How to Resume Fasting After a Binge Day?

Resetting Your Body After a Binge

Resetting your body after a binge can be a challenging task. Here we’ll go over some tips and tricks to help you get back on track.

Be kind to yourself – and forget about the scale

Binge eating can affect your mental health and mood. Hence, you might feel a bit more sensitive after you’ve satisfied your cravings. At this time, you must be kind to yourself. Your initial response could be to feel guilt or pressure to get back on track immediately.

Besides, binge eating can be influenced by unfavorable feelings and improper emotion-regulation techniques.

Cheat days are natural, if not required, in any regular diet. By breaking your diet, you give yourself the flexibility to not always live by tight guidelines. Therefore, using a reward system will help you maintain your healthy eating habits. Avoid weighing yourself after a binge day. While weight gain is common, you may lose motivation.

Drink water to feel less hungry

Hydration helps control your hunger. So when you wake up, drink plenty of plain water to start the day on a good note. A large glass of water is a natural appetite suppressant that can help with fat burning and reduce cravings.

Additionally, staying hydrated can assist in getting rid of any excess salt from your body. Water will also help your digestive system and prevent constipation, diarrhea, and indigestion.

But how much water exactly should you drink? Well, at least two liters or even more. A healthy person needs to drink 8-15 glasses of water a day.

Get a good night’s sleep

Although it may be difficult to sleep after a binge, your body requires 8 to 10 hours of sleep. Besides, insomnia is related to an increased risk of eating disorders. After overeating and getting less sleep than recommended, you could have far stronger cravings for processed foods.

There are a few techniques to stop binge eating. Keeping that in mind – many people have the most intense cravings at night. As a result, getting enough quality sleep on a regular basis may help you avoid eating these extra calories at night.

After a binge, 8-10 hours of sleep may help your body recover from inflammation and strained digestion.

Help your gut with spicy herbal tea

Binge eating disrupts your digestive system, causing difficulties with your general health. Constipation is very common after a day of consuming high-fat processed meals. One of the ways to help yourself is to make a cup of herbal tea, as they are proven to help with digestion.

To achieve the best results, make sure to choose a spicy tea such as:

• Ginger – ginger tea aids in the activation of stomach contractions and emptying.
• Peppermint – helps with digestive issues as well as bloating and gas.
• Chai – chai includes cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, and ginger, which act as a natural, moderate laxative and cleanser of the digestive tract.

You may also combine cumin, coriander, and fennel tea to eliminate toxins and improve digestion.

Fiber and protein-rich foods also help

A huge meal might cause high insulin levels – something we don’t consider while we’re hungry and consuming high-sugar foods. Additionally, your blood sugar drops, making you feel more hungry the next morning.

There are certain foods to eat and avoid while fasting as well as to feel better after a binge eating day. There is no doubt that fiber and protein-rich meals should be included in your diet. These meals are well-known for their ease of digestion, increased feelings of fullness, and enhanced appetite control.

Here are some examples of fiber and protein-rich foods:

• Yogurt
• Oatmeal
• Green Tea
• Nuts
• Beans
• Eggs
• Ginger
• Vinegar
• Spinach
• Salmon
• Broccoli
• Leafy greens

Prepare Yourself for Fasting in 6 Steps

Now that you’ve reset your body after binge eating, here are the 6 following steps to help you prepare for fasting.

1. Give yourself some time

Allow yourself time to readjust before returning to the fat-burning mode. Pushing your body to its limits might do more harm than good. Besides, even though binge eating can cause acid reflux, digestive problems, elevated blood sugar, and other issues, it’s essential to give yourself some time.

Moreover, studies have shown that binge eating followed by intermittent fasting causes anxiety as well as altered accumbens dopamine and acetylcholine balance. In addition, this might play a role in some eating disorders.

Ideally, you should wait 2-3 days after binge eating to begin intermittent fasting. This way, you won’t shock your body or metabolism and will be more likely to stick with your fasting plan. But keep in mind that you must also be aware of what you consume till then.

2. Ease into your old fasting routine

There are various types of fasting. Each of them is a big deal after binge eating. However, it depends on how familiar you are with fasting, and what routine you used to follow in the past.

It may appear that you must instantly enter a fat-burning mode. However, returning to your former fasting practice will produce greater outcomes. Small steps can assist your body in adjusting to changes and becoming accustomed to your new habits. This guarantees that you stay to your diet and do not revert to binge eating.

Therefore, you must first try to avoid snacks. Nonetheless, if you feel intense cravings, try drinking some water, coffee, or tea. After that, make sure to eat three times a day, and have an early dinner. This way, you will feel as if you have regained control of your diet.

3. Take electrolytes

Electrolytes are minerals that aid in regulating the balance of fluids in your body. Moreover, electrolytes can help regulate your blood pressure which is very important after binge eating. In addition, it can rehydrate you if you are to experience vomiting or diarrhea.

Here are some examples of electrolytes:

• Sodium
• Potassium
• Chloride
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Phosphate
• Bicarbonate

Before a fasting window, you can eat electrolyte-rich foods such as:

• Seeds and nuts
• Table salt
• Fruits and vegetables
• Pickled foods
• Dairy products
• Green leafy vegetables

You can also take a supplement for the fasting window to ensure that you get enough electrolytes. Besides, supplements are proven to be useful after electrolyte losses.

4. Control your hunger pangs with appetite suppressants

When you consume more calories than usual, your organs produce additional hormones and enzymes to help break down the food in your stomach. Overeating also causes the stomach to grow beyond its regular capacity, allowing for more food to fit.

In addition to that, blood glucose and sugar levels rise after consuming a sweet meal. The pancreas then produces extra insulin, causing your blood sugar levels to plummet the next day. When your blood sugar levels go too low – you get extremely hungry. You can get even more hungry if you are dehydrated.

If you don’t control your hunger pangs, the cycle will continue. As a result, you may have another cheat meal when your eating window arises. You may gain weight and increase your chances of developing an eating disorder this way as well.

One method of making your journey easier is using the DoFasting appetite suppressant. It’s a scientifically proven fiber complex with glucomannan and cellulose. The primary function of this appetite suppressant is to keep hunger to a minimum. That is, you may achieve your goals while also experiencing the health benefits of fasting.

5. Avoid too much exercise

Exercise after a binge is a great way to feel better. However, you should avoid overdoing it. Unhealthy exercise is a crucial sign of eating disorders that predict increased chronicity and relapse risk.

To be more specific, believing that you can “burn off” the calories after a binge is harmful to your mental health and may shock your body. This mentality has the potential to develop into a form of an eating disorder – bulimia.

Moreover, your blood sugar is likely already low after a cheat day; consequently, intense exercise may enhance sugar cravings, which will be tough to ignore.

These are a few reasons to choose low-intensity exercises such as walking, swimming, or yoga. Walking, for instance, can promote digestion and relieve bloating. Swimming and yoga might assist in relaxing your muscles and speeding up stomach emptying. These light cardio activities may also enhance your mood.

Before returning to fasting, you should feel as good as possible.

6. Avoid long fasts

As previously said, there are numerous sorts of fasts. Keeping this in mind, avoid extended fasts right after a cheat day. Long fasts following a binge may shock your metabolism which will result in burning fewer calories than usual.

Long fasts could also develop into a pattern of binge eating and fasting, which is also harmful to your overall well-being.

So, when you eventually decide to resume fasting, there are a few types of fasts to pick from that will be most beneficial after a binge day.

Choosing the Right Type of Fast After a Binge Day

This portion of the article will go over 4 different sorts of fasts you may undertake following a cheat day.

12:12 helps you gradually regain control

The 12:12 method – fasting for half of the day and then eating within the remaining 12 hours. Fasting for 12 hours reduces inflammation and promotes ketone production and fat burning, which results in weight loss.

Because the main time of your fasting window is spent sleeping, this sort of fast is best for beginners.

16:8 helps you get back almost immediately

The 16:8 fast is defined as a 16-hour fast followed by an 8-hour pause for eating. The method offers a prolonged state of ketosis. Additionally, 16:8 fast has many health benefits, such as better cardiovascular health.

This fast is a little more difficult than the 12:12 fast. As a result, it’s best suited for experienced fasters or those who intend to resume a longer fasting routine.

Fat fasting takes you back into ketosis faster

Fat fasting is a low-carb diet with a high fat intake. It helps you enhance ketone levels by restricting high-carb foods and targets body fat stores way faster than a normal diet would.

By fat fasting, you only eat protein and high-fat foods. To be exact, 80 – 90% of your daily calories must be from healthy fats like fish or nuts. It’s a great way to boost your metabolism, lose weight, and get back into ketosis faster.

24-hour fasting for the ultimate reset (but only if you’ve done it before)

The 24-hour fast is done by fasting for 24 hours. This means no food for that period of time. If you eat at 4 p.m., you must avoid food until after 4 p.m. the following day.

This method aids in burning fat cells, insulin reduction, and autophagy, leading to a prolonged window of ketosis. This type of fasting is considered very difficult and is the most helpful to highly advanced fasters who are used to prolonged fasting.

Therefore, keep in mind that this fasting method is not recommended for beginners or those who have never tried abstinence from food.

What Happens to Your Body When You Overeat?

People are often overeating sugar, high-fat, low-protein food. These foods raise your blood sugar and secrete large amounts of insulin. Insulin promotes energy and fat storage.

In addition, when you observe fat accumulation – your body weight and body fat percentage rise. Your C-reactive protein level rises, indicating inflammation. Besides that, your body experiences stress.

There are a few reasons why people overeat. One of the most common is, in fact, stress. Emotional distress increases the intake of food high in fat, sugar, or both. Another reason would be skipping meals as well as following an unhealthy diet – which makes your cravings even more intense.

The harmful effects overeating has on overall well-being:

• Can cause obesity and insulin resistance
• Can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes
• May disrupt hunger regulation
• May impair brain function
• Can make you nauseous, cause excessive gas and bloating

Overeating also impacts your weight loss progress and intermittent fasting goals. As a result, if you overeat after you finish fasting, you will not lose any weight and instead cause yourself a headache or nausea.

How Long Does It Take to Recover From a Cheat Day?

While there is no fixed period to recover after a cheat day, some claim that your body needs three days to digest high-fat meals. However, everyone is different, and you might feel fine after a day.

DoFasting Makes It Easier to Return to Fasting

Intermittent fasting is an excellent method to start your healthy living

journey. Your dietary habits are the foundation of a healthy lifestyle. However, it may

get challenging at times, so this is where DoFasting comes in handy.

Suppose you’re looking for the best approach to get back into your fasting routine after a binge day, or just not fasting for a while. In that case, DoFasting includes nutritional advice, hydration, and activity-tracking tools to help you get back on track in no time.

If you’ve chosen to resume fasting – give the DoFasting app a shot. It offers professional guidance, tips, and recipes for your eating window. You will also be able to conveniently track and monitor your progress, as well as be alerted when your fasting window reopens.

Conclusion

So, how to resume fasting after a binge day?

Take things slowly, and don’t push yourself. Stay hydrated and get a good night’s sleep. After that, gradually return to your normal fasting schedule by avoiding snacks and eating dinner earlier.

It may be challenging, but remember that it will become easier with time. Meanwhile, consider taking the DoFasting appetite suppressant to manage your hunger pangs.