Ugh…what were you thinking? You’ve completely pigged out and now you feel awful. Can you recover? Or is one binge going to undo all your hard work? Or, let’s be honest, perhaps it was more like a month of overdoing it. Is it possible to pull it together without sliding down that slippery slope of overeating, weight gain and general self-loathing that so often accompanies overindulgence? Of course you can! You can always rebound from any decadence.

First of all, you need to forgive yourself. Turns out, we’re human. We make mistakes, loads of them. And it’s ok, we’re also very adaptable beings. Having one hedonistic meal (or month) should not derail you from your healthy lifestyle. And any negative feelings you may have can only hurt your efforts to rebound. So tell yourself it’s ok to “slip” every once in awhile and today, right now, is the best time to start fresh. Don’t wait until Monday or the first of the month or some other arbitrary beginning, do it now.


To start “fresh”, drink a big glass of water. Now, drink another. You’re starting to feel better already, aren’t you? Continue to drink plenty of water. The water will help your body cleanse itself as well as clear your taste buds for healthier fare. Fill your kitchen – and your body – with fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Stick to a “diet” of foods only found in nature; that means nothing processed or engineered, refined or otherwise modified for two weeks. After this time you can slowly add back in more refined foods if you want. You may find that after eating nature’s finest for an extended period, that bag of artificially flavored and colored sour cream and onion chips doesn’t sound so appealing.

Most importantly, you need learn from your overindulgence. Don’t punish yourself, but instead take a step back and try to decipher what was the trigger. Stress at work? Did you let yourself get too hungry? Try keeping a food journal. By consciously eating and tracking your eating, you may see a pattern. Perhaps every Friday you go out with friends after work and after a couple of pints you pig out. Or, maybe you get so stressed during the day that you mindlessly eat and the next thing you know you’ve totally over done it. Understanding your eating habits will give you the knowledge and power to stay in control.