So, you ended up overeating last night. Does that mean that you’ve blown your dieting program and cannot get back on track? Alternatively, does it mean that the singular action is has negated all your previous dieting efforts? We know that falling off the wagon while dieting can be quite discouraging and will make you want to throw in the towel. However, you should not because you can always get back on track and continue like nothing happened. Here’s what you need to start now.
Take a Very Deep Breath
There’s a tendency to want to criticize and beat yourself up. Don’t do that. Beating yourself up is bound to start another cycle of binge eating. You beat yourself up mentally, then go stuff yourself to feel better. Then, you go back to binging, repeating the cycle.
So, understand one thing: most people slip now and then. It’s no big deal. Just take a deep breath and do some assessment. What situation triggered the need for excess eating? Were you stressed or was there suddenly too much delicious food? Did you feel so starved that you had to wolf down everything within your reach?
Identify the responsible situations and then decide not to repeat it again. We are all allowed a little timeout now and again. You should not be any different.
Don’t Throw in the Towel
No matter what happens or how many times this happens don’t give up on yourself. You are trying to change your life here, and the least you can do is give it a try over and over.
If you were broke and living without anything and had to change your situation, would you give up just because the first effort you made didn’t work? How about the second or the third?
Chances are you would not, because you honestly don’t have anything to lose. Go at it with that tenaciousness. Losing or failing is not in the picture. If you slip and fall, get up, dust yourself off and keep going.
Don’t Go All Gung-Ho on Your Dieting
There’s a tendency to want to overcompensate for the previous day’s binging. However, doing so will only make you hungrier than you should be. Moreover, we all know this is not good for dieting in general. So, do the smart thing and just cut back on your portions and spread them throughout the day.
Make sure your portions include more of fiber based foods and vegetables. These tend to keep you full for longer periods. Since you are on the road, we’ll recommend filling your cooler with fresh fruits and vegetables that you can snack on when you feel the urge to eat something apart from your main meals.
Continue with the Usual Exercise Routine
There’s always a tendency to want to push yourself more during your workout sessions just to burn off the extra calories. Resist that urge and just continue with your standard workout routines. This is because doing extra workouts can and will put a strain on your muscles. Moreover, if you suffer a sprain, then you will not be able to workout. This means that you’ll be out of commission until you’ve healed.
Eat More Protein for Lunch
Carbs tend to slow you down, making you sleepy in the process. Try not to indulge in carbs. Instead, choose lean protein like chicken, turkey, tuna and salmon. Drink lots of water in addition, so you do not feel dehydrated and then start craving soda or any of the sugary drinks.
Follow these few tips and you’ll get back on your dieting track and stay there even while on the road.
The writer, Oscar King, is a lifestyle coach who frequently assists people – in particular truckers – by providing diet and exercise tips. One of the most important lessons he has learned is to never give up – this is especially true for those who spend a lot of time on the road and are in greatest need to maintain a healthy diet. For those in the trucking industry who need their routine physical taken care of, he highly recommends checking out Driver Physicals to find a doctor near you. You can learn more about Oscar on Google+.