Do you feel a little regret or shame about wolfing down way too much food or drink at the holiday weekend party? Perhaps you devoured three hot dogs and an entire bag of chips while sipping on some cold ones by the pool. Whatever your indulgence was, there is no need to beat yourself up about the past. What happened, happened, and now it’s time to look toward a healthier future.
A food binge happens when you eat past the point of satisfaction. In fact, binge eating can cause a person to eat large amounts of food, so much so, that they feel discomfort. It’s common for binge eaters to eat when they are not hungry, especially after they’ve already finished a filling meal. It’s possible to feel guilty, sick even, while scarfing down unnecessary calories, but it isn’t the end of the world. You can put the holiday binge eating behind you and get back on track. Continue reading to learn how you can recover after the holiday binge.
Start By Hydrating
If you drank a lot of alcohol and ate a lot of unhealthy food, the body is most likely dehydrated, especially if you did not drink water while binge eating. That’s why you should start the next day by drinking a lot of water to rehydrate the body. High-salt, high-sugar, and high-fat foods, as well as alcohol, can easily pull water from the body. Aim to consume half your body weight in ounces of water the following day. Not only does water help keep the body operational, but it also aids digestion, which is something you need after eating excessively.
Stay Off The Scale
If you go on a food binge, even if it is just for a day, it is very possible that you’ll see a higher-than-usual number on the scale the next day. Do not go looking for information that doesn’t benefit you. When you go back to your normal eating routine, your weight will adjust accordingly. Give your body a few days to reset and remember that weight is not the only measurement of health. If you feel strong, sleep well, and have a little pep in your step, these are indicators that you are on the right track.
Do Not Purge
Do not do the unthinkable and take forcible action to undo a food binge. Don’t make yourself vomit, don’t use laxatives, and don’t exercise like crazy to balance out your caloric intake from the previous day. Those are not healthy solutions; in fact, they are common behaviors of eating disorders that can cause serious damage to the body. Some complications that stem from this binging and purging cycle include:
- Acid reflux
- Low blood pressure
- Arrhythmia, heart failure, and other heart issues
- Severe dehydration and constipation
- Osteoporosis and tooth problems
- Stopped menstrual cycles
- Gastrointestinal problems
Get Moving
Again, do not go run a marathon after a day of binge eating. You can help get all that junk out of your system if you get moving. Exercising is a natural way to promote bowel movements because the physical activity increases gut motility. That helps push out all of the extra junk, calories, fat, and sugars you ate during your binge. Additionally, movement triggers the brain to release serotonin and dopamine, two feel-good hormones that help boost your mood and overall mental health. Go for a walk, hop on an exercise bike, or head out for a swim to put your body in motion. You can even tackle some chores, such as vacuuming or mowing the lawn!
Try Mindful Eating
Mindful eating requires you to use all of your emotional and physical senses to experience and enjoy the foods you choose to eat. It is the opposite of mindless eating, or distracted eating, which commonly leads to overeating. Whenever you feel tempted by food and drink, acknowledge how you feel at that moment. Before you polish off a bag of chips and go for a second cheeseburger, consider whether you are really hungry or not. Are you going to get food just because it’s there and you are bored? If you are actually hungry, eat slowly because it takes about 15 minutes for the brain to register that the stomach is full.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
