Are you feeling crappy after the holidays?
I don’t know about you, but I always feel “gross” after the holidays. A bit heavy, sluggish, tired, and bloated. The more I’m able to keep to my typical eating habits, sleeping habits, and workout habits, the better I feel. But I love Christmas and all the treats that come with it. And I let myself enjoy all of those things. But after a couple weeks of too much wheat, too much sugar, too much dairy, and too much alcohol, I never feel good.
Don’t get me wrong – there is nothing inherently wrong with wheat, sugar, and dairy. I am, personally, very sensitive to these 3 things and though I can enjoy a little bit of them in moderation, having too much of them makes me feel yucky.
If you’re like me, it’s time for a reset!
So, what does that look like? Do I sign up for a strict detox? No, although I know a lot of people do, which is amazing! Following a plan like a detox can be a really good way for people to stay accountable.
Oh! And the other thing that always throws me off is that after a couple of weeks of eating too much wheat/sugar/dairy/alcohol, I just want more of it. The sugar cravings increase, the quick fix of crackers and cheese is right there, and there are an abundance of chocolates to nibble on instead of a healthy snack.
If you want to skip the detox this year, here are some tips to getting yourself back on track.
1) Up your water intake. Starting with making sure you’re getting enough water in a day will never steer you wrong. Sometimes cravings for sweets can be sidelined with a nice tall glass of water (warm or cold, whichever you prefer).
2) Start your day with a good breakfast. Breakfasts of chocolate can be a go-to over the holidays, but now’s the time to put that breakfast aside until next Christmas! A well-balanced breakfast is always the key to a good day of food intake. Making sure your breakfast has healthy carbs, protein, and fat will help balance food cravings.
3) Make sure your meals are also good sources of carbs, protein, and fat. If they are, it’ll keep you full and satisfied until your next meal.
4) Meal planning! Get ahead of the food cravings by setting aside some time to do a meal plan (more information on meal planning can be found here or here). It’ll make sure you are ready to go with the healthy meals.
5) Choose whole foods, and make sure you get lots of veggies.
6) You can still keep a few sweets! Just limit it to once or twice a day instead of grazing on them all day. Sometimes having a few and stopping yourself is harder to do than having none at all. If this describes you, give yourself two weeks without any sweets/desert. It doesn’t have to be a permanent change, but you will feel a whole lot better.
Making one or more of these changes starting in the New Year can be a great way to start your year and feel amazing.