We’ve all been there before.
You went into the night with the best of intentions.
But unfortunately, somewhere around shot 5 or 6, you stopped caring and next thing you know you woke up to nothing but lots of Uber receipt emails and feelings of regret.
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Rather than letting a rough morning plague your food/beverage decisions for the rest of the day, follow our guidelines for what exactly to consume depending on how much damage control needs to be done. Again, we’ve all been there. No judgment.
If you threw up…
Photo by Abbey Fernandez
One word: Rehydrate. Alcohol dehydrates the s*** out of you. Throwing up dehydrates the s*** out of you. And, as you can imagine, a combination of both really dehydrates the s*** out of you. A George Mason University researcher explains that frequent urination from drinking will cause the body to lose salt and potassium. To replenish, think lot’s of fluids especially ones with added electrolytes. Coconut water, SmartWater, or good ol’ Gatorade all work just fine. As for food, try to get a good dose of potassium.
For example, this banana smoothie should do the trick with its hydrating ingredients (whole fruit and coconut water). Don’t be too ambitious, though, since your system will need to be reset. Bland foods like plain Cheerios, Saltine crackers, or whole wheat toast are always safe options.
If you have a massive headache…
Photo by Gab Levitt
As wonderful as a large iced coffee may sound the next morning, caffeine will only exacerbate a headache. Instead, sip on some herbal tea (we suggest Peppermint or Chamomile) because the heat will help relieve tension and you’ll be hydrating at the same time — a twofer! For breakfast, enjoy a hearty bowl of oatmeal topped with almonds because both contain high levels of magnesium — recent research suggests this nutrient can moderately ease headaches.
For more, add a side of cherries because they’re high in quercetin, a compound with strong anti-inflammatory properties. And as many wellness gurus know — inflammation tends to be the main culprit behind most bad headaches.
If you drunk ate, like a lot…
Photo by Gab Levitt
In short: Starvation is not the answer. Even if you binge ate the night before, restricting calories the next day will only wreak further havoc on your metabolism as it’s trying to stabilize. Kayla Itsines knows whats up. Instead of fasting the next day, make sure to eat a light but protein-packed and fruit/vegetable-laden breakfast.
For example, a grilled veggie egg white omelet or some Greek yogurt topped with granola and berries. Then, continue to make healthy choices for the remainder of the day to get back on track. Most importantly, don’t beat yourself up over a drunk binge — eating right and being active the next day will make sure the excess calories come out in the wash.
If you made a bad mistake:
Photo by Danielle Cahoon
Drunk texting an ex, bitching out a girlfriend, sending an aggressive Snapchat that was opened but not responded to — all of these, and more, qualify as reasons to go easy on yourself the morning after a rough night. At this point, we all know alcohol impairs judgment, provides “liquid courage,” strips away people’s filters, the list only goes on… but sometimes we fall prey to the power of alcohol and could use a pick-me-up the morning after a night out.
According to Registered Dietitian Brierley Wright, eating certain foods such as dark chocolate, complex carbs, and fruit have been proven to boost people’s moods naturally. Definitely never gets old hearing that Dark Chocolate is good for you. To brighten your spirits and satisfy without overindulging check out these Women’s Health suggestions for sweet yet healthy breakfasts. Or another great option is a fruity acai bowl topped with goodies like goji berries or coconut flakes. And a skinny vanilla latte never disappoints. Go ahead and treat yo self after a night of mistake making. After all, you’re only human.