or two (or three) days eating poorly doesn’t mean you have to continue down a bad path. Once you know you’ve gone too far, you shouldn’t use that as an excuse to keep on eating any ol’ kind of way. When you notice that you’ve had more than one heavy meal in a day or two, start preparing to turn things around.
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Acknowledge It
Acknowledging that you went a little too far shouldn’t encourage you to be especially hard on yourself. Once you start shaming yourself for the decisions you made when it comes to food, it will be a gateway to continuing poor behavior. “I already messed up, might as well keep going,” right? Wrong.
We’re all human and from time to time, go overboard on things that aren’t great for us. Now that you know it happens (and will likely happen again in the future), you don’t have to dwell on it.
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Drink Water
There’s nothing like a whole lot of salts, sugars and alcohol to remind you of what you’ve been missing — water. When you’re not hydrated, your body can feel it (and your urine will show it — and smell like it). So the best way to get back on the good foot is to start by increasing your intake of H20.
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Cut Down on Your Portions
I always go overboard on my portions of rice. So by the time I get to the next meal, I try to ease up on what’s on my plate. Also, for some reason, utilizing a colored plate that is in contrast to my meal helps me to put less food on it. I get a better glimpse at how much I’m preparing myself to eat.
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Balance Things Out
After a day of eating a lot of starch or meat, try to get some vegetables (you can never go wrong with greens) and fruit back on your plate (or in your smoothie) so that you don’t feel like you’re just stuffing yourself with unhealthy treats. You will immediately feel less, well, junky.
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Get to Work
Working out will not only help you burn off some of the food you probably had no business eating, but it will also help you get your mind off of any negative feelings about what you chose to consume during a weekend of hanging with friends, or simply just hanging by yourself in the house watching Netflix.
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Clean up What You Bring into Your Home
Went too far with the ice cream? Don’t bring it home. Went crazy on salty snacks? Don’t bring chips and other treats into your cupboards. They will be the temptation you don’t need when you’re trying to do better.
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Whatever You Do, Don’t Starve Yourself
The way to clean things up internally is not by avoiding meals. As was previously mentioned, cutting down your portions and trying to have balanced meals after the fact is the way to go. Besides, if you spend too much time not eating, once you finally get your hands on a meal, the chances of you going overboard again will be higher.
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Know Your Triggers
Some of us can have a little bit of the things we crave and not go too far. And then some of us smell the aroma of freshly baked cookies, or see the bright colors of a delicious dish and we do way too much. It could be a sign that some of the things you indulge in, including even alcohol, are worth possibly pulling from your diet completely.
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Replace What Gets You in Trouble With Healthy Alternatives
If you’ve been going wild on sweets, try and fill your fridge with fruits that can be just as pleasant in taste. Put a little bit of peanut butter on some apples. Blend up some fruits and make a smoothie. Want something salty? Try air-popped popcorn or Snapea crisps, which are low in calories and have a lot less sodium. Small changes in what you bring in the house can help you avoid going out and going HAM on the things that you know aren’t good for you.
