Step Away from the Christmas Cookies

Overeating at the holidays isn’t all bad – just make sure to get back on-track ASAP

By Dawn Klingensmith
CTW Features

We stuff the bird at Thanksgiving. We stuff the stockings at Christmas. And the whole time in between, we keep our bellies stuffed, as well.

Faced with turkey feasts, office parties and edible gifts, people tend to turn the holiday season into a month-long eating and drinking binge. But though it’s best not to overindulge in the first place, there are adjustments that can be made immediately afterward to lessen the damage.

The first is an attitude adjustment.

“Contrary to popular belief, guilt is not motivating; it is paralyzing,” says clinical psychologist Lavinia Rodriquez, who counsels people with eating and weight gain issues in her Tampa Bay, Fla. practice.

Chastising yourself for “blowing” your diet makes healthy eating habits seem less durable and effective than they actually are; in fact, if you are in good health and have been eating right and exercising, the consequences of a holiday binge are minor and short-term.

“You can get right back on track when the party’s over. You haven’t done any real damage,” though too much sugar, sodium and alcohol can cause temporary puffiness and bloating, says registered dietician Mary Hartley, director of nutrition for the weight-management website Calorie Count.

Scarfing down a plate of cookies might lead to a sugar crash, but your metabolism won’t crash and burn along with it. You cannot slow or compromise your metabolism with a day of poor eating. But you cannot take corrective action to force it into overdrive, either. “Metabolism doesn’t bounce around like that,” Hartley says.

The safest and most effective remedy for overindulging is also the simplest, says Hartley: “Just eat less and become more active.”

You may be tempted to drastically reduce your calorie intake the day after a binge, but if you do, you're probably setting yourself up to fail. With no fuel in your system, your blood sugar will drop and you’ll feel as though you’re starving. By that point, you’ll be less likely to make healthy food choices; in fact, you may end up taking in more calories than if you had just eaten normally.

“Instead of fasting, just choose wholesome food,” Hartley says. “You’re probably not truly hungry for days after a holiday feast, so eat to your comfort level, which might mean taking in lots of liquids with only small amounts of solids until you feel truly hungry again.”

Opt for minimally processed vegetables, fruits, high-fiber grains and legumes, lean meats, and pure water, Hartley recommends. The fiber in apples, citrus fruits, seeds and beans will help clean the gastrointestinal tract; there is no need to detox by any other means.

“To minimize bloat, eat low-sodium foods, drink ample water, and swear off alcohol at least until you feel good again,” Hartley advises. “And because a high-carbohydrate diet can make the body hold onto water, stick to more vegetables and fewer fruits and processed grains for a few days if necessary.”

Rodriguez advises against restricting certain foods altogether, as it leads to a sense of deprivation. Rather, she recommends adding color to your diet instead of making eliminations, as this usually results in increased fruit and veggie consumption. (Note to loophole seekers: Christmas cookie sprinkles and ribbon candy, though colorful, aren’t what Rodriquez has in mind.)

Exercising the day after a binge helps some people get back on track, but for others, forcing a sweat can feel like punishment or promote the unrealistic view that exercise produces immediate results or should be thought of as damage control.

“If you really overindulge, you might not feel like exercising vigorously because your body is already working overtime to process and eliminate” nutritional byproducts, Hartley says.

That’s OK for the time being, she adds, but if you can sweat out excess salt without pushing yourself too hard, you’ll probably look and feel better.

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