How holiday overeating affects your body
If you are of average weight and height, you would need to eat far more calories than you burn – probably around 3,500 calories (kcal) more than you usually eat – to gain half a kilogram.
This means, assuming your daily calorie intake is 2,000kcal, you would have to eat 5,500kcal just to gain 0.5kg in a day.
According to a recent study, most people do gain a little bit over the holiday season – on average, 0.6kg in America and 0.8kg in Germany over the 10-day Christmas period, and 0.5kg in Japan over Golden Week.
Even then, you might probably lose it again quite quickly once you return to your normal routine of eating a well-balanced diet and exercising regularly after the holiday period is over. This small weight gain is unlikely to have serious long-term health implications.
How to get back on track after binge eating
Try not to feel guilty after a couple of weeks’ indulging. Instead, focus on the positive benefits and how much you enjoyed spending time with your family or friends
Here are our suggestions for bouncing back after a binge:
- Don’t hop straight back on the scales – give your body a few days to settle back into its normal routine.
- Don’t punish yourself by fasting or crash dieting – it will do more harm to your health in the long run.
1. Exercise
Go for walks or bike rides over the holiday period – not only is it good exercise, but it’s a fun way to spend more time with family or friends.
Research shows that walking helps to accelerate stomach emptying, which may relieve uncomfortable feelings of fullness or bloating caused by overeating. It can also help burn some of the additional calories you consumed from binge eating.
Walking also improved mood and reduces negative feelings due to the release of chemicals, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, which can help protect against depression and anxiety.
2. Eat a balanced diet
Everything is good in moderation – even party food
A balanced diet includes:
- Fresh fruit
- Fresh vegetables
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Lean proteins
- Dairy
Essential nutrients in these foods will help your body to function better and boost your immune system.
3. Get enough sleep
Getting enough sleep at night after binge eating can help to fight off cravings the following day.
A lack of sleep may increase levels of two important hormones involved in hunger and appetite regulation, called ghrelin and leptin. This is why you may find yourself hungrier if you have not had sufficient sleep.
Aim to get 7 – 9 hours of sleep per night so that you don’t have cravings during the day that may lead to more binge eating.
4. Eat a good breakfast
You may feel guilty after a day of binge eating and feel like you need to make amends by skimping on breakfast or lunch. However, starting your day with a hearty and healthy breakfast is actually the better way to get you back on track towards making continued healthy choices.
Try to have breakfast that consists of food that are high in protein and fibre. Fibre-rich fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains can be paired with a good source of protein for a well-rounded, nutritious meal.
It is also important to stick to a consistent eating pattern to avoid further episodes of binge eating.
5. Drink plenty of water
Drinking water has numerous benefits โปรโมชั่นพิเศษจาก UFABET สมัครตอนนี้ รับโบนัสทันที and among them are helping to maximise weight loss and keeping appetite under control.
Studies have shown that people who drank water before a meal consumed lower amounts of calories compared with those who did not. Increasing your water intake also helps to increase metabolism to burn off extra calories.