Easter is a holiday for family, outdoor fun, feasts, and copious mini eggs…. So, here are a few tips to lose the guilt, and ease your way back on track.
Life wouldn’t be nearly as fun if we never allowed ourselves some indulgences. When trying to get back on track, first things first; lose the guilt, and bask a little in the glory that those times (mini eggs) brought. We know that life is about balance, and there’s a time and place for everything.
This being said, we want to ensure that our indulgences don't completely throw us off our routine, and tip the balance. In order to make sure this doesn’t happen, one of the main things to get under control as soon as possible is blood sugar balance. Large feasts and sugary treats leave us on a roller coaster of food comas, and sugar crashes. The first thing to do is acknowledge this. When our energy crashes, our bodies will crave sources of sugar (carbs, or sweets) to quickly bring energy levels back up. Understand your impulses, so you can outsmart them. If you are hungry, grab something with protein, or healthy fats, and if you know you do not need to eat again, grab a glass of water instead. These cravings are impulsive, and we need to mindfully ignore them sometimes!
Schedule a workout. No matter how low your energy is after an indulgent weekend, pencil it in. Commit to a workout class, or sweat date with a friend, something that will hold you to it. Often, when our energy dips (due to a busy schedule, or sugar crashes in this case), the last thing we want to do is go exert more energy. But when you know that your energy is low because of the ride that your blood sugar has been on, it's a good time to push for that workout. The residual overload of sugar in the bloodstream can lead to further negative effects on insulin sensitivity. Insulin is what we need to bring sugars from the bloodstream into different cells to use for energy. When the blood is saturated with sugar, insulin can become desensitized and this leads to more chronic fatigue as our cells aren’t getting the energy they need. By exercising, we are able to increase insulin sensitivity, and burn off some of the excess sugar. Maintaining a healthy relationship between blood sugar and insulin sensitivity is crucial for its long-term health benefits!
Lastly, up your water intake. Allow the body to make the most of the surge of nutrients, and also get rid of all unwanted/excess wastes. We need proper hydration as a vessel to carry nutrients to the cells in need, as well carry wastes away from cells. Maintaining adequate hydration helps relieve the burden on the system and will allow your body to restore the balance much quicker. Also, nutrients require water for metabolism in the body. With an increase in foods going in, we can dehydrate the body. Step up your water intake!
Remember that you have tools to reset your body. It’s ok to indulge and enjoy it fully. There’s a time and place for everything.
Hope everyone had a lovely Easter Long weekend!