RECOVERING FROM HOLIDAY BINGING

BY: FITZ-GEORGE RATTRAY

Holidays come and go but the fear is that the fat will stay forever.  You’ll likely know the experience. Socially, habitually and culturally you feel the need to enjoy the festive eating, all the while knowing that you could be putting your wardrobe, goals and health in jeopardy, but nevertheless, barreling along mindlessly. 

Now you are thinking it’s time to pay the piper, now you have to take serious action, or, the holiday weight gain will add up and after a few years of holiday eating and you will be 60 pounds heavier, so, you add to your wrong decisions.  But don’t it is challenging to be 100% perfect all the time, and celebrations, holidays and special occasions are reasonable times to indulge a little.

However, after binging, there are certain DON’TS:

DON’T seriously cut back on calories trying to starve to balance the excessive eating.  Severe restriction will only lead to more cravings and “harass” your metabolism.

DON’T run off to the gym to burn off those extra calories with a mind-bending intense workout. The sudden one or two sessions of extra intense effort will not significantly “burn” the extra calories, we are more efficient than we think.  What it will do is increase your risk of injury and create an unhealthy mental cycle of food and punishment.

DON’T get frustrated with yourself and throw out your healthy eating altogether, turning on or two days into a week, month or more of risky, mindless eating.

DON’T tell yourself you’ll just, “take a break” from your healthy lifestyle and restart next week. If you had the correct mindset that would be illogical.

DON’T be unfair with yourself, maintain a balance, don’t be too hard and create a framework for disappointment, placing yourself in a rut.

Most importantly DON’T MINDLESSLY BINGE, plan, and stick with it.

So, if you mindlessly binged:

DO Return to a balanced healthy eating pattern, perhaps slightly reduce your simple carbohydrates (wheat, rice, refined flour and sugar product) for a while.

DO Continue your regular activities, sport, exercise etc. or even choose to add a little extra effort to move in your daily life, taking the stairs, parking further away or even a five or ten-minute mild morning routine.  Movement is life.

DO Remember that you are to be kind to yourself, treat yourself as your own best friend, encourage yourself, cherish the good memories of the time and the shared experience of it.

DO accept that these times are a part of your lifestyle, plan ahead for the extra eating. A weight and healthy lifestyle coach can help give you the experience and objectivity to best navigate these tricky times, but in either case, be mindful and plan ahead and immediately get back to your healthier food choices.

Ultimately, DO always remember that there is no good place for guilt, it is a draining emotion. Think it out or talk it out in a positive way. Mindless unplanned binging may catch others, or have caught you before but no more, you have the tools to keep your wellness on track.  

Do not put yourself into a tailspin, once back on track your body will regulate your recovery, and if you are on a healthy, scientific, natural, balanced eating system/lifestyle you will be more than fine.  

Remember it’s not what you do on the 7 to 12 special days of the year which matters, it is the nutritional lifestyle you live the other 348 days of the year which will decide your future wellness. So make a plan, get the support you need, but most of all, be gentle and kind with yourself, get back on track and be healthy, emotionally and physically.