It happens to all of us. You go to a holiday dinner, a party, a night out… and you eat way too much. Thanksgiving, in particular, brings on a lot of lying on the couch and moaning afterwards (at least in my house). It’s easy to berate yourself - “oh why did I have that second slice of pie!” - but why bother? The fact of the matter is that despite how bloated or guilty you may feel… you don’t gain enormous amounts of weight from one meal. Make it a habit though, and it could be a problem. So, try these tips to get yourself back on track after having a bit too much of a festive feast…
- Don’t beat yourself up. Blame solves nothing and may cause you to lose your diet resolve if you give in to it. Accept that you had too much, and move on.
- Start fresh the next day. The day after Thanksgiving, I’m back to writing down what I’m eating (even if it is leftover turkey for breakfast). Writing down what you eat on a daily basis is one of the best ways of keeping track of your intake.
- Drink lots of water. Yes, you should be doing this all along, but perhaps you were drinking wine, soft drinks, or egg nog instead. The day after an over-indulgence, try to drink extra water to help flush your system.
- Share your leftovers. The best way to avoid temptation is to give the temptation away. Bring the leftover pie to a friend, share your leftover turkey and trimmings-- basically, just try to clear it out of the house as soon as possible.
- Exercise. It’s amazing the number of “wrongs” that exercise can “right.” No, you can’t burn off the whole meal in one shot, but up your regular exercise by 10 or 20 extra minutes a day for a week and you are well on your way.
- Eat extra fruits and vegetables the next day. And I’m not talking about mashed potatoes, or any butter- or sugar-laden leftovers. Try salad, fresh fruit, and steamed veggies.
- Use leftovers wisely. Many recipes designed to help use up extra turkey end up adding a lot of extra fat and calories. Read recipes carefully and make wiser choices.
- Don’t weigh yourself the next day. It won’t do anything except (probably) aggravate you for no good reason. Any extra weight that might appear on the scale as a result of one big meal can be gone in a few days by just eating right again, writing down what you eat, and drinking lots of water.
- Stay focused but have fun. It IS possible to enjoy the holidays and maintain a healthy weight. Remember that holidays are about family and friends, not about food.
