Did you over do it over Christmas? We’ve all been there, including me, where we’ve had one of those festive seasons where perhaps we feasted on the sweet stuff more than we would like. I’m a massive advocate that there is always time for cake as part of a healthy lifestyle, but after a period of overindulging I start to feel sluggish and my body is craving to regain some balance.  

First things first, don’t start skipping meals or sign up to one of those 7-day juice cleanses that promise that you will drop a dress size overnight. They’re faddy and promote a harmful disordered relationship with food.  They suggest that you should feel guilty about indulging and turn to these quick fixes as a solution.  Although they may seem like a good idea, they’re not going to fix your issues with food.  

Food has never been the problem! 

There are some simple holistic and natural ways that you can introduce to your every day to help you rediscover your balance and feel fabulous again. 

Upscale your treats and meals

After a period of feasting, to regain my balance I like to upscale my meals by adding more vegetables, healthy protein, fats and whole grains as opposed to more processed foods.  I’m not talking about cutting out food groups but bulking up on the veggies and other good stuff, so adding rather than taking away. Grating carrots into your pasta ragu or adding fresh fruits to your yoghurt and granola is a great start.   It’s a great way to get more nourishing vitamins and minerals back into your daily routine without that much effort.  All those delicious nutrients will have you glowing again in no time.  

Introduce more natural products into you daily routine

Simply by swapping some of your skin care products or the foods that you eat to less processed alternatives will give you a boost.  Something that is helping me achieve this is swapping my usual caffeinated morning chai tea to Twinings Strawberry & Raspberry tea, which is a lovely addition to my daily routine. Unlike some fruit teas, it’s not too sweet which works for me and it can be difficult to find all-natural products to purchase in shops, and on-the-go, but these teas are readily available in all major supermarkets and sometimes on offer too.  Also, they are caffeine free and only contain 4 calories per cup, such an easy and tasty way to introduce something natural into your day.   

A huge amount of care and attention goes into every Twinings tea and all of Twinings Fruit & Herbal Infusions are 100% natural.  Their team includes 9 Master Blenders who blend every single flavour of Twinings tea – they use their knowledge to pair the all-natural ingredients together and taste the teas every step of the way to ensure the best quality infusions.

Supercharge your food with nutritional boosters

I’m a firm believer in getting the most nutrition into your meals, by adding more vegetables, but you can go one step further by supplementing your meals with nutritional boosters.  Seeds, nuts, chia seeds, cacao nibs and many others are power houses of nutrition and a simple natural way of super charging your meals to make them work better for your body.

Make some time for some gentle exercise

Blow off those winter cobwebs with some gentle exercise. A long walk is just as good as a gym workout or there are plenty of yoga videos on YouTube to try.  After coming out of a period of overindulgence I always find it best to be gentle and kind to my body, by moving it in a way that I love.  This could be anything, but be kind and don’t force your body into an exercise routine you don’t feel like doing – find something that makes your heart jump for joy.  You don’t have to be running on a treadmill and lifting weights because everyone else is, do what is best for you. 

Keep a food journal

Journaling has been revolutionary for me and I just love it. Not only do I find it cathartic I also find it a useful tool to track my healthy habits and my eating.  Writing down my daily food consumption in my journal is a great way to keep track of what I’m eating and drinking to make sure that I am practicing the balance that my body craves so much. 

So, there are some of my top holistic and natural tips on how to refind your balance and get back on track after a period of overindulgence.  I think it’s important to remember not to be too hard on ourselves and not to feel guilty when eating treats because all food is good, whether it’s cake or a green smoothie. 

What helps you regain some balance in your life after a period of overindulgence?

*Post commissioned by Twinings, but all opinions are my own.