You may feel like you pushed yourself a little this weekend. And, like many, your first instinct is probably to want to “compensate” on Monday. A coffee instead of breakfast, a salad at lunch, a more intense sports session… These strategies seem full of common sense. However, above all, they risk leading you into a vicious circle. Orlane Fagnoni, dietician-nutritionist, reveals the good reflexes to really take.
A gourmet weekend does not make you gain fat
After a few larger meals, the scale may show one or two kilos more. What to worry about… wrongly. Because the figure displayed rarely reflects a change in fat mass.
“In reality, one or two larger meals are not enough to cause significant fat gain. What is most often observed on the scale is linked to an increase in glycogen reserves, a diet richer in salt and temporary water retention. Weight can thus vary from one to several kilos in a few days, without it being a real fat gain“, explains the dietitian nutritionist.
This is also why the expert advises against systematically incriminating a festive weekend. “The body does not work like a calorie counter that could be reset overnight“, recalls the expert.
The more you deprive yourself, the more you risk gaining weight.
Skipping a meal, cutting out starchy foods or embarking on a detox day can make you want to eat. We indeed (finally!) have the impression of regaining control. Except that in reality, these restrictions often have the opposite effect.
“The greater the restriction after an excess, the greater the risk of feeling intense hunger in the hours or days that follow. It is precisely this mechanism which often maintains the vicious circle: excess, guilt, restriction, hunger, then new excess”warns Orlane Fagnoni.
Another option not recommended: pseudo detox juices supposed to “cleanse” the body.
“Cures, detox juices and draining drinks have never demonstrated effectiveness in a healthy person. The liver and kidneys already carry out this role of filtration and elimination, naturally and permanently”she emphasizes.
So, what should you do on Monday?
The best strategy is ultimately the simplest: resume your good eating habits from the next meal, without changing them.
“It is not necessary to skip a meal or eliminate carbohydrates. On the contrary, a balanced day allows the body to find its balance more easily”advises the dietitian nutritionist.
Concretely, lunch and dinner on Monday should not be very different from those of the rest of the week.
“On Monday, it is advisable to compose your meals like any other day: a source of protein to promote satiety, vegetables for their richness in fiber, a portion of starchy foods adapted to your appetite in order to maintain a good energy level, as well as a fruit and, depending on your habits, a dairy product. The objective is not to eat less, but to eat normally”explains the expert.
Then, it will simply be necessary to hydrate well.
“After a weekend often richer in salty foods or alcohol, drinking enough water helps the body to naturally regulate accumulated fluids – the famous water retention”concludes Orlane Fagnoni.
In the end, it’s habits built over the long term and not a few festive meals that make the difference!