When you seriously overindulge in holiday fare, don’t beat yourself up the morning after. Don’t get too down on yourself, and don’t feel too guilty if you eat and drink too much during New Year’s Eve festivities. The holidays tempt all of us to overindulge in foods that taste amazing and make us feel happy. Even if you dived headlong into the Christmas buffet, you can’t have gained more than a couple of pounds. Some of that weight is likely to be water you’re retaining from snacking on super-salty, super-yummy foods. Relax and focus on getting back on track.
Don’t punish yourself f by skipping meals. You’ll be tempted to overeat again if you severely curtail eating. Limiting calories or omitting meals will only lower your metabolism and make losing weight more difficult. Nutritionists recommend instead that you scale back on calories by reducing portion sizes. Return to the plan that was helping you achieve your healthy weight goals.
The same advice goes for exercise. You’ll burn extra calories by doing extra exercise on the day after your indulgence, but don’t punish yourself by overdoing. Staying on track with your routine exercise program will do the most good for your long-term weight loss and maintenance goals. Your normal physical activity will burn calories and boost metabolism.
Here’s the first thing you should eat the day after overindulging.
First: A Reboot Shot
When you wake up in the morning, reboot by mixing up this shot and drinking it down:
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- Ice
Follow this by drinking at least 75 ounces to 100 ounces of water.
Second: Protein Kale Smoothie Breakfast
Eating something green is the fast way to tell your body it’s time to get back on track. Check out one of these smoothies for a satisfying start to the day that’s full of nutrients: 10 Green Smoothies Anyone Will Love. These creamy, delicious drinks offer you a choice from super sweet to super green.
Third: Wrap Up a Tuna Salad Lunch
No way you planned ahead for a nutritious lunch on the day after a serious holiday indulgence. But you probably keep the ingredients in your pantry for this flavorful Crunchy Mediterranean Tuna Salad Wrap. Briny olives and sweet red bell peppers make this tuna salad a winner.
Fourth: Stir Fry Dinner
Serve up a ton of veggies and have this Healthy Chicken Stir Fry on the table in 30 minutes. Load up on fiber by serving over brown rice.
Fifth: Snacks on Protein and Healthy Fats
Great snacks of protein and healthy fats will keep you satisfied until your next meal. Keep these on hand for everyday snacking as well as post-indulgence recovery.
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 an avocado
- 1 serving of nuts
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
Remember, we’re all human! Don’t feel too guilty when you overindulge. Just make the morning after the time to resolve going back to your healthy lifestyle.