How to compensate for a blowout

The morning after the night before you look bad, feel worse, have a bloated stomach, a raging hangover, and to make things worse the scales show you're several pounds heavier! After a night's indulgence, you know you've eaten and drunk too much and your body knows it too. Here's how to compensate for a blowout, feel better and get back on form.


Put things into perspective

OK, so you overdid it last night, but you're not going to put on half a stone after one night's indulgence. It's just not possible. A heavy meal washed down with wine from time to time has no consequences on your weight. If the scales show you're three pounds heavier, don't panic: it's all water (rich meals are often saltier than your usual food). You'll usually drop back to your usual weight after a few days if you get straight back on a balanced diet.

 

If you want to make up for a few (or many) indulgences, the thing NOT to do is fast. Skipping a meal, or eating very little of only one type of food (fruit, for example) will surprise your body and put it into survival mode, i.e. it will store fat.

Compensate the best way by eating super-healthy meals the day after: one or two hard boiled egg whites (they're packed with protein, suppress your appetite and build muscle mass), raw veg with no oil and/or unlimited steamed veg (they're filling, energising, high in fibre, vitamins and minerals) and a sugarfree yoghurt (for extra protein and calcium).

- Over the next few days, it’s essential to revert to a balanced diet and avoid fatty foods (cured/dried meat, chips etc.), sweet foods (ice cream, pastries etc.) and eat lots of naturally lean food (white meat, fish, fat-free dairy produce, fruit and vegetables). Listen to your appetite and control your portions.

 

When you eat too much (especially too much fat, sugar and sometimes alcohol), your digestive organs get overloaded and your body struggles to eliminate the waste and toxins. This can give you a dull complexion, persistent fatigue, headaches, constipation, swollen eyes, bloating and more delights the morning after an evening of indulgence.

- To eliminate waste, you need to detox on whole cereals, green tea, cooked and/or raw fruit and vegetables, vegetable oils, etc. These are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals and other anti-oxidant substances which help the body to purify itself gently and get its tone back. Don't go near fried food, dried meat, cheese, sweet foods, refined cereals or saturated fats (butter, meat). A little abstinence from these foods works wonders!

- To accelerate the cleansing process, drink lots of high bicarboante, magnesium and calcium water, and sup soups and broths. Also try plant-based herbal/fruit teas with digestive powers (artichoke, fennel, boldo, black radish and bee balm).

- Lots of fresh air and rest is essential. Go for a walk, breathe deeply and catch up on your beauty sleep!