Feeling a little off after some holiday or vacation indulging? You’re not alone! If you’ve been prioritizing healthy choices day-to-day, it’s likely you’ll feel the effects of holiday food much more than before. There’s good news though… With just a few small shifts, you can get back to feeling like yourself again- no crash diets necessary!
Drop the Holiday Guilt
While the holidays are lots of fun, we all know that if you’re on a health journey – they can feel a little tricky to navigate as well. If you enjoyed rich foods and alcoholic beverages over a holiday, you might be feeling a little bloated, sluggish, and not quite like yourself. This is totally normal and to be expected when you have more fat, sugar, and salt – all of which are common in holiday foods! Before we go any further, I want to address one important thing… holiday guilt.
So many of my clients come back from Thanksgiving or Christmas feeling like they failed. I’m here to tell you that you didn’t, so go ahead and leave that guilt at the door! Even if you’re not quite feeling your best, there is no reason, or benefit, in beating yourself up over your choices. Holidays come once a year and they are meant to be enjoyed. Grandma’s holiday cookies, the sweet potato casserole, or those fluffy rolls are part of life. Think about it, would you really be happy skipping out on those forever? I know I wouldn’t!
Enjoying special foods on a holiday and moving on afterward is an important factor in maintaining a healthy relationship with food. And just for the record, this is SO much more important than a slight bounce on the scale after a holiday. Don’t forget friends, it’s less important what you eat during the holidays, and much more important what you do on a normal, and consistent basis. If you’re eating well on a weekly basis – you’re on the right track, and there’s no need to stress about some holiday indulgences.
Now, without further ado – let’s chat about my top 3 ways to start feeling better after the holidays!
Get Hydrated
First and foremost, if you’re feeling less than fabulous after the holiday, I’m going to recommend that get intentional with hydration. Holiday foods tend to be loaded with sodium, causing us to retain fluid and feel bloated. If you’re in my Lippy Lady Crew, you know how painful this can be! But even if you aren’t managing a condition like lipedema, I’m sure you’ll agree that excess water retention is incredibly uncomfortable.
While it might seem counterproductive, drinking water will actually help relieve this! Water helps to flush out excess sodium, rehydrate cells, and get your digestive system back on track. My favorite way to boost my water intake in the cold, winter months is to leave a pitcher of water filled with sliced fruit and herbs on my counter. This way, every time I pass the kitchen, I am reminded to have a glass. Plus, keeping it at room temperature makes it much easier for me to drink up when the weather is a bit chilly! Feel free to get creative with your add-ins too! In the winter, you might try something like sliced apples and a cinnamon stick or orange slices and whole, dried cloves. These cozy, spicy combos are great served at room temp or warmed up like tea.
Speaking of tea, there are many great herbal teas out there that absolutely “count” towards your hydration goal! I love chamomile and peppermint in particular. If you’re not a fan of tea, you can also warm up some water in a tea kettle and squeeze some fresh lemon juice in. This calming tonic will warm you up and rehydrate your body on a cold day.
Get Some Movement In
My next tip is to get some movement in! And no, this doesn’t need to be anything crazy to “burn off” what you ate. Movement will help you feel better both physically and mentally. Moving your body releases serotonin and dopamine, the feel-good hormones in your system. These help to boost your mood, relieve stress, and improve your sleep quality. I know this is definitely true for me! When I am intentional about movement, I feel more in balance and less stressed overall. I think we can all use a little of this after the crazy holiday season, right?
The key to making this tip feel doable is to choose something you actually like doing. Don’t force yourself to do exercise you hate – life is way too short for that, friends! Some great suggestions include walking, light yoga, chair exercises, rebounding, swimming, biking, or strength training. Any form of movement is great, so choose what feels BEST to you!
And remember – it doesn’t have to be the same thing every day either. Mix it up and have fun! It’s also a great idea to get some movement in with a friend if you can. Having a “workout buddy” with hold you both accountable and allow for some socializing in a healthy way. So, get out there and start moving, even if it’s only for 10 minutes today – it all counts!
Eat Balanced Meals
If you’re like most, you might think the best way to “bounce back” after a few days of indulgent eating is to restrict. Let me stop you right there! Restricting caloric intake after indulging is a recipe for disaster. Please, please, don’t start a “cleanse”, skip meals, or shrink your portions to tiny sizes after a holiday. I can say with utmost certainty that more often than not this strategy fails and leaves everyone involved feeling miserable.
Instead, consider using a balanced approach. Focus on filling your plate with fiber and protein. This combo will not only help you feel more satisfied, but it will keep you full longer, elongate your blood sugar curve, and make it easier to stick with healthy choices. Here are a few ideas to help get you started:
- Overnight oats with chopped apples, ground flaxseed, cinnamon, and nut butter
- Egg scramble with spinach, bell peppers, and salsa served in corn tortillas with avocado
- Power bowl with quinoa, chickpeas, roasted veggies, avocado and arugula
- Sweet potato stuffed with vegetarian chili and served with a side of steamed veggies
- Ground lean turkey or black bean tacos topped with lettuce, bell peppers and guacamole
- Lentil soup packed with veggies and served with a side salad
The idea here is to ensure you have fiber-rich veggies, legumes, whole grains, or fruits along with some kind of protein source at every meal. This is the magic combo for taking care of your body, and getting back to feeling your best in a hurry!
Be Kind to Yourself
I know I mentioned this above, but it’s worth talking about twice! Please, please be kind to yourself my friend. No one can “hate themselves to healthy”. It just doesn’t work that way. Even if you feel that you overindulged over the holiday, what matters most is what happens today. And part of getting back on track is speaking to yourself with kindness and compassion. Take care of your body and your mind! You deserve it!
