It’s Sunday evening. You’re laying in bed thinking about how fun the weekend was, but instead of smiling, you think of the food you ate. Or maybe you weren’t super busy, and you plain and simple made some food choices that left you not feeling great…again.. and again… All you can think is “I’m a failureâ€. It’s happened to all of us. Holidays, we see you.
A super busy weekend might have you feeling out of your element, so instead of falling into a less than healthy loop of trying to “make up” for all you ate, there are two great options: move on OR learn from it!
5 Step Action Plan
1. Reflect.
Although we often look at it as the the end of the world, anxiety over choices is actually a blessing in disguise, I promise! It’s a great opportunity to learn about yourself and what might trigger you. So take a moment to reflect on the weekend, how you reacted, and what you could try differently next time.
Here’s a few question you can think about:
- Did you sit down for meals or snack all weekend?
- Did you have any social anxieties that triggered you to turn to food more?
- Did you truly overeat or maybe just eat food that left your body feeling a bit of out of whack?
2. Let it go.
Now that you’ve thought it through, let it go. Seriously. It’s in the past. Inhale the good, exhale the bad, and chalk it up as a learning experience. Sounds simple but takes practice. Keep on practicing to keep on letting it go.
3. Don’t wait to let it go.
The worst thing you can do is let a day turn into an weekend, or a weekend turn into a food anxiety filled week. Ditch the thought to “restrict now to make up for the past” mentality and use your next meal as an opportunity to nourish your body.
4. Move your body.
But ONLY in a self-love sort of way, not in a punitive manner. Your goal is NOT to run off the wine you enjoyed or burn off the cheesecake you enjoyed. Moving your body helps you simply reconnect with your body so you can hear those hunger and fullness cues again. If it feels good to hit some speed or hills, awesome. If it was a rest or recovery day, honor your body’s need for that too.
5. Celebrate.
Once you’ve done all of the above, take a moment to celebrate YOU. Getting over the “I’m a failure†or “I’ll never be able to do this†mentality is not easy. Each time you get through it, the easier it is to break this cycle.
Quick Summary?
What good is beating yourself up over poor food choices going to do? Nothing but make you wallow, which would probably lead to more bad food choices out of self pity. A little tough love but it’s absolutely true! Instead: reflect, learn, get over it, and move on.
Here’s what I’d love to hear! Share below HOW you’ve indulged! Not in the food choices but in life! What overflowed your bucket it was so awesome?
Happy Eating and Running!