You overate.

Maybe you went on vacation, had a splurge weekend, or life got hectic. You set aside your Holy Mess membership or healthy habits for a while.

Now what?

Food slip-ups happen to all of us. It's a normal part of making a big life change. The mistake doesn't matter nearly as much as what you do about it.

Your Reset Button - BACK on Track

We use the BACK on Track method to reset quickly.

B – Back Track

If your slip-up was a day or two, try to go back and track (or at least make a note of) what you ate. If you've been away from healthy habits for awhile, move on to the next step.

A – Ask, “What Did I Learn?”

During these times, step back from emotion and think like a scientist. Mistakes are teachers. Ask yourself, “What will I do differently next time?”

C – Compassion & Forgiveness

Self-flagellation (beating yourself up, putting yourself down, calling yourself names) works 0% of the time. If it worked, we would all be thin by now.

Instead, give yourself the same grace and compassion you would give to a good friend.

As a Christian, I recognize that my overeating is, at times, sinful behavior. I repent, which is asking God for His forgiveness and mercy. I accept His grace because of Jesus’s saving work on the cross.

If you’ve been through a time of overeating or binging, your mind and body have been through a struggle. You are tender and fragile. You need more love, care, grace, nurturing, and kindness.

K – Keep Your Food Plan the Same

Don’t compensate for a binge by fasting, skipping meals, or restricting. Just follow your regular food plan.

Unfortunately, none of these behaviors work. They set you up to binge or overeat again, which continues the cycle that many of us stay stuck in for years.

Plan a Recovery Meal

An additional helpful concept is a recovery meal.

A recovery meal is a nutritious meal that you enjoy, which feels good to eat as part of getting back to healthy eating. The food must be easy to prepare, and you can keep the ingredients on hand.

Your recovery meal is a gift you give yourself, not a punishment.

Example recovery meals:

• Vegetable omelet
• Frozen chicken breast, steamed vegetables, instant brown rice
• Frozen stir fry mix with shrimp
• Any meals from the Holy Mess 3-Day Diet, like the Holy Mess Turkey Chili

Getting Back to Membership

If you've been out of the Holy Mess Membership loop for a while, take these steps:

1. Take a glance through the Welcome Kit lessons as a refresher.
2. Come to the Facebook group and post, "I'm getting back on track." We will understand and be there to greet you with open arms.

What is a Recovery Meal that you would enjoy? Share in the comments so you'll be prepared for the next time you need it.