I went to a small business owner conference this last weekend called Pioneer Nation. (And met some of the most fantastic people!)
It was one of those weekends away where I didn’t really have much control over my food.
We were at a mountain resort outside of Portland, Oregon, so there weren’t a whole lot of dining options.
All meals were served on site. Breakfast was a buffet. Lunch was a sandwich, chips, and a cookie. Snacks were brownies, granola bars, and fruit. Dinner was on our own at one of the restaurants on site.
I was there Thursday-Sunday. Essentially out of my normal routine for 4 days. I ate boxed lunches (with chips and cookies), airport food (bagel sandwiches and snacks), Reese’s S’mores (they had a big bonfire and I wasn’t going to pass that up!), rich restaurant dinners (hello warm, steaming, homemade bread in the middle of the table), and snacks I wouldn’t normally eat.
And I got home Sunday night feeling really heavy, kinda gross, and well…fat. (This one always trips me up because I know fat isn’t a feeling 🙂 My remedy? Grab my journal, a pen, and do some writing about what’s going on!)
What happens when your “eat healthy Monday-Friday” routine gets disrupted? Or life gets in the way and your “eating perfectly” plans are completely derailed?
You go on vacation. Someone asks you to go away for the weekend unexpectedly. You travel out of town for work.
What happens when these situations come up? Do they derail your progress and send you into a tailspin? Or do you shrug it off and keep moving forward?
If you struggle with these types of situations (or you just “blew it” from having binged over the weekend), here are the 3 things to do when you have a weekend of bad eating:
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Get back “on track” the next meal or next day.
I’m not talking about getting back on the diet wagon. I’m talking about eating healthier because it FEELS better when you do. Whether that’s eating lighter, paying more attention to having fruits/veggies, or consciously planning your meals, do what you need to do to FEEL better.
You aren’t eating salads to make up for all the calories you had. And you aren’t planning to secretly restrict because you want to balance out the extra indulgences. The body will naturally balance itself out. This is a mindset shift for you to do what FEELS better. And you naturally feel better when you have a solid day of healthy eating after you’ve binged.
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Move your bod.
This is another thing you can do that makes you FEEL better. Get out and exercise! For me, I made sure I got a workout in on Monday and spent some extra time planning my meals. Again, this isn’t something you’re doing to work off your calorie-laden binge-fest. It’s something loving to do for yourself because it helps you FEEL better.
Moving your body helps alleviate that “heavy, gross” feeling. It helps moves digestion along. And it helps your mindset. So, go for a walk, hit up a gym class, or pop in a workout video at home. You’ll feel so much better!
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Remember, a few extra brownies and cookies won’t make you gain 25 pounds.
This tip is actually from my significant other, Aaron. I was telling him I felt heavy and was whining because I had too many treats. In my dramatic recount of what I’d eaten over the weekend, I told him I felt like I had gained a gazillion pounds. He gently reassured me it is really all in my head. I can’t ACTUALLY gain a gazillion pounds from a few days of overindulging. (He is often the logical, rational part to my overly dramatic, emotions-rule-my-brain side)
And it’s true. We often magnify what we’ve eaten in our own heads.
Please, please, please…don’t be so hard on yourself. If I had a nickel for every time one of my clients realizes how hard she is on herself, I’d be rich. We are SO SO SO hard on ourselves. (Me included).
Talk yourself down if you need to. Gently reassure yourself that you are enough even if you did end up eating too much. You did the best you could in the situation. Choose to move forward and let it go 🙂
It’s your turn…tell me which tip is your favorite and how you can incorporate it into your life (share in the comments below 🙂 )
PS-If you need some extra support after a binge or weekend of overeating, I’ve got just the thing for you! Check out my “After Binge Toolkit” made just for these situations!
