The fact that my whole social and professional life is centered around healthy living doesn’t mean that everyone in my family is down with my fitness all the time. In fact, they can be colossal pains in the butt every time I put something green on the table. But whatever… “you eat what I eat, or you don’t eat.” Right? Not always…
Since I met my husband, I’ve been struggling to convince him that getting fit can be fun (and even romantic), and I’ve almost completely pulled him away from the dark side. Almost.
He’s usually a pretty good sport about joining me for physical activities, even though he never stepped into a gym or owned a pair of running shoes until he met me. Now we have a bunch of 5K runs in the books, and he’s always down for a hike in the mountains or a workout session with Trainer Daryl. He’ll eat whatever is in front of him, including salad, so there’s no fight there.
my first 5K with Justin… I was SO PROUD of him!
However, between his beloved New York Yankees all summer long and his friggin’ NFL football that is now in full swing every weekend, he’s spending a lot of time in front of the TV eating crap (and sometimes drinking a little too much). Buffalo wings, cheesesteaks, pizza, Sam Adams – stuffing his face like it’s his JOB. Not only is this super annoying to witness, but it’s even more aggravating on Monday morning when I have to rescue him from his Sunday NFL hangover.
from Justin’s photo shoot with Robinson Cano
But I’m going to be a good, patient and nurturing wife and help him recover without any nagging at all (kind of). I’m also going to be a good friend to my girls and help you fix up your man, so he can get back to taking care of his list of man chores around the house.
Here are my 5 tips to help YOUR husband recover from his weekend of watching football:
1 – Make him drink water – lots of it. I know this is an obvious one, but it’s tried, true and EASY. Whether he ate too much disgusting greasy food or he drank too much hydration-zapping alcohol, water will start the process of fixing him up. This is a CLEAN day, so try to avoid giving him stuff like Gatorade or other similar “sports” drinks full of artificial sweeteners and coloring.
2 – Fix him a delicious raw green juice that won’t make him gag. And if you don’t have a juicer, blend him up a smoothie and strain it with a nut milk bag – easy peasy. Green juice is like a straight shot of energy for your system (better than any commercial energy drink). Because your body doesn’t have to deal with breaking down the fiber of the whole fruit or vegetable, the nutrients are absorbed into your system almost immediately. Green juice will also get his digestive system going FAST and moves all that icky stuff that he put into his belly the day before right OUT. My favorite recipe for a green juice that’s easy on the palate:
– 5-6 large carrots
– 2 big handfuls of spinach or kale
– 1 large cucumber
– 2 stalks of celery
– 1 romaine heart
– 1/2 apple or a handful of grapes
I also have an simple green juice recipe specifically for hangovers called my BEXLIFE™ SPARK juice. Click here for the full recipe and video.
3 – After you’ve kickstarted your husband’s sorry butt with a raw green juice, keep it clean and raw for the rest of the day. Give him tons of high water-content raw fruits and vegetables to fill him up and keep him hydrated (notice that hydration is a huge theme here). Make him giant man-sized salads, but resist the urge to top it with cheese, bacon or other animal-derived or cooked foods. The keywords of the day are CLEAN and RAW. For dinner, it’s fine to add some steamed rice or vegetables.
4 – If he has a hangover from alcohol, be nice and allow him to rest. He’s going to be tired and grumpy, so a campout on the couch may be the best thing for him today. Play hookie from work or chores. Cuddle up with him with some blankets and a cup of green tea. Have a romantic pajama party. You can always get your revenge by controlling the remote. I know that I’ll be catching up with all of my Real Housewives episodes.
family cuddles in bed
5 – If he has a food hangover, get him moving! Exercise is a super effective way to get your body’s digestive system working properly. If he’s down for rigorous exercise, do it! If he can only stomach a walk around town, get him outside for a stroll. Couple exercise has all sorts of benefits, so you’ll be doing a good thing for your relationship, too.
on a hike with Baby Summer
Sometimes our poor, mis-guided significant others lose their way and party a little too hard. As long as they’re not making it an every-week habit, it’s good to cut them some slack and show them a little tenderness. How do YOU deal with food or alcohol hangovers? Come on, we’ve ALL been there… xo
CLICK HERE to tweet these tips to your friends (and their sick boys).
my influence works miracles…