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How to get out of the vacation mode and return to proper nutrition, says Kateryna Tolstikova, a dietitian and endocrinologist, author of bestsellers about relationships with food.
Kateryna Tolstikova is a diet expert for boxer Oleksandr Usyk, MMA champion Yaroslav Amosov, tennis player Katarina Zavatskaya, and many other stars. We asked Kateryna to develop a strategy for exiting the holiday regime to normalize your relationship with food and return to proper nutrition.
About what happens to the body during the “vacation” period
In fact, nothing catastrophic should happen to the body, despite the excess of food and alcohol, provided that a person overeats for 2–3 days. As in normal days, part of the food is converted into triglycerides (or comes in this form – with fatty sauces, meat, etc.), then enters the adipose tissue and remains there until there is a need to use these fat reserves to replenish energy.
This need will only arise when the body is in a slight deficit, and not in the overeating mode that usually accompanies the holidays. So a few days of light overeating do not entail any special consequences – provided that the person then returns to a normal healthy lifestyle.
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If a person was not fasting before the holidays, then they are at risk of gaining a couple of kilograms of excess fluid. However, for a certain period of time, such a lifestyle will result in weight gain due to adipose tissue.
How dangerous is alcohol for the figure?
Alcohol itself is very high in calories. However, it should be said that this is the least of all evils, because it harms the cells of the liver, brain, blood vessels, other tissues and organs, in particular the pancreas.
However, many people don't realize that weight gain is not caused by the alcohol itself, but by the food they consume with it. These are extra calories that, as unused energy, later turn into extra pounds.
Therefore, if you do not give up alcohol, before drinking it, it is better to eat first, and only then drink – and accompany it with plenty of water.
How to ease hunger pangs and cravings for delicious food by getting back into the routine?
In order to avoid suffering, the body must experience physiological hunger every 3–3.5 hours. And for it to work like this, it must be trained. This can be done both through proper eating behavior and the composition of the dishes you consume.
That is, if we get all three nutrients necessary for the functioning of the body — proteins, fats and carbohydrates, as well as fiber — proper satiety sets in. If we adhere to the correct ratio of nutrients, the main one of which is protein, hunger will not occur earlier than necessary.
If this does not happen – we prefer one thing, deliberately skip meals, or simply do not have time to eat on time – disturbed eating behavior develops. It is this that eventually leads to hunger pangs and cravings for “delicious” foods.
Although in reality, everyone can make their diet tasty – the main thing is to form the right eating behavior.
How to get out of a gastronomic slump?
Everyone knows the answer: “Don't go into it,” but not everyone succeeds. The main thing is to return to a stable life schedule.
First of all, eliminate alcohol and switch to water; reduce your calorie intake by 5–10% from the level at which you were overeating, and consistently adhere to this regimen.
No special procedures, enemas, or drips are needed—unless, of course, you're really sick. Drops to relieve intoxication may be appropriate, but generally a simple return to your usual lifestyle is enough. I hope he was healthy enough.
Are supplements needed?
If there is a need to improve your condition after drinking alcohol, it is worth adding supplements or medications that help eliminate ethyl alcohol and reduce intoxication.
These can be B vitamins, vitamin C, drugs like Heptral or S-adenosylmethionine; betargin or arginine, betaine – separately or in combination with other agents. The main thing is that any of them should be prescribed by your doctor or nutritionist. After all, any supplements, like medications, can harm the body.
So the healthiest way to improve your condition is to drink more water and stick to a regimen.
What foods should you include in your diet, and what should you absolutely avoid?
It is advisable to add a large amount of complex carbohydrates to the diet. These are whole grains, legumes, pasta, potatoes, sweet potatoes, root vegetables. Think of beets, celery, fermented cabbage, vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs, nuts – in short, simple basic products.
If your diet generally includes fish, meat, eggs, and dairy products, you don't need to radically give up anything. Just leave yourself a 10–20% margin for what can't be considered perfect from a healthy lifestyle perspective.
You should uncompromisingly refuse only those products that are truly harmful to your body (allergies, intolerances, etc.).
As for the rest, control your consumption of alcohol, pastries, sweets, sugary drinks with “empty” calories, liquid food, canned and pickled foods, as well as dishes containing trans fats (deep-fried food is quite harmful).
The main thing to remember
It is advisable not to stretch the festive regime for a month. If you drink alcohol, it is worth taking medication, supplements or simply drinking plenty of water immediately afterwards to reduce its harm. This will help not to accumulate intoxication and at least not to worsen the condition of the body.