How to recover from an overindulgence

As the festive season draws to a close, many are left with feelings of disappointment and guilt at their level of overindulgence.

While most people will go a little overboard when treating themselves every now and again, it’s how you respond to these occasions that will ultimately determine the impact they have on your body shape.

Here are some strategies you can use to regain some balance after indulging.

Get straight back on the wagon

Facing up to an overindulgence with the right attitude can make all the difference. Avoid thinking that now you’ve blown it, you may as well give up altogether and really let go.
One day of letting go is not the end of the world! And it’s certainly not an excuse to fall back into your old habits.

Do extra exercise

When you do indulge, exchange it for some extra exercise and movement above and beyond your normal amount of exercise.

For example, you could walk an extra 10 minutes for every standard alcoholic drink you consumed. It doesn’t matter if you do your exercise the day before, the day of, or the day after your indulgence, but try to do something to make up for it.

Eat really well

Try to only drink water, and eat a very low kilojoule meal before and after your indulgence, such as a vegetable stir fry or a tuna salad.

Learn for next time

You will never be totally immune from temptation, so don’t beat yourself up.

Try to learn from the experience so you can minimize the damage for future indulgences. What could you do next time there’s an occasion where you have experienced social pressures or unhealthy food choices?

Some suggestions include eating healthy foods before you go, take healthy foods with you, or eat smaller portions.

We'd love to hear how you recovered (or stopped yourself) from overindulging! Tell us below.