You Overate... Now What?

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

With the drinks and the sweets, you'll for sure overeat,

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

That's how the song goes... right?

I hate how every time I go to a party and I see all the amazing appetizers and desserts and drinks, I act like this is the last time in my life I'll ever see food again.  Not only do I regret it in the short term with the stomach ache and the bloat, making stuffing my face a habit over the holiday season means I'm also going to regret what my body looks like in the mirror over the long term.

What's a food lover and binger to do?

Tip 1:  All is not lost!  Personally, I do really good when I don't have any slip ups.  The second I eat that unplanned treat, I figure, well I've had one cookie, I might as well have the other 11 in the pack.  WRONG.  That's like saying it doesn't matter whether you choose a 200 calorie piece of pie or a 2000 calorie piece of pie!  Enjoy your treat, and continue on with your day and your healthy choices.

Tip 2:  Forgive yourself!  Stop being so hard on yourself!  It may actually be a whole year before you get to have your favorite Christmas cookies again!  So just have one!  No one is perfect, even the people you see on social media.  So forgive yourself and move on.

Tip 3:  After you forgive yourself, make a plan!  So you had a few treats and maybe things got out of hand.  Tomorrow is a new day.  Grab a pen and a piece of paper and meal plan for tomorrow.  When can you fit in a workout?  What do you have to do tomorrow to make sure you get back and stay on track?  Do you need to tell a friend to keep you accountable?

Tip 4:  Take action!  Implement that plan from yesterday.  To make yourself feel better, sweat it out for about 45 minutes.  Finish with 10-15 minutes of stretching.  It's the best way to start your day off on the right foot and continue with a meal plan full of veggies, healthy fats and whole grain carbs.  Increase digestion by increasing your fiber, limiting your meat intake, and drinking lot of water!

Tip 5:  Stop eating an hour earlier than you normally do.  Brush your teeth, drink more water, and even go to bed earlier!  Whatever you have to do!