Too Much Pumpkin Pie? 6 Tips to Get Back on Track

It’s the day after Thanksgiving and we’re all feeling the bulge! Here are some quick tips on how to structure your day if you’ve overeaten.

It’s the day after Thanksgiving and we’re all feeling the bulge! Here are some quick tips on how to structure your day if you’ve overeaten.

First of all, don’t beat yourself up. Know that the next meal is a clean slate and a chance to be healthy and well balanced.

Don’t skip meals, as this will wreak havoc on your blood sugar – which can cause weigh gain, irritability, fatigue and more. Moderate to full-fledged hunger is most likely to hit 4 to 5 hours after a balanced meal. The problem is that waiting too long to eat can send you on a hunt for energy—and the willpower to make healthful choices goes down the drain. Make sure to include protein in every meal or snack as this will help you get back on track.

Drink plenty of water between meals and include lots of great vegetables, which are packed with nutrition and detox supportive phytonutrients. Hydrating fluids like water with lemon and herbal teas will help your digestive system get rid of wastes faster.

Set up your environment for success. If the foods you overate are in your kitchen or office, and are calling your name, move them, donate them or even create portioned freezer meals that you can take out one at a time and reheat. Setting up your environment for success is crucial for controlling your urge to overeat!

Prepare snacks that will help keep blood sugar and energy stable, preventing you from feeling famished and grabbing anything that looks like food! Avoid temptation by packing healthful, portable snacks like nuts in your purse, desk drawer, or glove compartment.

Get active. Go take a walk, rake the leaves - get your body moving as this will help to keep your digestive tract moving and will prevent you from really feeling the bulge. If you’re going shopping, park in the back of the lot and bundle up as the temperatures are sure to be cold.