Okay. There are two cases that you may find yourself in:
- 1. You ate too many calories already and now you want to fix that, and
- 2. You know that you are going to eat too many calories (because it’s the day before Thanksgiving, for example.
Both of these are valid and can, and will, happen to each one of us at one point or another – for most of us pretty frequently, actually..
Let’s start with No. 1. – the damage has already been done. Since the overeating usually happens in the evening (with family or out with friends) here is what you should do the following day or two – depending on how much you’ve overeaten.
First, for the next several meals limit the amount of total Calories by decreasing the carbohydrates and the fats. Eat enough protein. The protein will keep you going, it will provide enough amino acids for your muscles and more calories of it go directly toward digestion (when compared to carbohydrates and fats).
So, what are proteins: meats, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy. Be careful with the dairy, but have enough of the rest. What are carbohydrates starches, sugars, more specifically bread, pasta, rice, potatoes pastry, sweetened beverages – you know, the stuff that you already know you should be careful with (tuber starches are fine if not the main part of the dish… but not if you’ve just eaten too many Calories and trying to fix it – lay off of them for a few meals). What are the fats? All vegetable refined oils (you shouldn’t have these at all, not only after overeating), butter, peanut butter, industrial amounts of nuts, coconut oil, chocolate – even extra dark, etc. In short, eat protein but for the next few meals (for some that’s one day, for others that’s two or even three days) stay low on the carbs and fats. This way you will make up for the surplus of Calories by putting them to work – to fuel the body instead of to provide one more layer of insulation – I’m guessing don’t need that.
Another thing you should do: increase the Calorie expenditure. That’s a fancy way of saying “Get up and do something… that you don’t ordinarily do”… And, do a bit more of it. Like, go to the gym for one or a few extra cardio sessions or go out and do sprints (even better than the treadmill at the gym), or do a few sessions of several rounds of boxing bag punching, if you have one in your garage or gym. The point is do something – it will help burn off the surplus of Cals.
Case No. 2 – you know big overeating is in order. Same – start at least a couple of days in advance. Eat more proteins and less carbs and fats – in general fewer calories. In other words, eat below maintenance calories to establish a Calorie deficit. This way when the million Calories invade the body, it will be busy making up in insufficient calories than storing all of them. A word of warning: this is the only method that is healthy enough for me to advise, but it won’t provide you insurance against fatness if you truly grossly overdo the Calories in more than one large meal. If that happens it will be far more difficult to make up – and it will take far longer, too – just like an already fat person trying to lose weight.
So, it’s a two-step process – lower the total calories by lowering the carbs and the fats macro nutrients, and increase the expenditure by adding extra whatever activities you like. But most importantly, be wise and plan accordingly. It happens, I know. It happens to me, too. Just make sure it’s an exception, not a habit!