Even if your holiday feast didn't actually pack on pounds, eating more than you're used to (especially a lot of fat and sugar) can make you feel sluggish, bloated, and just plain blah. Bounce back with this RD-approved day after recovery plan. (Follow it for 2 or 3 days if you really overdid it!)
6:30 to 7 AM: Wake Up with Water
"Before you put coffee, tea, or food into your body, it's best to first break your fast with a glass of water with lemon," says Ashley Koff, RD, a nutritionist in Los Angeles and founder of ashleykoffapproved.com. When you sleep, Koff says, your body isn't abstaining from only food but water too. "Because many vitamins are water-soluble, having a glass before you eat will help your body better absorb nutrients from food."
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7 AM: Short Walk
This is your ideal fat-burning window, says Koff. A light bout of cardio soon after you wake up and before you eat-a 20-minute walk with the dog, jumping jacks, or running up and down stairs in your home, etc.-taps into your body's energy reserves.
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7:30 AM: Breakfast
All of our experts love oatmeal for breakfast. Have 1/2 cup of uncooked oats or a packet of instant. "Your body digests the fiber slowly, so you stay full for a couple of hours," says Brooke Alpert, MS, RD, founder of B Nutritious, a private nutrition counseling practice in New York City. For protein, add a glass of fat-free milk, yogurt, or a hard-cooked egg. Or stir some nuts (almonds or walnuts) into your oats. For fruit, Alpert recommends 1/2 cup of mixed berries for vitamins and antioxidants and more fiber. You can also pour a small glass of OJ, which has nutrients like vitamin C, folate, and potassium.
Calorie Count: 300 to 400
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9 AM: Water
You know you're supposed to have multiple glasses a day. But it's better to sip a little water all day long instead of chugging a giant glass when you suddenly feel parched. "If your tongue feels dry to the touch or your pee is bright yellow, you're dehydrated," says Alpert.
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10 AM: Stretch and Walk
Get up, stretch, and stroll every 60 to 90 minutes, says Heidi Skolnik, MS, a nutritionist at the Women's Sports Medicine Center at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. Walk to a coworker's cube instead of shooting off an e-mail, or take the stairs when you head to another floor in your office.
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10:30 to 11 AM: Small Snack
Eat every 3 to 4 hours to keep energy up and avoid mealtime binges. For fiber and protein, try an apple with a string cheese or a handful of nuts (especially if you didn't have them at breakfast).
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Calorie Count: 150 to 300
11:30 AM to Noon: Water, Vitamin, and a Walk
Finish your glass, refill it, and swallow your multivitamin. "I recommend that clients take their multis shortly before lunch because the B vitamins and certain minerals help the body utilize carbs for more postmeal energy," says Koff. Then get up and stretch at your desk. These moves also help keep energy up, so you're not tempted to snack out of boredom or fatigue. Plus, some movement before lunch jump-starts your digestive system, Koff says.
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3:30 to 4 PM: Afternoon Snack (plus water)
Welcome to the witching hour: Almost everyone needs to snack between lunch and dinner, says Alpert. For a fiber-protein mix, try a 6-ounce yogurt (the natural milk sugars help with sweet cravings) and a handful of high-fiber cereal, or a banana with a tablespoon of peanut or almond butter.
Calorie count: 150 to 250
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10:30 to 11 PM: Head to Bed
Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night; less than that, and you up your risk for a host of health problems, including weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure, and more, not to mention the odds that you'll feel more tired, frazzled, and likely to overeat the next day.
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