So, you overdid it on Thanksgiving, and despite your best self-control efforts, the damage is done. Today, you may have a fridge full of leftovers and a "food hangover."  This could be motivation to eat a bit more healthily going forward because you feel the effects of your indulgence, but where do you start?

Start With The Fridge 

How can you eat healthy when you have tons of leftovers that will go to waste if you don’t eat your Thanksgiving meal repeatedly?

Freeze It

Break out the freezer bags! Everything is already cooked, which makes it easy to freeze. Dishes like turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and extra pie are great for freezing.  This way, you are still preventing the waste but not eating calories on top of calories.

Recreate It

No one wants to eat the same plate 14 times to eliminate all your extra food, so why not recreate it?! Use your turkey and leftover vegetables to make soup. Bake your stuffing to dry it out, and you have homemade croutons. Pan-fry your mashed potatoes to make homemade hashbrown patties with eggs and fruit. Reusing your leftovers like this will help you clean your fridge quickly!

Give It Away

If you know someone who could use some food, you can take them a plate. Not only will they appreciate your kindness, but it will help you get rid of whatever leftovers are still hanging around.

Cleanse Your Body

Once you clean out your fridge, clean out your body. So many people feel the “food hangover” that happens the day after because they eat so many carbs, fat and salt that weigh them down and make them feel lethargic the next day. You want to avoid these things the day after to help your body get back to normal.

Hydrate

Drinking plenty of water helps to flush out your system and reduce bloating. Not only will you feel refreshed, but it will energize and prepare you for the next tip…exercise!

Work it Off

As much as you probably don’t feel like hitting the gym the day after gorging, it is beneficial to help get your body back to feeling better. You can also take a long walk and get some fresh air.  

Make A Game Plan Going Forward

List things you would do differently and save it for the December and New Year holiday events.  Then, whenever you go to a holiday party, read over your list to ensure you know what to expect at the next holiday meal. Reviewing these things before you go out will help you avoid the same mistakes and make you feel better in the long run.

This post is from the Thanksgiving Detox article on Purely Unrefined.