What to do After Overeating

We all have moments of weakness and sometimes we get carried away in the excitement of good company or delicious food. This is entirely normal and okay if not made a habit. However, if you find yourself eating large amounts of food in a short amount of time or eating in secret you may be displaying signs of an eating disorder.

*If you feel this may be the case: please speak to your primary care provider, no amount of internet advice can replace one-on-one care from a qualified medical professional.

If you find yourself feeling overly stuffed and miserable after over eating or binging, you can try the following:

Go for a walk

Research has shown that walking helps reduce the time required for food digestion. If you're feeling like you've eaten too much, rather than doing something drastic, lace up your shoes and take a small walk with a furry friend or loved one.

It is thought that both casual and brisk walking after meals increases your metabolism, lowers glycemic index, promotes better sleep and blood flow, but also improves intestinal movement that assists in proper digestion.

Remember to walk at a slow to brisk pace. We are not going for a run to punish our bodies or to burn off any "unacceptable" calories we may have consumed. We exercise to celebrate our bodies, not to use it as a threat.

*Get rid of that mindset right now because that is not self-love or acceptance*

Take a Moment

You can take a moment to think about how you feel now that you over eating and make a plan to set yourself up for success next time a similar situation comes up. This could be anything small but significant.

For example, you could make it a point to have a small snack prior to going out to eat so that you are not so hungry that you have decision-fatigue and make choices that you will later feel regret for.

Do not dwell on this feeling, do not allow this to define your health or success.

Let it Go

If over eating is the worst thing that you've done today give yourself a pat on the back. Learn to show yourself your forgiveness.

We all have moments of weakness, we all make mistakes. We don't have to punish ourselves anymore, either mentally or physically.

Your next meal is a new chance to make a better choice for the lifestyle and body that you want. Beating yourself up about your mistakes or restricting your food intake well only cause you to crave food more as it is now a "reward".

If your binging was a direct result of restricting food, all or even just a specific kind, try to show yourself some grace and allow yourself to enjoy these foods in smaller portions. Long periods of time without food that you're craving will usually result in a binge session with said food. Unsure? Think about the last time you binged: what it was with, what led up to it, and when was the last time that you had it that didn’t result in overeating.

Wishing you success in your journey