If you have overindulged on candy and sweets this week, you may be feeling a little off. Here are 5 simple ways to get back on track after Halloween!
If you’re anything like me, Halloween is not just one day, but lasts from the day I stock up on candy to the day it’s finally all gone. In case you’re counting, that’s at least a week of sneaking fun-size Reese’s and Kit Kat, sometimes to the point of upsetting my stomach.
If you did the same thing, you may be feeling:
*tired and sluggish
*irritable
*a little ‘backed up’
*like your hunger cannot be satisfied
There is nothing wrong with enjoying the flavors of the season, but it’s important to get off that slippery slope and quickly get back to your normal eating habits. Eating a lot of sugar, especially when you usually don’t, can cause you to settle in to bad habits for the rest of the holiday season (now through New Year’s).
Here are 5 simple ways to get back on track. Focus on these over the next couple of days to reset and re-motivate yourself.
1. Remove candy from sight. Depending on the strength of your willpower, this can happen in one of two ways. Leaving a bowl of candy on the kitchen counter is bound to tempt you. Put the bowl in a cabinet. Out of sight, out of mind. If you have X-ray vision and are just as tempted, remove it from the house completely. Share leftover candy with the office, your kids’ teachers and club members. Worst-case scenario, throw it out!
2. Plan a healthy meal. Start with the very next one, whether breakfast, lunch or dinner. Limit refined carbs like white bread or pasta. Choose fruit, starchy vegetables like sweet potato, or whole grains instead. Make sure to get some protein to stabilize your blood sugar as well. Often times, just one healthy meal helps reset your body and mindset alike!
3. Avoid sugar. Maybe the candy is gone, but avoid sweet treats like cookies and cereal as well. If you are already on the sugar roller coaster, your body will naturally crave more sugar. Show a little restraint by avoiding these things for a couple of days to return that coaster to the station. For something sweet, choose fruit instead..
4. Get moving. This will help especially if your digestive system is backed up, a common complaint of poor eaters. Speed it up by physically moving your body. It’s also a great way to burn a few extra calories to compensate for your sugar binge. A brisk walk outside will help clear your mind and body simultaneously.
5. Drink plenty of water. This is always good advice, but especially if you are trying to flush out all of that sugar. Not only will it help digestion, an adequate amount of water helps to refresh every cell in your body. Since thirst signals often feel like hunger, it can help curb those cravings as well. Aim for at least 64 ounces a day.
No matter how off-track you may have gotten, you have the opportunity each and every day to do what’s best for your body. Focus on these 5 simple ways to get back on track after Halloween and maintain a successful eating pattern for the rest of the season!
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