Your Bag is Empty
Although living a healthy life is a huge part of my mission and who I am in general, I do believe in a good splurge every now and again. I'm a big fan of dark chocolate, I love red wine and ice cream has a special place in my heart. I actually think that indulging in a few special treats (here and there) is good for you. Firstly, a good cheat meal now and again helps tame our daily cravings. When we say to ourselves that we are never allowed to have another treat, then all we can think about is the cookie or candy! If we allow ourselves to enjoy those treats every once in a while, then we can get a better handle on what fuels our cravings. Second, when we overdo it on unhealthy food or alcohol, we really feel the effects of it afterwards. Especially when we've been eating clean. Essentially, indulging can lead to more awareness, and thus motivate us to get back on the healthy train more quickly and hold us over on the treat front for a while. Lastly, life just kinda stinks when we don't allow ourselves to enjoy everything that it has to offer and you will appreciate that sweet delight even more when it isn't a staple in your diet.
So, when you do decide to splurge, here are my top 5 tips to get back on track, fast!
1. GET IN A SAUNA
The sauna heats your tissues several levels deep so it's an incredible way to deeply cleanse and flush toxins out of the body. The deep heat also helps stimulate the metabolism and oxygenate tissues (1).Try sitting in the sauna for at least 20 minutes and be sure to drink a lot of water!
2. DRINK WARM LEMON WATER WITH CAYENNE AND GINGER
Lemon, ginger and cayenne are powerful detoxifiers and really help rev up your metabolism. Drink a glass before you go out to dinner or before a large meal and then follow up with another glass right when you wake up in the morning. I drink this almost every day just to get my digestion started but definitely drink this before and after a night of unhealthy eating and drinking. The ginger in the tea will also help sooth your stomach and ease bloating
3. GET IN A QUICK WORKOUT
Even if your workout is really quick, get your heart pumping the morning after a big night. When you get your blood and muscles going they encourage detoxification throughout your body which pushes all of the bad stuff out. Try a pilates or barre class or just get outside for a quick walk or run.
4. TRY ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
Activated charcoal has been used for thousands of years in Chinese and Western medicine because of its powerful ability to soak up toxins, bind to poisons and improve digestive health. In hospitals today, doctors use activated charcoal to help with overdoses and poison ingestion as well as general bloating and detoxification (2). I take activated charcoal if I know I'm going to be eating an unhealthy meal or dessert or drinking more than 1-2 drinks at night to help me remove the toxins from my body more quickly.
5. SLEEP
Stay in bed an extra hour or two, or do your best to get in a quick nap. Sleep is the ultimate way to detox and rejuvenate your body. Without enough sleep your body is in total crisis mode. Add an unhealthy night of food and drinks on top of that and you're setting yourself up to feel like total crap.