5 Ways to Cope with Holiday Overindulgence

Christmas comes but once a year, thankfully, as the festive season often means an excess of rich foods, high-calorie snacks, and too much alcohol. Add to the equation the cold weather, inconsistent exercise opportunities, and the holidays can be a recipe for overindulgence.

Eight billion people celebrate Christmas worldwide for religious or cultural reasons. If you feel bloated, lethargic, or overconsumed this week, you’re not alone. What steps can we take to shift that sluggish, post-binge feeling and regain our vitality?

1. Indulge in light exercise: Hitting the gym might seem like a Herculean task, so start slow. Take a light walk instead. Spending time with family or friends while strolling around a park or nature reserve is the perfect antidote to overindulgence.  

2. Don’t skip meals: Eating less or skipping meals may be tempting to cope with overindulgence, but experts do not recommend this. Try regular light meals packed with fruits, vegetables, and lean protein instead: Ditch high-sugar desserts and high-fat sauces.  

3. Take the weight off: Don’t be tempted to weigh yourself. Overindulgence brings bloating and water retention, so the scale number won’t be accurate. Take a few days to rebalance yourself and realign your habits instead, the scales can wait.  

4. Eat for Liver Health: Your gut is sensitive to excess sugar, alcohol, and carbohydrate-heavy recipes, which are popular at Christmas. Bad bacteria thrive in this imbalance. Consider prebiotics or probiotics, eat fibre and whole foods to promote digestive health and recovery. 

5. Hydrate: Excessive consumption of overly rich foods can slow your metabolism and cause that sluggish feeling. Alcohol is a diuretic that forces your body to remove fluids, so replacing those fluids after drinking is vital to replace electrolytes and stay hydrated.  

There are many reasons a person might overindulge; to improve mood, to fit in at social occasions, or simply because what is on offer is so tempting. Gorging once a year is part of life and should be enjoyed without guilt. Don’t stress, take small achievable steps instead.

The holidays are for spending time with family, reconnecting with friends, and realigning priorities.

The New Year is the perfect time to shake off old dependencies and create new habits.

Until then, try these 6 tips to help combat your feelings of overindulgence today!