Do you find yourself tired after eating a meal?
I hope you are having a great week so far. I have been busy this week because my friend's sister is in town so we have been hanging out and going out to eat a lot. It's been fun, especially after having a not so fun weekend working on my taxes, although it is nice to have that done. Speaking of going out to eat a lot, I did something yesterday that I haven't done in a while...I ate a ton of food all at once for lunch. Now I remember why I don't eat "heavy" meals. I was so hungry because I had done a long cardio workout in the morning and then I had my normal breakfast, but I hadn't had any snacks, so when I got my lunch (beef enchiladas, Spanish rice, and beans, none of which really agrees with my body anyway), I ate the whole entire plate. I also had some chips and salsa prior to that. After eating all of that food, I was so tired and full for the rest of the day. It was hard to go back to work after that because I also felt that I couldn't even think clearly. Does that happen to you? Do you find yourself tired after eating a meal at lunch, and maybe wanting to take a nap and barely even able to get your work done for the rest of the afternoon? I remember many days where I used to nod off at my desk after eating a heavy lunch. Why does this happen? When you eat a meal that is high carb, high fat, or high in sugar, your nervous system actually signals your body to slow down and focus on digestion. Also, when you eat a large meal, your glucose levels spike and the amount of insulin that is released increases. The insulin then causes the amount of serotonin and melatonin to also increase and go to the brain, which causes drowsiness. This isn't just a problem if you eat a large lunch, but if you eat a late dinner, it can your blood sugars to fluctuate in the middle of the night, which can cause you to wake up and disrupt your sleep. What should you do to avoid this?
Try not to eat heavy meals - anything that is very high in carbs, fat or sugar.
If you do have a large meal, try to save some of it for later, or if you are out to eat, get a box to take half of it home for later.
Eat breakfast and some light snacks in between your meals so you aren't starving and eat more than you should.
Try not to eat dinner too late, or if you do, try to eat something light.
If you are interested in learning more about what you should eat for energy, to jump start your metabolism and help you lose weight, and for better digestion, check out my Get Your Body Back program, which is a 4 week DIY program that will teach you the exact steps, week by week for long lasting results. You can click here for more information.
