Now, if you woke up today feeling a little too full after last night’s wings, nachos, cupcakes, or drinks, welcome to a very normal human experience.
Sometimes we eat past comfortable fullness. Sometimes it’s because the food is great, we’re distracted, we’re celebrating, or we simply wanted more. Even if you felt slightly overfull or truly uncomfortable, the most helpful thing you can do today is surprisingly simple:
Let the feeling pass without trying to “undo” it.
Even people like me who have practiced intuitive eating for many years, overeat occasionally. The skill is not avoiding it forever.
The skill is knowing what to do next so one moment doesn’t turn into a spiral of restriction, punishment workouts, or guilt.
Here’s the real game plan I personally use:
Take a breath and acknowledge what happened: “That was really good food. I probably ate a little more than my body needed.”
Give your body some comfort:maybe a warm shower, a walk, reading, or just getting back into your normal routine.
Notice how the sensation changes when you create a little space instead of reacting immediately.
Eat your next meal normally. No skipping meals or “starting over tomorrow.”
Think in terms of learning, not more rules. What helped you enjoy the experience if you did not overeat? What might you want to do differently next time?
I want you to know, the goal is not“never overeat again.” That kind of all-or-nothing thinking usually creates more stress around food, not less.
What does help is building the ability to notice where you are on the hunger-fullness spectrum and really being curious about it versus judge-y.
If you’d like a simple tool many of my clients use, you can download my Hunger & Fullness Zones graphic here: Listen to your Body Club_Zones.pdf
Today is just another day of eating, living, and moving forward, and you do not need to reset just because it is Monday.
P.S. If you’re interested in what’s changing in nutrition recommendations over the next few years, I just published a new blog breaking down the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines with common sense. You can read it here.
