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Overindulged? Here’s How to Get Back on Track in 24 Hours. ‘Tis the season – and your stomach knows it. After all, in the last day, you’ve stuffed it with about 5 000 calories, thanks to holiday parties, cookie swaps, and oversized glasses of eggnog. But in the grand scheme of things, one epic day of holiday feasting and drinking might not be all that bad. After all, one day – even if it’s jam-packed with sugar, salt and trans fats – won’t make or break your healthy eating efforts over the long-term, says nutritionist Vandana Sheth, R.D.N., C.D.E, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. However, what you choose to do immediately after your binge can either get you back on track – or cause your little slip-up to snowball into an entire season of overindulging. “I often tell my clients that each meal and each day is a fresh start,” Sheth says. “Rather than feeling guilty, focus on positive steps you can take.”
Once you set down your fork and declare yourself done for the day, follow this game plan to get back to feeling good again.
Button your pants back up, put on your sneaks and go for a walk. “It will help you feel less full and allow you to better metabolize your food,” Sheth says. Research from George Washington University shows that walking for just 15 minutes after food-fests can help prevent your blood sugar from spiking and then dropping to cause fatigue, cravings, and more overeating.
Then, before bed, make sure you’ve had plenty of water to drink (especially if you’ve knocked back any alcoholic beverages through the day) to prevent dehydration, bloating and generally gross feelings, says Mike Fenster, M.D., author of The Fallacy of the Calorie. (Hint: Your pee should be light, not dark, yellow.) A cup of decaf ginger tea can also be great before bed for both hydrating and soothing upset stomachs, he says. – By K. Aleisha Fetters for Life by Daily Burn.
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