What to do if you overindulged

It happens to the best of us. We have this great plan for how we are going to eat before a celebration, and then all things go to hell. We overeat and then feel like crap the next day. Some of us then continue on this path until New Year's day. Then we think some magic will happen and we will consider and eat differently in the new year. So, how can you continue to love and honor your body when you overindulged the night before? 

It is not a problem

The first trap is that you make this mean something about you. There is nothing wrong with you, and this is not a problem. One night of overeating is not what keeps you from a healthy connection with your body and weight loss. What keeps us stuck in the diet cycle is when you make overeating mean something negative about you. When my kids make a mistake, we call it a learn and move on. So what did you learn about yourself yesterday? Maybe you learned that you deserve to overindulge every once in a while. Perhaps it is that you had a restrictive and unkind plan for yourself that caused you to overindulge. Whatever it is, take the lesson and put the rest behind you.

Trust your base

This is a phrase they use in Orange Theory all the time when you do a more aggressive-paced run followed by your base pace. It might feel a little uncomfortable initially, but after about 30 seconds, you feel back to normal. The same is true for your food. If you are tuned in with your body and know your baseline meals, then you can trust your base and know that your body will soon adjust. 

Resist the urge to punish yourself

Whether December 26th or January 1st, please resist the urge to punish yourself with a restrictive diet or overexercise. If you are like me, then you have tried all of these things in the past, and they just don't work in the long term. The simple, day-to-day things will bring you to your goal weight. These things are listening to your body, eating when you are hungry, stopping eating when you are full, and learning what foods make your body feel great. You can do this in a kind, simple, and sustainable way. 

So if you are feeling like you overdid it yesterday, remember, it is not a problem, trust your base, and resist the urge to punish yourself.