After Eid and New Year's: Practical Steps to Get Rid of Excess Weight and Eating Disruptions

With the many banquets and occasions, especially during Eid or on New Year's Eve, many people may find themselves facing weight gain or disruption in the dietary routine they are accustomed to.

Although this may cause concern for some, the truth is that the body does not store a significant amount of fat within only two or three days. Instead, it is often affected by water retention and full energy stores.

In this article, we present a practical plan and essential steps that can help you quickly restore your health balance and get rid of the effects of temporary overeating without feeling guilty or anxious.

Dealing with Departing from a Healthy Diet During Occasions

There is a difference between someone who has been accustomed to following a healthy diet for a long period and temporarily departed from it during a particular occasion, and another person who is accustomed to unhealthy eating habits and has increased their practice of them. The first group is not within the scope of this article.

If you follow a consistent healthy diet, whether keto or another healthy dietary system, and then had to depart from it during an occasion such as Eid, New Year's Eve, or a banquet, this does not represent a real problem. What is important is to quickly return to your healthy diet after the occasion ends, in order to restore your body's balance and maintain your results.

Quickly Returning to a Healthy Diet After a Temporary Deviation

When departing from a healthy diet, this should not continue for more than one or two days at most. You should not continue consuming sugars, fried foods, fast food, or unhealthy drinks for a long period, because their accumulation directly harms the body. Therefore, it is necessary to quickly return to the correct diet to maintain the health and stability of the body.

As for exercise, it is not recommended to stop for more than three consecutive days. Even during holidays or occasions, you should return to the gym immediately after the occasion ends, because consistency in exercise is an essential element for maintaining physical fitness and general health.

Basic Principles for Getting Rid of Fat and Water Accumulation

It is important to understand that the body does not significantly store fat within only one, two, or even three days. Sudden weight gain, noticing facial puffiness, or feeling that the body is full is often the result of water retention and full glycogen stores in the liver due to consuming sugars, sweets, and unhealthy foods. The body needs approximately four or five days to process these disturbances and restore balance. The following are the main principles that should be followed:

1- Stop Eating After 4 PM

One of the most important measures recommended after periods of departing from a healthy diet is to stop eating after 4 PM for four or five consecutive days. This approach helps the body enter an intermittent fasting system, during which the body begins consuming stored glycogen and carbohydrates.

As these stores decrease, the body gradually gets rid of excess water, which contributes to restoring internal balance and eliminating the negative effects resulting from overeating.

2- Drink Plenty of Water

Drinking sufficient amounts of water is one of the essential factors for cleansing the body and getting rid of stored fluids. When the body receives large amounts of water, it no longer needs to retain the water stored inside it, which leads to its elimination through urine, sweat, or the digestive system. This contributes to lowering glycogen levels and reducing fluid retention, helping restore activity and vitality.

3- Avoid Raising Insulin Levels for One Week

Controlling insulin levels is an essential step after periods of unhealthy eating. When insulin is elevated while there is excess food stored in the body, this excess is converted into fat that is stored in the abdomen, around the liver, and in the waist area. Therefore, it is recommended not to raise insulin levels for one full week.

To achieve this, completely avoid fruits, soft drinks, sweets, sugars, rice, and all types of starches. Instead, healthy fats such as avocado, fatty cuts of meat, butter, olive oil, nuts, and seeds such as pumpkin, sesame, and black seeds, along with other sources of fat, may be consumed.

It is also recommended to consume various proteins such as chicken, fish, red meat, eggs, and cheeses made from goat's milk, as they do not pose any problem when following this approach during this period.

4- Exercise Before the First Meal

Physical activity is recommended on an empty stomach, preferably before eating the first meal. Aerobic exercises such as running, cycling, jumping rope, or even brisk walking for half an hour contribute to consuming the body's glycogen stores, help lower insulin levels, and increase growth hormone secretion, which enhances fat burning.

For those who do not exercise regularly, especially housewives, it is sufficient to delay breakfast and go for a half-hour walk every day around the residential area. Simple activities such as jumping rope with intermittent rest periods can also be practiced. This approach is considered an effective way to restore the body's balance after periods of overeating.

5- Add Apple Cider Vinegar and Healthy Drinks

One of the methods that may help reduce glycogen stores in the body and speed up the elimination of excess water is to regularly include apple cider vinegar with every meal. It is also recommended to consume some healthy drinks that enhance metabolism and support liver health, such as green tea four to five times daily, or dandelion tea, in addition to consuming asparagus and natural green juices.

L-carnitine supplementation may also be used at a dose of 3000 mg for four or five days, especially before exercising or walking, as it contributes to activating fat burning and cleansing the liver from accumulated substances.

These simple steps help correct the effects of dietary disruption and pave the way for returning to a healthy lifestyle based on proper nutrition, intermittent fasting, and regular exercise.