How to Bounce Back After a Cheat Day

Hello my lovelies! Tomorrow is my birthday! I am so excited to be going home to MD and having a nice long weekend. I love that my birthday usually falls sometime around Labor Day because it's just such a fun time. I just know this weekend is going to be filled with fun, family, and FOOD! That's why I felt it only appropriate to do a post about how to bounce back after you've had a cheat day...or weekend if we're being honest. Just a disclaimer, I am not a fitness or nutrition expert and these are just tips that I do to help me get back to my healthy lifestyle after I've had a less than healthy day or weekend :)

I want to start off by saying that cheat days are not just for people on diets. I used to think only people who were on a diet needed cheat days but I was very wrong. I think everyone needs a cheat day whether it's once a month or once a week. I eat a pretty healthy diet and try not to indulge too often. Eating healthy isn't a diet for me, it's a lifestyle. I just like how it makes me feel. But I do think cheat days are necessary. I think in order to stick to a healthy lifestyle, you need to let yourself indulge as well. I usually have cheat days on weekends because that's normally when I'm doing something with friends or Joey and I go on date night so I don't want to have to monitor everything and if I want chicken tenders and french fries, gosh dang it, I'm getting chicken tenders and french fries! So that brings me to my first tip...

1. Don't be Too Hard on Yourself

Like I said before, cheat days are so necessary to keep you balanced. Even someone like me who enjoys eating healthy wants that ice cream cone or that burger. Don't beat yourself up for indulging 1 or 2 days out of the week. The other 5-6 were a success! I have a hard time with this sometimes and I tend to think that my whole week is wiped out by 2 days. Sometimes I can be hard on myself. But relax, it's not! Lighten up on yourself! 1 or 2 days won't undo the other 5!

2. Plan Out Your Meals the First Day After a Cheat Day

The first day after a cheat day or weekend is always going to be the hardest. You're coming off of those days full of mac and cheese and cookies and your body is going to want more of that! But be strong! Planning out specifically what you're going to have all day on that first day is going to help you resist more yucky foods. When planning out your meal for that first day, try to include lots of protein and fiber. The reason being, protein and fiber rich foods will keep you fuller longer and not make you want to reach for foods with empty calories.

3. Jump Right Back In

This tip plays off of my last one. If you don't jump right back into healthy eating and working out, you're going to keep putting it off and you're likely going to succumb to those less than healthy foods. Make sure you don't wait a day or two before you get back into it wholeheartedly.

4. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate

This tip is important because you probably ate a whole bunch of foods that had lots of sugar and sodium in them which dehydrate you and make you feel sluggish. Replenishing the moisture in your body with lots of water, will help wake you up and make you feel better!

5. Don't Starve Yourself to Make Up For It

I know one reaction to a cheat day is to maybe skip a meal to "make up" for the cheat day but this is a big no-no. It's just going to slow down your metabolism and make you feel super miserable (I know from experience). Like I said before, 1 or 2 days isn't going to undo a whole week. Make sure you're actually eating good meals the day after a cheat day. Your body will thank you!

I hope my tried and true tips help you on your healthy lifestyle journey! I'll see y'all next week!

XO,

Gabby