Eating healthy and exercising is all about consistency. I preach consistency all the time. It doesn’t matter if you eat healthy 6 weeks of the year…you have to eat healthy most of the time all year long. It doesn’t matter if you run a few months of the year…you have to exercise most of the time. But what happens when you splurge and/or don’t exercise? Well then it’s time for damage control. Here are some steps to take when you overdo it and succumb to temptation (which we all do at some point):
- Don’t beat yourself up for it. Attitude is everything. If you feel guilty then you will seek out more unhealthy foods to medicate that bad feeling inside. Remember: everyone eats unhealthy foods or eats too much sometimes. The key is what you do after the fact.
- Exercise. Go outside for a walk. If it isn’t nice out, walk around your house or the mall. I like to take my dogs out and for a walk and have some companionship. If you have small children at home, put them in a stroller or try to keep up with them on their bike. Find a way to exercise!
- Detox the old fashioned way: with fiber. I’m a huge fan of a high fiber diet. Fiber gets things moving through your system. Fill your plate with fruits, vegetables, beans, and high fiber grains. After a splurge there is nothing more important for your system.
- Drink water. When you overeat you often get too much sodium in your system. Drinking water helps with bloating and is another great way to detox your system.
With a little bit of damage control you can be back on track towards living a consistently healthy lifestyle!