HOW TO GET BACK ON TRACK AFTER EATING TOO MUCH

 You’ve been eating well and exercising regularly just before that weekend wedding hit. For an Indian wedding, that means 5 days of buffet style meals each night. Or, maybe you “overdid” it at that holiday dinner or ate too many wings at pizza night. Now does it matter that you’ve been eating healthy all week? No. Soon after, feelings of guilt, failure, and remorse swirl around your mind. Now what? Take a look at our tips for how to get back on track after eating too much! 

If you’ve ever been to an Indian wedding then you’re no stranger to the pitfalls of overeating! At times, I’ve spent 5 days enjoying beautiful colors, dancing, laughing, and buffets! Imagine pakora (fried potato fritters), samosas (deep-fried potato filled pastry), spicy noodles, chana masala, naan bread and rice, curries, and sweets. Lots and lots of indian sweets, day after day. I’ve always tended to overeat at weddings because:

• I was surrounded by trays of fried, sweet, and high calorie food and was expected to dine on both appetizers and dinner in one night,
• I ate mindlessly as I was distracted by conversation, and
• My thinking used to be all-or-nothing – if I’m going to eat an Indian wedding, I’m going all out!

Everyone sways off track! The difference between people who get back on track and those who don’t, is that the first get back on track as soon as possible. Here’s how to deal once you overeat: 

1.  GET BACK TO HEALTHY EATING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

 Getting off track or missing a habit does not mean you will gain weight or lose weight, or that your progress is ruined. If you overeat one day, accept that it happened and get back to your usual eating pattern at the next meal time. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated and eat meals as you usually would. Skipping meals or entire food groups will only will only leave you hungry and at risk of over-eating at the next meal. If you prefer a lighter meal, try a balanced salad.

2. FIND TIME FOR A WORKOUT

Find time for a workout soon after. Drop-in for a yoga class, go for a walk, or visit the gym for 10 minutes on the eliptical. Exercise helps deal with emotions including stress, anxiety, and can even help boost self-esteem. It’ll make you feel SO much better!

3. PLAN FOR NEXT TIME

Don’t get caught in “oh I blew my diet one day, I can just forget about healthy eating for the whole weekend” trap. If you’re facing several days of holiday eating or wedding buffets, make a plan for keeping your portions in control the next day. Take some time to reflect and plan for next time because let’s face it, there will be a next time!Ask yourself, was I hungry when I got to the event? What are some things that allowed me to over-eat and how can I plan around these issues? How can I portion my plate next time to off-set some of the higher calorie foods? How should I deal with people asking me to plate more food?Remember that no one is perfect but it’s important to help increase awareness in order to achieve your goals and maintain positive habits!