After a long holiday where you eat like a pig and exercise not at all, how do you get back on the path?

You must cut calories and get the body/brain used to the new regimen as fast as possible, e.g. avoid backsliding.

Firstly cut all junk food and processed foods.

Next, cut carbs.

Then cut calories to below maintenance.

All while exercising daily, as close to normal as possible. Don’t feel like going to the gym? Who the hell does? Fine, walk 5km. Lift at home. Get that body moving. Strain those muscles.

Drink a ton of water.

And don’t skip meals, it (almost) always backfires. Especially in the early stages where we want to make big moves to get big effects. It’s just too hard to not binge (overeat) on the next meal.

Summary:

  1. Cut junk/processed foods.
  2. Cut carbohydrates.
  3. Cut calories to below maintenance.

Operate in whole days. Maybe one step per day.

Often, Steps 1 and 2 can be combined. Often all 3 steps can be combined, depending on how debauched the holiday was.

The first day is easy. There’s work to do, get to it.

The second day is always the hardest. The body/brain is asking “Hey, what the hell?” and you need to do everything you can to distract yourself. Drink glass after glass of water, tea, coffee. Work on a new project. Get super distracted.

By day three, you’re back in the groove, the rhythm is set, just stick to it and continue with the momentum.

The goal is to avoid a step back, a backslide. Mentally, a backslide is hard and could lead to another week of mess. Don’t backslide. Do everything you can to avoid it. Get all the bad stuff far away from the house and avoid eating out for a long while.

If (fake) “hunger” is too strong, eat meat. Eat a ton of eggs. Eat a bowl of broccoli. At worst, a handful or two of almonds. Follow with a huge glass of water. Follow all meals with a ton of water to get that full feeling fast.

Man, staying lean after 40 is hard work.

Remember, you have complete control over what you choose to put in your face. Stop and think. You don’t have to agree/join social eating. Say: “No thanks”. You’re on the path. We walk it alone.

Get to it!