7 easy ways to get back on your health-buzz after Easter

No matter how healthy and focused you are, Easter is a time when it is almost impossible to avoid sugar – everything, everywhere, is chocolate covered. I hope you all had a fun weekend, I did, but like most of you, I am ready to get back to normality.

Here are a few things that help me bounce back after over-indulging;

1. Get over it!

There is no point beating yourself up over what you ate or feeling guilty because you overdid it. It’s over and there is nothing you can do to change that. What you can do is take something positive from the experience – whether it was a memory made with family or a lesson learned for next time – taking something positive away from what you feel was a negative experience, is way more productive and makes you feel better. Don’t forget, it isn’t a crime to eat a lot, so go easy on yourself!

2. Start the day with fresh air

I find fresh air really helps when I wake up with a sugar hangover. It has such a cleansing effect on my body and on my mind. Even if you can’t get out for long, try to take a brisk 10-minute walk around the block or even a few laps of the garden! It’ll help clear your mind, get your heart beating and the blood circulating giving you more oxygen and energy. It can change a negative mindset into a more positive one in no time.

3. Warm water, lemon and apple cider vinegar

This is amazing first thing and really feels like a good old scrub of your insides – just what the doc ordered post chocfest! Before you eat or drink anything, have a mug of warm water, a squeeze of lemon and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar first thing. Why? The apple cider vinegar (ACV) is great for digestion and gastro discomfort. The acids bind the toxins making it easier to eliminate them. ACV can also help to stimulate circulation and aid detoxification in the liver. Lemons also have so many health benefits. Lemon juice encourages the liver to produce bile which is an acid that removes toxins in the digestive tract. Lemon juice helps to relieve indigestion, heartburn and bloating. PASS ME THE LEMONS!

4. Fresh food

Try to eat as much fresh food as possible. Your metabolism has been working hard and under a lot of stress so give it a chance to relax and get back to normal by nourishing your body with good, healthy, fresh, wholesome food. When I overdo it, I try to have green juice for breakfast with some nuts. I’ll snack on fruit and nuts throughout the day, soup or salad for lunch and similar for dinner. Whatever you do, please do not starve yourself – there is no point. You have nothing to punish yourself for. You won’t lose weight or undo any of the so-called damage by skipping meals, so just get back on track right now and take it one meal at a time.

5. Hydrate

Drink lots of water and herbal teas to rejuvenate your body from the inside out. The sugar hangover makes you tired, and it is easy just to reach for the coffee to survive the day, but water will give you real energy and flush out your system making you feel better in no time.

6. Sweat

Either get out and exercise or have a steam/sauna to help sweat those toxins out of your body. This is a great way to stimulate the circulatory system, detox the body and distress the mind. Exercise will give you the added benefit of endorphins that are always welcome.

7. Have FUN!

Instead of spending the day berating yourself or feeling icky, do something fun. Meet a friend for a walk, take a drive to somewhere you love, take time for yourself to read, watch a movie. Be KIND to yourself, it is not the end of the world so leave it in the past, move on and have fun – life is short, and you ARE worth it!

@lizcostigan.

This article was originally published in 2022.