The Food Coma Recovery Plan

Does this sound familiar? It's the day after Thanksgiving. You are uncomfortably aware that the holiday turkey was not the only body stuffed to capacity.  If you couldn’t resist Aunt Jenny’s sweet potato dish with those yummy marshmallows on the top and were compelled to sample each type of pie twice, we understand. Thanksgiving is for many the biggest meal of the year, and why not have a little fun?

Most medical experts agree that overeating every now and then is harmless, as long as you don’t make a habit of it. But it won’t help the way you will feel afterwards —sluggish, engorged and bloated.

Forget the guilt. There will be three days left to avoid a Monday back-to-the-routine letdown. Here’s a game plan for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. By Monday you’ll arrive at work restored and back to normal. Maybe even a couple of pounds lighter. (If you have to work over the holiday weekend, this plan will still help to shake you out of the post-feast stupor.)

Friday: Recover

Today is the first day of the rest of your weekend. Be kind to yourself. Forgive. Focus on getting your routine back to normal and assisting your digestion as you recover from too much food and, for some, too much alcohol.

What to do:

• Detox: Look for clear broths, lemon water and teas such as green, peppermint, ginger, or ginger lemon to help alkalinize your body. A lot of the foods that we eat during the holidays are acid producing—alcohol, high protein, sugar—these things are going to put stress on your adrenals, your immune system, your digestive system. 

• Nourish: If you eat heavily one day, you need to eat light the next three days. Start with a light breakfast, maybe oatmeal or an egg and toast. Replace electrolytes throughout the day with fruits and vegetables, but don’t over-prepare them. Fresh fruits and veggies contain healthy antioxidants and are also loaded with potassium that will serve as a diuretic, helping you shed excess water you’ve retained from Thanksgiving's salty feast.

• Move: Roll out of bed, stand up and get moving. We are talking about gentle moving, stretching your body, so things can go down.  Yoga, especially twists, deliver more oxygen to your body and aid digestion.   They “push” on the liver and get circulation going, and that's important for fat burning and detoxification.

Quick Cleanse: Drink warm water with the juice of half a lemon first thing in the morning before breakfast to detoxify and alkalinize your body and aid digestion.

On Saturday: Regroup

Your body may feel better by today, so it's time to take a look at the emotional you. Are your relatives getting on your nerves? Are you fantasizing about stuffing your face with leftovers? Continue your upward progress and sidestep potential areas where you could backslide.

What to do:

• Toss: It's time to dispense of the leftovers, and not necessarily into your mouth. Get rid of the more fattening foods and enjoy moderate portions of the rest.  In addition to tossing the more fattening parts of a dish, select one dessert to enjoy and get rid of the rest.  Eat the inside of the pie, not the crust.  Let's face it --the pilgrims did not have mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top of them. Hello, garbage disposal. If you must keep it all, invite friends over to help you eat.

• Assess stress level: Your relatives are still here. Whatever the cause of your stress, it can lead to decreased energy and more overeating (you'll be especially vulnerable if you don't toss). When you're under stress, a lot of cortisol is released. That's going to increase appetite, and you can have the danger of stress eating. Exercise does help to release endorphins and works with the neurotransmitters in the brain that will produce anti-anxiety hormones and feelings of well-being.

Include moderate exercise today such as a jog, a walk, a swim, or time on the cardio machines at the gym. Avoid refined sugars and alcohol, which can deplete your ability to deal with stress.  Try to replenish minerals which can help you stay calmer. Try vegetable broth, fruit juice or some green tea.

Quick Cleanse: Take a sauna or sit in a steam room to help you sweat out any potential toxins. Be sure to drink plenty of water.

On Sunday: Rev it up!

It’s your last day of before going back to your routine.  Relatives are going home, schedule is about to return to normal. Hopefully, so are you. Now is the time to enjoy your usual level of exercise and to explore some new strategies to ensure your energy remains steady and your digestion stays on track.

What to do:

• Press: Self-acupressure can stimulate digestion. To stimulate digestion, press a point on your belly halfway between your navel and the base of your sternum, called the midline. There's also a point right between the web of the first finger and the thumb that's good for the large intestine to detox and get the bowels moving. Then massage the area gently for a minute at a time, going back and forth between hands. It's safe and can be surprisingly effective.

• Breathe: Get in the habit of taking a deep breath before every meal. Deep breathing relaxes the abdomen and leads to efficient digestion. If we've overeaten, there can be a lot of tension and pressure on the diaphragm.  Breathing is going to allow the diaphragm to relax, which is going to allow better blood flow in the abdomen and encourage digestion.

• Straighten: It sounds weird but it's true. Slouching puts stress on your body and sitting or standing up straight helps your body function better. Good posture is important because it allows you to breathe and relax the diaphragm and allows the organs their space to be able to function properly.  We know this from Pilates:)

Best wishes for a safe, happy and healthy Thanksgiving!