The month of September was a hot mess for me. I went to 5 weddings, went on my husbands "resident retreat," and my in-laws came to visit. All of these events were things I wanted to do. They were fun, and skipping a single one of them was not an option I ever really entertained. So I went, I danced, I schmoozed, and I listened to Aretha Franklin 90,000,000 times. That being said, it took its toll on me.
Some of the crazy yummy food I enjoyed over the month!
On the day of the 5th wedding, I woke up at 6am after celebrating my best friend's wedding the night before. I had indulged in the mashed potato bar, a piece of wedding cake, and a few too many drinks. I woke up ready to go right back to bed, but tragically, this was not an option. I had to take a puddle-jumper flight from coastal Georgia to Atlanta, and then another flight from Atlanta to Dallas. I had become a regular at the airport that month, spending every last penny on plane tickets to Atlanta, Brunswick, Saratoga, Dallas, and Milwaukee. Once in Dallas, I took an Uber to my budget hotel, ready for a quick nap. But first, a snack.
There was no food in walking distance, and I was not ready to get in another Uber yet. Instead, I went to the small freezer in the lobby and bought the only vegetarian option I saw (because budget-hotel-lobby-freezer meat is questionable). A small off-brand personal cheese pizza. When I got back to my room, I realized I did not have a plate to microwave the pizza on, and I didn't trust the cleanliness of the hotel microwave. I made do by microwaving the pizza on a cardboard coffee cup. Then I ate the pizza directly off the cup. A month of partying had officially caught up with me. There is no way other adults microwave pizza on cups.
Needless to say, when I flew home the day after the wedding, I felt disgusting. I had endured a month of inconsistent sleep, little-to-no exercise, and a diet based on convenience, and a gross amount of alcohol. As an introvert, my social "battery" needed to recharge, and the month of events left me emotionally drained and unmotivated.
I was at a point where I wanted to do something drastic. I wanted to cleanse my body of the month it had just experienced. I wanted to bathe myself in green juice, do yoga, and only drink warm lemon water for the next year. I wanted to detox. I think most people have experienced this feeling. It is the feeling that comes directly after the holidays when everyone cuts out dairy, gluten, and sugar for the New Year.
But I knew better. As a dietitian, I knew that what my body needed was not drastic change. Instead, it needed consistency. It needed me to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. It needed me to move my body gently and break a sweat most days. It needed me to eat protein, carbs, and fat at each meal and to cool it on the alcohol and desserts. And it needed me to drink a lot more water.
With all of this knowledge in mind, I have spent the last week and a half recovering from my draining, but amazingly fun and joyful September. I have focused on balance and consistency, and sure enough, I feel better. I no longer feel the need to buy some gimmicky detox product or go on a fad diet, and for that, my body thanks me.
So the next time you feel like you have to "reset" and shock your system into wellness, remember that our bodies don't need any more surprises. Your vacation diet was enough of a shock, and the best way to "cleanse" your body from all of that eating out is to support it with routine and nourishing habits. So without further ado, here are my suggestions for rejuvenating your body when you feel like total sh#t. And now no more weddings until November!
Instead of this... | Try this... |
A fad diet | 3+ meals a day with protein, carbs, and fat |
Hot water with lemon | Any water you want |
A detox supplement | Your favorite form of movement |
Greens powders | 7-9 hours of sleep each night |
Going gluten free | Calling a friend, cleaning your house, taking a shower or much needed bubble bath. |
Over-exercising | Making half of your plate fruits and veggies |
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