Yes, that’s right, 2023 is going to be our year! But first, you have to get through day 1. And most of us will not wake up on January 1st fresh as a daisy. It’s ok, you earned the right to celebrate. Whether you stayed up later, ate more treats or just had one too many glasses of champs (or um, shots) here is your ultimate DAOFitLife hangover toolkit.

But First: What Not to Do

DON’T DO THIS!!!!

The only thing worse than a hangover is the greasy food that you have to eat to make it go away.

Greasy food is not the best idea for a hangover. It might taste good, but it will just make you feel worse. There are many reasons why greasy food is bad for a hangover, but it can all be summed up by saying that fat slows down digestion and delays stomach emptying. This means that you will feel less hungry and more full, which will make it harder to get rid of the alcohol in your system.

The best thing to eat after drinking alcohol is food that is rich in carbs and protein – which we will get to right below in the what to do section. Suffice to stay, disable the Uber Eats app if you have to and stay AWAY from the pizza, fries, and chicken fingers. They may give you temporary comfort, but you will feel like a dung beetle late.r

And now, what to do

#1 Drink Lots of Fluids, Especially Sports Drinks

The main reason you feel hungover is dehydration. So drink a lot of water, duh. But how much? As much as you can handle a few sips at a time. Drinking water helps restore necessary fluids and can help the bloodstream and circulatory system carry nutrients and oxygen to the tissues and remove the wastes from a night of excessive consumption.

Drinking sports drinks like Gatorade can even get you in better shape, because of their extra minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium that can reeally replenish the imbalances in nutrients caused by alcohol – and frankly, make you feel beter than just plain water. Typically I stock up on Gatorade Zero (I like the orange flavor) and alternate between that and water every half an hour to do the trick.

#2 Midol (No, Really)*

Believe it or not this is still useful even if you are not a female PMSing. While you may have Advil or Tylenol on hand, this common PMS cure is a step above. It cures headaches, perks you up (with caffeine) and debloats. Alcohol causes water retention, so this nips it in the bud. No shame in buying at the drugstore – order online if you have to. I always have a major supply of this on hand and it works like a charm for all kinds of blahs, hangovers included.

*As always this is not medical advice – please consult a doctor before beginning any medications.

#3 Greek Yogurt

Now the instinct for food is to reach for the greasy fries but hooolllddd on right there. Since alcohol causes dehydration it makes it hard for the body to balance and maintain blood sugar and the yogurt has both protein and carbs which will help the body’s blood sugar. You can also top with a banana and some kiwi for extra hangover help. Banana provides some much needed potassium and so does kiwi plus a bunch of antioxidants to brighten the skin your bender has dulled.

Yogurt will also helps settle the extra acid your stomach produces, which is great if you are one of those people who is so nauseated they can’t eat anything. If you want even more protein, try adding some vanilla protein powder and whip in some powdered peanut butter like PB2, and you have yourself a nice treat that’s good for you (they have the sugar-free version as well).

If you just have to have your chips, might I suggest compromise by using the yogurt as a dip?

#4 Eggs – Detox and Trick Your Body into Thinking it’s Eating Pizza!

So this is the thing. You are going to feel like mainlining coffee, maybe because you have a bunch of stuff to do before going back to work or getting the kids to school. Did you know using eggshells in your ground coffee can dramatically reduce its acidity?

You should also be EATING the eggs – believe it or not, EGGS ARE A “DETOX” FOOD – so it’s not just celery juice, guys. And much more DELISH. I like to use this combo: eggwhites, 1 egg, mozzarella stick melted in (so I can perfectly portion the 80 calories.). If you add Pizza Hot Sauce, I swear you will get the same satisfaction as Pizza.

.And if you can handle it, have some berries on the side to get some much needed restorative antioxidants and vitamin C to your skin. Your skin is really mad at you right now!

#5 Eye patches (that are good for every day anyway)

Whoa, you have to try these. A variety of brands make them but pictured below is something I put on my face when I wake up every single morning. This will help your eyes depuff because the coldness in the patch (which usually contains some caffeeine) shrinks blood vessels and keeping them in the fridge will make it feel even better as you are trying to find the will to live. Some favorites of mine include Peter Thomas Roth Ultra Gold Eye Patches. There are also much cheaper options like these green tea eye patches available from Amazon.

Should I work out when I am hungover?

If you really want to, but my default advice is let this be your rest and recharge to have a great workout the next day. I have been the person who has marched myself to a bootcamp or spin class determined to “sweat it out” but it has usually backfired and made me feel worse. If you are considering working out, make sure it’s something you are doing to make yourself feel good instead of punishing yourself. That’s setting a bad precedent for a negative mentality about exercise. Here are some tips to make sure you do have a good workout if you so choose:

• Remember, you are dehydrated, so drink something with electrolytes. Coconut water is a great choice. Or have some powdered hydration packets handy, like from Liquid IV or Cure.
• Take it easy. Think a low-pressure walk preferably with someone you can talk to so it goes by faster. Hot yoga might sound detoxing, but it’s also really dehydrating which can put a lot of stress on your body, the opposite of its intended effect.
• Do a challenging workout the day of your big night, so you can take a rest day the next day guilt-free
• Don’t work out if you feel one of the following: still drunk, nauseaous, dizzy, or weak.

More reading:

Is it safe to work out hungover? Byrdie

Best and worst foods for a hangover (IV League Hydration)