7 Tips To Avoid The Holiday Bloat and Overeating
With the holidays right around the corner, so many people dread that awful feeling of being bloated and full after a large binge. Overeating during the holidays is a normal response to the vast amounts of food and alcohol that surround you during those family gatherings and holiday parties. However, there are a few ways to help with that frustrating feeling of laying on the couch post meal, feeling guilty and lethargic.
Tip #1: Eat normally throughout the day.
The day of Christmas dinner, Thanksgiving dinner, etc. most people feel they should fast all day long to "make room" for that large feast ahead. WRONG! One of the easiest ways to avoid stuffing your face is to eat normally throughout the day. When you fast for long periods of time, your blood sugar drops drastically, causing you to overeat and indulge in food the minute the buffet is ready to be served. If you wake up, eat breakfast and a decent sized lunch, you won't feel the need to dive into your plate full force.
Tip #2: Lots of H2O
Typically, many meals during the holidays are loaded with sodium and fats. This causes your body to go into major bloating. When you consume a large amount of sodium (salts) your body retains tons of water to manage the balance of salts in your blood. If you hydrate with plenty of water, this will help flush out that sodium, as opposed to your body retaining all of it. People think that drinking more water will make them feel more bloated, however it is the opposite. The less water you drink, the more your body will retain it. So be sure to drink lots of water all day and throughout the meal to help flush out the bloat. An added plus, it will actually make you feel fuller faster.
Tip #3: Take a Walk
Instead of lounging on the couch post meal, unbuttoning your jeans and laying there letting the food coma sink in, get up and walk around! Exercise gets the blood flowing throughout the body, helping the digestive system get moving. It will also help you feel less bloated and full. The next morning, do the same thing! Try doing some cardio to help your body metabolize that food and release that sodium through a good sweat. You will be amazed how much better you feel after sweating out some of that water weight.
Tip #4: Portion Control
When you are piling the food on your plate, think to yourself, would you eat this much on any other regular day? Take small portions of each food on your plate, so you can taste it all, but don't load it up. Take enough that you think will make you feel energized, not stuffed. After finishing your first portion, put a napkin and your silverware over your plate and wait ten minutes before deciding whether you really need round 2. It takes 20 minutes for your body to realize it is full and it can help to take a break prior to reaching for more food.
Tip #5: Potassium Rich Foods
If drinking a lot of water is still not helping flush that bloat, it helps to eat foods that are rich in potassium because of their effect on prompting excess fluids to exit the body. Avocado, bananas, oranges and sweet potatoes are some good examples.
Tip #6: Drink Tea
If you steep a cup of hot tea, preferably mint or ginger, it can help relax the GI muscles in your intestinal tract which can help with cramping and bloating.
Tip #7: Resume To Normal!
Sometimes people will compensate from eating a large meal, by waking up the next day and skipping breakfast. This is not the right move. When eating a large meal, your hormone levels spike and they try to figure out how to maintain the body back to normal. The best thing you can do for your metabolism and hormone response is to wake up and eat a regular breakfast. Preferably foods that are high in fiber and protein. For example, eggs with some multi-grain toast. This will get your metabolism revving again and back on track.
Hopefully this helps with your fears of that post-meal overeating fear and guilt! Enjoy your holiday and keep these few tips in mind! :)
