Get back on track after festive binge

There is no such thing as a ‘detox diet’; your body is capable of detoxing itself with the help of organs such as the skin, liver, kidneys, etc.

Image used for representational purposes.

CHENNAI:  It is normal to struggle or to dread the feeling of getting back to our diet and fitness after the holiday season. The wise thing to do here would be to stop thinking about how you’re going to do it and, rather, just do it. There is no such thing as a ‘detox diet’; your body is capable of detoxing itself with the help of organs such as the skin, liver, kidneys, etc. 

You can do multiple things to get motivated to start or restart your health journey after the festive season.

• Use your guilt wisely: Most often, we go back to thinking about our diet and fitness after the festivals only because we feel guilty about the lack of physical activity or the overindulgence of sweets and other snacks. Use this guilt to push yourself to the gym or eat more home-cooked food throughout the week. This is not compensation for what has been done; this is the start of a new journey.
• Find your ‘why’: Nutrition is related to both mind and body and most of the time, we only pay attention to the body because appearance contributes to the majority of how we look and feel. It’s time to nurture the mind too and pay more attention to it. List out why you want to get back on track concerning diet and fitness, and find your reason to do this. This is going to set your forward momentum, so make the statements positive. For example, I want to build more muscle, I want better gut health, or I want to feel more energetic. List out about 10-15 of these and choose one-two to start with; these could be the ones that resonate with you the most.
• Identify and state your difficulties: What is stopping you from getting back to your routine? What is stopping you from doing what you have to do? The most common answers to these questions would be a lack of time, issues related to the affordability of healthy ingredients or supplements, or a gym subscription. List out the potential barriers because awareness is a catalyst for positive change. 
• Bring in the solutions: Now that you are aware of your obstacles, bring in the appropriate and feasible solutions. If you’re concerned about lack of time, meal prep is a great way to save time by planning your meals and making them so that you always have nutritious food ready. In terms of affordability, do your research or talk to a qualified nutritionist to identify affordable options that suit your goals. Using local and seasonal food that is available in your region is the best way to attain and afford nutritious food.
• Snacking: Most times, unhealthy food gets into our bodies only in the form of snacks. Sometimes, the portion size of these snacks becomes too large when there is a long gap between meals. Keep healthy snacks handy wherever you go or wherever you spend the majority of your time, like your handbag, office table, car, etc. Foods such as healthy bars, nuts, fruits, and seeds can be stored easily and are easy to snack on the go too. Focus on adding healthy foods rather than removing unhealthy ones.
• Track your positives, not numbers: Calorie tracking or weight tracking might seem like a practice that you do with health in mind, but it can create unhealthy relationships with food. Focus on inculcating healthy habits rather than counting numbers. Track your positives; for example, instead of tracking how often you eat out, track how many times you have had something homemade, because this is where your mind is and this is the count that you want to increase.
• Accountability: Perfection is frustrating, so start slow and progress gradually. It helps when you start or restart your health journey with someone, as this helps you keep track of your consistency,  and you will have someone to report your progress to and hence builds motivation.

Try these for the last six weeks of 2023 to get a head start on your health in 2024.