“Life is what happens when you are busy making plans.” If you have been on any long term mission towards a goal, you know that kinks, obstacles, stops and even derailmement are part of the journey. It is no different when your goal is a for a healthy lifestyle and holidays, celebrations and birthdays seem to get in the way. Here are a few tips to get up and running again as soon as possible…
- I don’t like the term “cheat meal.” I don’t believe that by giving myself permission to enjoy something I would not have on a regular basis is cheating myself. It is just that- an exception to the rule of eating well balanced meals daily. I will therefore rename it as a “splurge meal.”
- Just do it. Simply put, that “splurge meal” does not have to turn into an all-day-all-you-can-stuff-without-bursting-buffet. It also doesn’t have to take months or even years to recover. Trust me I know.
- Don’t wait until “tomorrow.” Think 007. Sometimes tomorrow never comes. Start at your next meal.
- Do not starve yourself the next day or punish yourself if you went overboard with food or drink. Accept it for what it is and let it go.
- Eat normally after the meal and continue to do thereafter. People who maintain healthy lifestyles are able to just get up and go again. Do not put too much emphasis on it. No dramatics necessary. So you had a few slices of pizza. Your next meals will be the usual salad (or whatever the usual healthy meal is for you).
- Drink lots of water to detox if you have consumed too much junk.
- Relax. Don’t stress. Don’t guilt yourself. Shut down the negative self-talk. You had a bad day. So what? Keep on moving. Staying angry or feeling sorry for yourself will only make things worse and prolong the diversion, which is all this really needs to be.
- Try to be mindful ahead of splurge meals. Be mindful about food at all times so that you are truly aware of what you are eating and what hunger or void you are truly filling. If you are mindful, you can plan ahead and also gear up mentally to get back on track right after.
- If the meals were at your house, give away the leftovers that will cause you trouble. Don’t keep all the cake and ice-cream in your house. If you dined at someone else’s home, politely decline a doggy bag, if offered.
- Understand that what truly matters is what you do MOST of the time that accounts for whether or not you attain your health and fitness goals. If you are disciplined 90-95% of the time, that means that you are doing the right thing MOST times and that is what makes the difference. Truthfully, if you eat well most of the time, your body may well say, “well that ice cream splurge was quite nice going down but this sugar crash is reminding me that I am so happy I am not eating like this all the time!”
The bottom line is to be mindful and to be kind to yourself. You are so worth it! You will get to where you want to reach health wise, just keep on moving.
What are some of your own tips? Do share with us!
duodishes says
Always giving away things made for the blog. So much better to put it in the hands of others. There are a lot of people in this boat, so thanks for sharing your tips.
Chef and Steward says
Chrystal, we aim to add real value to our readers so I am happy you found the information useful.