Good Times without the Guilt + Holiday Indulgence Hangover Plan

Happy Friday my friends! We all celebrate special occasions by dining out or going to parties, especially during the Holiday season. We have extra “special” foods in the house, we travel, we meet up with friends for lunch, we have work parties, & so many other fun festivities this time of year. Instead of sabotaging all your good habits in these moments, make a few small changes so you can give yourself permission to enjoy your favorite foods in the right portions and still enjoy the Holiday season without all the guilt.

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Before you party, plan first…

1. Eat before you go. Don’t skip breakfast and/or lunch so you can eat all those extra calories at your party. This will leave you “hangry” (aka: you will want to eat everything in sight). If you eat healthy before you go, you will be able to have more restraint. I also recommend working out this day as well if you have the time. Starting your day with a workout is always a good way to stick to your healthy lifestyle and will (hopefully) make you not want to ruin your workout by eating way too many extra calories.
2. Snack Wisely. Have an apple with peanut butter if your event is at an odd time of the day and you can’t fit in a regular healthy meal before you go. I also recommend that you have healthy snacks with you if you have far to travel to your event or just in case you end up staying longer than you thought. Take a snack size baggie of cashews, walnuts, almonds or my favorite: crunchy chickpeas. You could also take a healthy protein bar with you, which is always convenient to throw in your purse.
3. Have an alcohol plan. Festive drinks are flowing this time of year (hello spiked eggnog!!), but alcohol lowers your inhibitions, making your more susceptible to gobble up the salty and sweet treats. Give yourself a one- or two-drink limit and stick to water, seltzer or coffee/tea the rest of the time.

Get back on track, right away…

1. Ditch the guilt. If you overindulge, don’t feel guilty about it. Reflect on your indulgence and move on.
2. Eat healthy for your next meal. Don’t skip your next meal because you feel like you ate and/or drank enough for an entire week. Eating a healthy meal will help give your body the nutrition it needs and help keep you on a healthy track.
3. Get some exercise in as soon as you can. Exercise will help boost your mood, get those toxins out and get the blood pumping through your body.
4. Drink plenty of fluids. Water, seltzer, tea or my fav: seltzer with my greens drink, will help reduce day-after bloating and help rehydrate you (especially if you drank too much). If you did over do it on Holiday drinks I recommend drinking a electrolyte drink before bed (if you remember to do so) or first thing in the morning. Make sure you choose a healthy option that isn’t loaded with too much sodium and sugar. You want a healthy combination of minerals and vitamins to replenish your body. My fav choice is by Trace Minerals.

What to eat the “day after”…

If you’re not hungry, eat a lite breakfast:

• whole-wheat or sprouted wheat toast with 1 tbsp natural peanut butter and sliced banana

If you’re hungry, eat a healthy balanced breakfast:

• 1-2 hard boiled eggs with oatmeal (made with 1/2 cup rolled oats and your choice of milk and 1 tbsp natural sweetener like maple syrup or honey if needed…or use frozen blueberries which is my fav way to sweeten oatmeal)
• my fav morning breakfast is two eggs cooked and eaten on top of a slice of sprouted toast with mashed avocado and sliced tomato.

Midmorning snack: (optional…I’m usually extra hungry the day after)

• This is a good time to drink your greens or an electrolyte drink or even just water with lemon to rehydrate your body.
• 1 cup greek yogurt / coconut yogurt / or cottage cheese with 1 cup berries

Lunch:

• Healthy balanced salad with protein like chicken, tuna, or salmon. I love to add in some extra omega’s by topping my salad with some Hemp Hearts and use a healthy salad dressing like coconut vinegar or just olive oil and apple cider vinegar.

Afternoon snack:

• 1 ounce nuts (almonds, cashews, crunchy chickpeas)
• 1 apple or orange

Dinner:

• Lean protein like chicken breast or broiled salmon with a healthy carb like quinoa or my fav roasted butternut squash (or sweet potatoes) with a side of steamed broccoli

These are just some ideas of what to eat the next day after some Holiday indulgences (or any time of the year indulgences).

 

 

 

What are your ways to enjoy the Holidays without the guilt?

Stay Healthy my Friends (and have a very Merry Christmas!)

XO,

Carrie A Groff