How to Detox After a Weekend of Overindulging

Posted by Almeda Bohannan on Saturday, May 4, 2024

Endless pumpkin pie, an abundance of turkey, and a weekend full of cocktails was everything we wanted and more this Thanksgiving, but now that dreaded Monday morning has hit and we’re back at the office, the holiday weekend bliss has rapidly disappeared and we find ourselves feeling less than satisfied with our weekend of overindulging. To get ourselves back on track and feeling that inner glow, we tapped wellness experts Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise, founders of famed organic food delivery program Sakara Life, for easy tips on how to get back on the healthy eating bandwagon.

“The less time you spend reveling in guilt, the quicker and easier it will be to start re-focusing on getting the good things into your body,” Tingle and DuBoise tell InStyle. “Plus, stressing out spikes the level of cortisol in your body, which slows metabolism and increases the body’s propensity to store belly fat.”

Instead, remember that there is no wagon to fall off of. “Life is a journey full of ebbs and flows, healthy days, great workout classes, delicious after-work cocktails, and occasional late-night pizza that just feels so good. Let go of the guilt and use that energy toward action that will help you get back to feeling great, like preparing healthy meals, getting back into your exercise routine or recommitting to a daily meditation practice.”

Start these steps below now and begin to feel better by lunchtime:

1. Aim to eat at least five cups of fresh, organic greens each day.

2. Load up on probiotics—either a high-quality supplement or fermented foods and beverages like kimchi and kombucha—to help bring your gut microbiome back into balance.

3. Eat your water! It’s an even more efficient, powerful way to hydrate than just drinking water. Eat plenty of water-rich plants, like cucumbers, greens, and melon to help regulate digestion and reverse bloat. On Day 1, your focus should be heavily on hydration. If you had a little too much champagne and pecan pie over the holiday, you’ll probably be craving caffeine and sugary snacks, but try to stay away from them. Reach for a detox tea or mineral water instead. When lunchtime rolls around, look for fruits and veggies that are high in water content, so that you can continue to hydrate those cells.

4. Sip on a digestive tea. [Sakara's] new blend ($20; sakara.com) contains bitter herbs that help activate the liver, which will not only support your body in getting rid of toxins, but also stimulate your digestive system (which might be running a little slower given the holiday binge!). Best drank on an empty stomach!

5. Take deep belly breaths to relieve stress, lower cortisol (the stress hormone that can cause you to hold onto fat), and support digestion.

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