What to do when you eat TOO much...

We have all been there. That feeling on Thanksgiving when your belly cannot fit anymore food in it but somehow we eat another helping of homemade pie because, well it is just soo good! It happens, most times unintentionally, that feeling of eating way too much beause our eyes are bigger than our stomachs. When following a strict diet for competitions, we are allowed a cheat meal once a week and boy do I eat my fair share of anything that sounds good! But my tummy never thanks me for it, especially the next day when I feel like bogged down water balloon. Now I am talking about those times such as Thanksgiving or maybe you are out for happy hour with your girlfriends and you end up ordering that piece of cake even though you are stuffed. Those instances when you are enjoying yourself (as you should) but go a little overboard on the food. Like I said, we have all been there but what do you do when you have eaten too much?

1. The biggest thing you can do for yourself after overeating is to drink water! Drink lots of water. This will help flush out your system and dilute the richness of foods you just indulged in. Although you may feel bloated, drink your water. This will help remove bloat so keep sipping on that water!
2. Get up and move. You may feel bogged down and sluggish but get out and get moving. This will allow the blood to flow to your muscles and tissues and also help flush your system. Go for a walk or jog, hit the gym for a spin class, just do something active to rev up your metabolism and get your body working.
3. Eat clean! If you follow a pretty clean diet and overindulge on occasion, you may feel a little sick or experience an upset tummy. Get back to eating 5-6 clean meals per day and stick to your program. Eating clean will help your body recover and you will feel much better after a couple days of solid eating.
4. Do not worry about it. Sometimes when we slip from our meal plan, we can experience feelings of guilt or as if we let ourselves down. Do not stress over it. The biggest thing you can do is get right back on track and move on. There is no point in stressing over it, for one meal will not sabbotage all your hard work just like one healthy meal will not make compensate for a very unhealthy diet.
5. Remember for next time. Remember how overindulging made you feel. How it made your body feel. When you are having a meal out or a treat, remember how too much of a good thing made you feel and try to treat yourself without over doing it.

The number one tip is to drink drink drink your water! For some of us that seems like a no brainer but for others, like me, it seems like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro would be easier! To get all my water in, I add fruits and veggies to add flavor and to appease my palate :) Here are some great options if you struggle with your water:

• Add lemons, limes and orange slices for citrus water.
• Add cucumber and mint for a refreshing taste.
• Add watermelon for a delicious fruity flavor.
• Add strawberries and blueberries for a sweet treat.
• Add raspberries and lemon slices for a fun mixture.

Drink Up!

J