The holiday season is over and we’re all guilty of eating too much during the half month long festivities. There’s the mandatory Christmas Dinner with friends and family, there are the New Year cocktails, and then lots of pocket celebrations in between. Now that eating season is finally over, it’s a bit hard to go back to regular programming especially since there are probably still food left over from the new year feasts.

Going on a strict diet after all that fanfare could be a tall order for some. It might be more prudent to gradually ease into a healthy eating plan. Depriving yourself of food could lead to a relapse and binge eating. You can learn to break the binge eating cycle though. Start a healthy diet and don’t cut out particular food groups right away. Build a healthier relationship with food by asking yourself these questions before noshing on food.

Hungry?
Ask yourself if you’re really hungry or if you’re just thirsty. Dehydration could sometime feel like you need something to eat. When your stomach is empty, your body signals your brain to chow down of some grub. When your cells are dehydrated, it does the same. Make sure to eat regular meals though. When your blood sugar is low, the same signals are sent to your brain. This time, you really need food.

So be sure to eat regular meals. Don’t let yourself go hungry for long periods of time. And chew slowly! The body needs at least 20 minutes to signal to your brain that it is full.

Angry?
Intense feeling like anger, frustration, and (the most common cause for overeating) stress can cause your adrenalin to spike and your body to seek food. Manage your emotions and try to calm down first. Go for a run. Do a quick workout. Dance. Take a quick shower. Distract yourself first and then check your emotions after. See if you’re still hungry after doing these.

Lonely?
There is a reason why it’s called comfort food. When we seek solace, we run to familiar things. Things that make us feel better. Maybe we associate certain foods with certain feelings of home, or belonging, or getting well. And we regularly turn to food as a way of feeling not so alone. I know my mom’s menudo makes me feel better when I miss home. So make a batch but be careful about eating the whole thing. Eat a small portion and call a friend to share it with. Alternatively, call your mom instead. She’ll appreciate it.

Tired?
If you’re sleep deprived and lacking rest, the chemicals in your body go overdrive and turn whack. It signals the brain that you need sugar (aka fuel). A very dangerous time indeed as this scenario coupled with stress (as is always the case) leads (all of the time) to overeating. The most obvious solution is of course to get some sleep. Rest! If your body needs to rest, no time is too early for bedtime.

Did I miss anything? What are your healthy eating tips? Share them with us in the comments. Stay humble and hustle hard.

Written by Jaie O. The Help