We all make New Year’s resolutions. And most of these get driven by the guilt trip we take after the amount we eat, drink, or party on NYE.
Such decisions, driven by guilt, only result in impractical promises, which we conveniently forget within a week of making them… usually once we overcome the hangover.
Since these resolutions don’t translate into sustainable solutions, we tend to break and remake them. This falls into a cycle of re-solutions, and not resolutions. And after many years of similar failed attempts, I have finally curated some practical Detox Resolutions which could help you find the right balance in managing what you enjoy with the recovery phase your body needs after a crazy night out!
Detox resolution 1: I vow to henceforth drink enough to remain within capacity, not spill into the ‘definitely hungover’ category!
There is a tiny trigger guiding you from being happy high to hungover drunk, and that is the tiny sip of the last drink you had. The difference in the after-effects however, is the distance between being slightly drenched to being stranded in a deep puddle during a heavy downpour. Your body can’t easily recover from the latter!
However, crazy fun parties demand crazy outcomes once in a while. So here are some Emergency Re-Solutions might help the body to recover from the immediate hangover:
- While you are enjoying your drinks, eat more cheesy starters. Ensure you eat well while drinking.
- Drink lots of water.
- Once you are home, fill up on yogurt before crashing.
- If you have forgotten to do the above and hence wake up with a lousy hangover, drink a salt and lemon beverage first thing in the morning.
- Catch up on your sleep during the day, as it helps recover your hungover weak body.
Detox resolution 2: I vow to eat simple and healthy detox meals!
While we have recovered from the obviously visible side-effects of the party hangover, our body hasn’t fared as well. The only way to bring the body back to its normal functioning self involves a simple, yet healthy diet that won’t strain your internal organs any more than they already have been.
Here are some quick tips:
- Less oil and sugar would be the best way forward. Try boiled veggies or soups instead of opting for fried foods.
- Try eating timely meals instead of allowing your body to be famished and craving the sugary options as solution to your hunger.
- Avoid processed food as much as possible.
Detox resolution 3: I vow to complete my interrupted sleep cycle!
The body requires enough sleep to recover. If we have overlooked our sleep cycles in favour of work and partying, it will eventually hit back hard with tiredness, irritation, and lack of enthusiasm. And let’s accept that passing out after drinking cannot be counted as a natural, unassisted sleep cycle.
The more you disrupt your body’s natural system, the more you succumb to unhealthy binging, mental stress, and eventually body weakness or unwanted weight gain. Hence, it’s good to prioritise letting your normal body clock recover instead of making it a nightly affair to disturb it.
You yourself might not like to turn into an alcohol-soaked zombie, or become that irksome version of yourself at parties. This will only serve to eventually drive people to remove you from the invitee list altogether!
Detox resolution 4: I vow to exercise everyday, and at least try to match the enthusiasm with which I dance during parties!
I, for one, can dance for hours together at parties without taking a break, and with the most uncomfortable (yet stylish!) outfits and shoes. The next day I will console myself with the thought that any calories I racked up from indulging in food like I have been deprived for months, might have burnt by dancing — as if!
I have noticed that the same level of enthusiasm doesn’t naturally come in with my regular workout routines. I often defend my slacking energy levels with my lack of food intake on other days (which, in reality, is completely untrue). It is because of a little more regularity in my workout routines that I have finally understood how beautifully it works as a detox!
Immediately after a party night, we might not have the energy to do much — lack of coordination and a foggy mind are common. In particular, if we binge drink, our body will become extremely dehydrated. Any form of workout just after will only make matters worse. So we need to let the body recover first from its immediate hangover symptoms.
Our bodies need exercise to improve the oxygen flow through our system, with which our internal organs cleanse themselves effectively. It’s a natural detox to get rid of the toxins from our lungs and skin, giving them a fresh start!
So, choose whichever workout regime excites you, and do as much as your body allows. Gradually, as your body recovers further, you will be able to do more.
Detox resolution 5: I vow to give my skin and muscles a breather!
Celebrations demand new looks and complete makeovers. It’s wonderful to dress up in style, and look our best with fancy accessories and makeup. However, we should not make these everyday habits. While we relish that eye-liner or new shade of lipstick, our skin needs to be given a break to heal and rejuvenate itself.
We must also give our body a break from heeled footwear. Daily use of heels tends to spoil our posture causing unnatural stress to the spine and knees.
As an important detox routine, we must consider giving a breather to our skin, nails and muscles in order for them to make a full recovery from intensive usage.
Incorporating these sustainable Detox Resolutions into your lifestyle will ensure not only improved health on an everyday basis, but also give us a chance to make the post-celebration mornings hurt a little less. All without losing out on the fun, of course!
