Keys to a successful post-Spring break diet

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - The sun has set on spring break, meaning the beaches and bad choices are officially things of the past.

Now the goal becomes how to get yourself back into a healthy routine.

Marisa Faibish, the Lead Performance Dietician at the Norton Sports Health Performance and Wellness Center, said it’s best to gradually get yourself back into a healthy routine. That routine includes diet, exercise and sleep.

“It’s like the worst word you can probably say to me is like, oh, I’m just going to do a quick detox,” she said. “Like, no. You have a liver for that. You’re fine.”

Faibish said after a trip, hydrating properly becomes very important because vacation often means higher-sodium diets, alcohol, and flights. All of those can dehydrate you.

As for exercise, don’t overwork yourself right away. Also, don’t freak out. You’re not going to lose months of progress in seven to 10 days.

Perhaps the most important piece of all is getting back into a good sleep schedule.

“It’s in constant equilibrium,” Faibish said. “So sleep is, if not more important than nutrition, they’re both equally. I think so important for recovery, for memory retention, for brain health, for muscle recovery, right? All those things are so important that nutrition can help, but also sleep.”

Faibish also said it’s important to give yourself grace. Don’t beat yourself up if you’ve had a bit too much fun on spring break. Just gradually work your way back to where you were before.

“I think the more you think it’s the end of the world, the worse it’s going to be, because again your stress levels are going to be higher, cortisol’s going to be higher,” she said. “It’s just going to make you more, probably inflammation in your body which is going to make you feel worse anyway, right? So I think just giving yourself grace, and having a good time and coming back and just slowly getting back to it is totally fine.”

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