Surviving Post-Holiday Blues

I hope you all had a wonderful and happy 4th of July. The weeks following a holiday can be stressful and charged with anxiety. Holidays are usually filled with family, friends, and food! As a result, we tend to overindulge with food and alcohol during those times. As we enter a new week following a holiday, it can be a common to feel guilty for our choices, and over-restrict ourselves moving forward. I encourage you to take a different approach.

Rather than restricting food consumption during the week, and relying on only eating salads to get back on track, simply enter your week as you normally would. One day of indulging will not destroy months of diligent work. Yes, your body may feel a little sluggish and bloated from the different food consumed (higher sodium, more processed foods, more alcohol), but your body knows how to come back to baseline. It doesn’t need a juice-cleanse to do so.

Furthermore, over-restriction can lead to future binges, and a disrupted relationship with food. Any time we over restrict our food consumption, we are creating a ticking time bomb until the next binge. It’s only a matter of time before our body is screaming for more calories.

Instead, acknowledge the fact that you had fun and enjoyed the holiday, and pick back up where you left off. Maybe even give your body a little extra TLC. Go out for a long walk, drink some extra water, meditate, and get 7-8 hours of sleep. Your body will thank you.