Post Nighttime Binge

I ate a huge dinner!

I binged at 3am!

I had 4 pieces of cake for dessert!

Well ok. I too have eaten massive amounts of dinner, 4 slices of cake for dessert, or a whole box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch at 3am... or a combination of those three things.... It happens. It sucks, but it happens. 

So here's a few things that I personally do after a midnight snack-attack... aka: a stuff my face session for 2 hours when no one is watching.

The morning after: 

When I wake up in the morning after consuming my weight in food the night before, I have about 5 HUGE glasses of ice cold water. But I put cayenne pepper in it. It tastes so awful, but trust me it works. Chug that spicy-ass water. The heat from the cayenne pepper will seriously rev of your metabolism. You'll probably end up pooping within the next hour. Just sayin'... But this is good. The water will help clear out your system. 

As you are drinking your water, I suggest eating a breakfast that is nutrient dense, and low in calories. 

I know what you're thinking: Well if I ate 2000 calories at 3:00am, my body doesn't need a breakfast at 8:00am. This may be true, but the point of the breakfast in this case is not to help fuel your body, the way breakfast normally should. Instead, think of this breakfast as a fresh start for the day. If you skip this meal, you may end up getting hungry at 11:00am, and then your internal clock is all screwed up and you might end up snacking on unhealthy meals all during the day.

So I am suggesting (no, I'm telling you) that you should have a light breakfast after wake up. Even if you feel like crap.

My handy-dandy greek yogurt always comes in handy here. 100 calories, 18 grams of protein, and delicious. What more can I ask for? Grab a Chobani/Fage/whatever, and eat that. Don't eat a high-sugar, processed yogurt. Go for something with very low sugar, with only a few natural ingredients. (Activia could possibly be a good idea. I'm not sure of the sugar content, nor have I ever had it.. but I've heard that stuff puts your bowels into over-drive. It might help clean you out.)

After this, hopefully you feel a little better. If not, just tell yourself that you will eventually feel better again.

Next: I don't suggest eating until lunch. No need for a mid-morning snack, the day after a binge you you should eat a fairly low amount of calories. 

So for lunch you have a few options. I always like eating a fruit and a vegetable. They are both crisp, full of water, and nutrient dense. 

Apple + Carrots

Pear + Kale

Plum + Peppers

Whatever combination floats your boat. 

I enjoy eating these things raw just because the fresh taste and juiciness help make me feel more energized. No need for a hummus dip or ranch dressing, keep it light.

Did I mention all day you should be sipping water? DO IT. It will help flush you out.

Now around your usual afternoon snack time, go for something with protein and healthy fats. Since I'm a vegetarian, maybe a handful of almonds, (I will steer clear of peanut butter on a day after a binge only because I don't want to have an overdose! I easily  get carried away with my pb..) a little bit of fish, like a few sushi rolls, another greek yogurt, maybe some edamame, or some plain chickpeas. If, unlike me, you are an omnivore, maybe go for a small slice of grilled chicken. Basically anything that is protein rich and will keep you full until dinner. 

For dinner, you're probably pretty hungry right now. Enjoy the feeling! Remember how full you were in the morning when you woke up? For dinner I suggest another protein, some carbs, and definitely a salad. Fill yourself up with fiber rich veggies like lettuce, celery, carrots, peppers, kale, etc, and throw it all into a big salad bowl. Go easy on the dressing. In fact, I like to eat my salads without dressing, but I'm weird. 

Then maybe have a veggie burger, or some pasta or tofu...whatever you want. Just keep it light and healthy.

And at night, hold off on the dessert. Go to bed a little hungry. 

And voila, a perfect recipe to feel better after a nighttime binge. 

Anyone else have any more tips & tricks?

--Emily