Post-July 4th Eating: 3 Step Action Plan to Get Back to Healthy Choices

July 4 is comin’ in HOT! Follow these 3 steps to get back to your healthy yet balanced eating habits for the rest of the summer.

Last week, we dug into the 4 Top Tips to PREP for a Healthy-ish July 4. This week, we’re getting into how to reboot your eating habits AFTER all the fun is done.

Thinkin’ bout starting another “fat melting diet” after the July 4 fun? Read this first.

The key to cleaning up your food choices after a holiday is getting your MIND right first!

Otherwise, you either won’t stick to your new meal plan longer than 4 days, or you’ll fall right back to where you started after a few weeks – months if you’re lucky.

If you missed the article on Prepping for a Healthy-ish July 4th, tap here.

So before stepping one foot into your grocery store of choice for your healthiest post-holiday meal prep ever, follow this 3-Step Action Plan to Get Back on Track after July 4th:

1. ASSESS

As in evaluate or analyze… not the plural of… you know 😉

Looking back over your holiday weekend (was it Wednesday through Sunday?) what hit you the hardest?
- Was it food? A certain type of food? Too much food?
- Was it the booze? A certain type of booze? Too much booze?
Only you know which foods, drinks, and the quantity of both impact your body, mind and spirit the most. So it’s up to YOU do conduct the evaluation.
Grab a notebook, journal, planner or your phone and list out (1) All the gunk you think made you feel the worst; and (2) exactly how they made you FEEL.
- That fourth Summer Shandy?
  – What was your reaction? Was it an immediate reaction (red face) or delayed (indigestion, headache)?
  – What version of yourself were you while drinking? How about the next day?
- That huge slice of the frosted cookie cake?
  – How did you feel after? Was the portion too large? Would a smaller serving have done the trick?
- Eating burgers & hotdogs three days in a row?
  – Feeling fatigued? To what extent?
  – What fun activities did you pass on that night or the next day that you normally would have participated in?

get back on healthy track after July 4th — Join the Post-July 4 **Summer Snack Survivor Challenge** to gain quick wins on healthy food choices for the rest of the summer – no matter what BBQ comes your way. Get the deats here!

2. ADJUST

You assessed what set you back, now choose your adjustment with personalized intention.

It’s a fresh new week, and you’re totally in control. You’re always in the driver’s seat!
Looking back on your assessment, keep that notebook handy and answer these questions:
- Which foods &/or drinks impacted you the most?
- What reaction were you most frustrated with – physical or mental?
- Stemming from the assessment: which foods and/or drinks do you want to cut back on or avoid completely? Why? For how long?
Only you know what version of you is thriving as your most vibrant self.
- Reviewing your notes on how each food or drink impacted you, let’s say the booze had the worst affects.
- Perhaps you felt most heat from all the alcohol you had – both physically (bloated, indigestion) and mentally (tired, brain fog, depressed).
- It’s now up to YOU to play with your adjustments. Maybe 5 days off booze does it for you, or maybe you need two weeks to feel like YOU again.
Grab that notebook again and write down your adjustment plan:
- List the foods &/or drinks you’ll cut down on or avoid
- Determine how long you’ll be cutting down on these items
- Jot down any challenges to this “timeout” and how you’ll overcome them
- Confirm how you’ll track your omitting of these foods/drinks PLUS how you’ll hold yourself accountable