Food hangovers, just say no!

While the vast majority of my posts are dedictated to fit travel, I, much like everyone else, do have a day job. As I've blogged before, I'm an attorney, and so I work long, stressful hours, attempt to juggle a family, work, friends and a social/business network. I fall prey to the same lack of sleep, stress eating, and weekend naughty food temptations that everyone else deals with. Having survived some SHAMEFUL eating binges in my day (dare I say 3am brownie batter snacks while studying for law school exams) I know the powerful hold a sugary carb can have over a weak and tired mind. And like any other vice in this world, such an indulgence takes its toll on your body in most unpleasant ways. Ever caved to a fast food urge and had a burger and fries(perhaps washed down with a milkshake)? Ever gone nuts and ordered a big heaping dessert all to yourself, or eaten the lion's share while splitting with friends? What about a late night candy binge? Ever sunk as low as I have and just eaten sugar out of the bag because you've already thrown all other temptations away long ago? If you answered yes to any of these questions (or they made you think of a few experiences of your own you'd rather not admit to publicly) then you know the aftermath can be grueling. Nausia, drop in energy, indigestion, inability to focus, irritability, these are the signs of a food hangover. Your body is flush with refined carbs, the sugars are busy causing inflamation and wrinkles, your insulin is going wild storing unneeded fat, your brain goes out of whack. The problem is, food is not quite like our other vices, is it? We NEED food to survive, and to thrive. Proper nutrition gives you energy. It can fight off inflamation, and even battle cancer. We're supposed to keep our energy levels up by eating MORE frequently, every 3 hours, so that means we're pretty much constantly thinking about food, a la my previous posts about our behavioral anthropology. Not to mention the powerful emotional ties we have with food. Comfort foods, party foods, foods to snack on while you study, entire festivals devoted to a single celebrated dish, we take our food genres very seriously. So how do we avoid food hangovers in the face of so much pressure and temptation? The first step is to rid yourself of obvious culprits. Look around you right now. Candy bowl on your desk? Get rid of it this second! Treats in the kitchen at work? Try grabbing one and instead of eating just throw it away. Odds are none of your coworkers need that crap food either. When you go home, take a good long look in the mirror, tell yourself you ARE strong enough and you DESERVE to get healthier, throw open the pantry, fridge and freezer doors and admit to yourself all the things in there that you know and love that you know it's time to say goodbye to. Not sure of what to toss out and what should stay? Here are some quick tips: if you can't pronounce the ingredients, it's gone. If it has high fructose corn syrup in it, it's gone. If it is more than 2 steps removed from a natural ingredient (i.e. apples-GREAT, applesauce (with NO added sugar)-ok, apple pie filling-stay away!). Now replace that crap food with health all-natural products. Fresh fruit, vegetables, oatmeal, milk, lean ground beef, chicken, fish, eggs, cottage cheese, milk, string cheese, yogurt, whole grains. Think of it as a body detox that never ends. Start feeding your body high octane fuel. You are worth it. The first step to avoiding a food hangover is to avoid the root causes. We can't always get rid of stress or late nights at the office, but you can fill your drawer with oatmeal packs, protein bars and soups so that you have healthy options if you need an extra meal. You can't keep yourself away from all parties, alcohol and unhealthy foods forever, so fortify yourself with small meals every 3 hours and lots of water so you don't have an energy crash/dehydration craving when the menu comes around or the party platters come out. This is one situation where the best defense is a good offense. Just like trip planning, every day is a planning opportunity. Plan your small meals, plan your snacks, plan your strategy for avoiding bad food when you know it will be around, and you can kiss those hangovers goodbye! And remember, when they ask if you're sure you don't want any, just say NO!