Don\u2019t restrict or cleanse\u2014just return to your usual balanced meals and routine.Start the next day with a protein- and fiber-rich breakfast to steady blood sugar.Hydrate, move your body and practice self-kindness to break the binge-restrict cycle.<\/p>\n
So you ate an entire pint of ice cream while streaming Netflix. Or maybe you ate more dessert than felt comfortable at a family gathering. We\u2019ve all been there. But then the inevitable happens. You wake up the next morning feeling not so great and maybe a little anxious and guilty. And you\u2019re wondering what to do next.\n<\/p>\n
While you may have the overwhelming urge to restrict calories, cut out carbs or resort to an expensive cleanse, dietitians recommend you let it go and get back into your regular routine. There is no need to take any extreme measures.\n<\/p>\n
The First Thing You Should Do <\/p>\n
You might think the best way to recover from a sugar-filled night is to double down on rigid food rules. But with that approach, you can really get caught in a vicious cycle. Instead, let it go and get back to your regularly scheduled programming!\n<\/p>\n
Resist the urge to \u201cundo\u201d the sugar with more restriction, says Marissa Beck, M.S., RDN<\/a>. \u201cGet back into a routine with ample self-care, tune into hunger and fullness cues, and aim for regular meals and snacks that include all macronutrients,\u201d she says. If you focus on balance and nourishing your body, you can get on with the show in a way that supports your physical and mental health.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n What\u2019s the first step you should take? Start your day with a nourishing protein- and fiber-rich breakfast to set the tone. While you might think skipping breakfast<\/a> is a good way to make up for the sugar you ate the night before, the opposite is true. Eating a nutrient-dense breakfast that\u2019s rich in protein and fiber supports balanced blood sugar<\/a> and will keep you feeling energized and ready to take on the day. It can also prevent cravings and overeating later in the day so you don\u2019t repeat the same cycle.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Then, aim to eat balanced meals and snacks for the rest of the day. Skipping meals in an attempt to compensate for overeating can backfire. When you deprive your body of the nutrition it needs, it may respond by ramping up hunger hormones, which may lead to eating more later in the day.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n To stay consistent, Beck suggests a midmorning snack of strained strained (Greek-style) yogurt with berries, nuts and chia seeds. Lunch could be a fiber-filled grain bowl like this 10-minute Buffalo Chicken Grain Bowl<\/a>. If you\u2019re hungry between lunch and dinner, have an afternoon snack like our satisfying Chickpea Snack Salad<\/a>. Dinner could be our Creamy Spinach-Artichoke Salmon<\/a>, a side of Air-Fryer Baby Potatoes<\/a> and a fresh salad.\n<\/p>\n Why Getting Back to Your Routine Is Key <\/p>\n No diets, cleanses or restricting calories<\/a> here! Restriction leads to bingeing, and bingeing leads to restricting. Give yourself some grace, eat a balanced meal and put a stop to the binge-restrict cycle before it starts.\n<\/p>\n \u201cI often tie this back into the broader picture of developing a healthy relationship with food,\u201d says Alexis Silver, M.P.H., RDN<\/a>. \u201cAt some points in your life, you\u2019re going to eat more sugar, sodium or fat. But your overall habits and lifestyle choices are what really determine your health. We\u2019re all human!\u201d\n<\/p>\n Other Tips & Strategies <\/p>\n In addition to nourishing your body and eating regular meals and snacks, there are other things you can do to alleviate any unpleasant physical or emotional symptoms. These strategies can help you get back on track and move on.\n<\/p>\n Go for a walk. \u201cIt will help lower your blood sugar and clear your head,\u201d says Lisa Andrews, M.Ed., RD, LD<\/a>. \u201cOne night of overindulgence won’t destroy your health, but moving your body may improve your mood if you feel crappy after too much sugar.\u201d\u00a0 Our Expert Take <\/p>\n Eating too much sugar happens to all of us. But there\u2019s no need to panic or punish yourself the next day. Skip the restrictive diets and cleanses. Instead, focus on getting back to your regular routine with balanced meals, staying hydrated and moving your body. Acknowledge the moment with kindness, reflect on what happened and let it go. Your health is determined by your overall habits, not one sugary night.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t restrict or cleanse\u2014just return to your usual balanced meals and routine.Start the next day with a protein-…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":305487,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[64,63,137,532],"class_list":{"0":"post-373216","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-nutrition"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/373216","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=373216"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/373216\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/305487"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=373216"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=373216"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=373216"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nStay hydrated. While there\u2019s nothing magical about drinking water, and it doesn\u2019t negate sugar, it is important for digestion and overall health. You might be feeling bloated<\/a> or sluggish. \u201cOftentimes this sluggish feeling is due to dehydration and less an effect of the sugar consumption,\u201d says Alyssa Smolen, M.S., RDN, CDN<\/a>.
\nBe kind to yourself and get curious. It’s important to remember that no foods are good or bad, and that you don’t need to feel shame about what or how much you eat. Eating isn’t a moral or shameful act. This will help you learn from your experience. What was going on that caused you to eat that much sugar? Were you having a rough day? Were you bored? Was the ice cream just tasting too good? Answering these questions creates self-awareness and prepares you to make a different choice the next time you\u2019re in a similar situation.\u00a0It may be helpful to talk to a healthcare provider if you consistently have binge-eating episodes.<\/p>\n