6 Ways to Feel Better After Overeating
Whenever there is a party or a festival, when we meet our friends and relatives, a big feast is spread out and invariably in such social circumstances, seeing so many goodies, we all tend to over eat, as we keep talking, so we forget the quantity. When we tend to overeat, it does cause indigestion, bloating, heartburn and at times nausea. But there are ways to overcome the same.
According to the USDA dietary guidelines, the recommended daily amount of calories is about 2,000 for women and about 2,600 for men – referring to individuals of both sexes who lead moderately active lifestyles. Exceeding these boundaries occasionally is not a reason for concern, according to dietitians.
1. Don’t Stress Too Much
Some of us have a tendency to feel very guilty and beat ourselves up after eating a larger-than-usual meal. If it’s a rare occurrence, it won’t cause you to gain weight or any other long term consequences. Associating guilt with food, however, may lead to unhealthy eating patterns over time. Instead of stressing over what cannot be undone, plan what you’re going to do to better your feeling in the days that follow.
2. Don’t Lie Down
A big meal often makes us feel tired and sleepy. It’s best if you try and resist the urge to take a nap. Lying down makes it more likely that you experience acid reflux, as it puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is the muscle responsible for preventing stomach acids from going back up. Moreover, even doing a small task while standing upright, like doing the dishes, may help burn some calories.
3. Stay Hydrated – But Be Cautious!
What causes the feeling of being bloated after a big meal is the intake of sodium. Drinking water may help flush out some of the excess salt from the food you consumed, but remember – small sips are the keywords. Limit yourself to about 8 ounces (one cup) of water after a meal, and drink it slowly and moderately. Continue to sip throughout the day. If you chug a large amount of liquids, it can expand your stomach even further and give you a stomachache.
4. Avoid Fizzy Drinks
When drinking carbonated drinks, you swallow gas, which can fill up the digestive system. Your system is already strained with the burden of the meal, so until that excess gas is released, it will only worsen the ‘heaviness’ that you’re feeling. In 2017, researchers found that sugar-sweetened drinks decrease fat oxidation, and thus, the body stores more fat, especially if you drink them with or right after high-protein meals.
5. Take a Walk
It may not help you feel less bloated and full, but walking can help the stomach empty more quickly, according to studies. A walk that is at least 10 minutes long can aid digestion, as well as balance blood sugar. When blood sugar spikes, which is likely to happen after a rich meal, a hormone called insulin is released. Insulin removes excess sugar from the bloodstream in two ways – it can either be burned as fuel or stored as fat. Balancing the blood sugar by walking can help you avoid storing a lot of extra fat.
6. Plan Next Meal
Once we've eaten in excess, without fretting, one can easily plan the next meal, which is light, but at the same time healthy. You can even make just one dish, which has carbs, proteins, vitamins, fibers. Such a meal is vegetarian biryani ( you can see the recipe in my recipe blog), vegetable pulao or vegetable kichdi/ pongal. As you can incorporate a lot of veges, dals, nuts, best is to have a raita, i.e., a dish made with curd to which you can add cucumber / tomatoes / onion or all combined finely chopped and seasoned to taste, makes a complete meal.
for such healthy recipes, feel free to view my recipe blog
According to the USDA dietary guidelines, the recommended daily amount of calories is about 2,000 for women and about 2,600 for men – referring to individuals of both sexes who lead moderately active lifestyles. Exceeding these boundaries occasionally is not a reason for concern, according to dietitians.
1. Don’t Stress Too Much
Some of us have a tendency to feel very guilty and beat ourselves up after eating a larger-than-usual meal. If it’s a rare occurrence, it won’t cause you to gain weight or any other long term consequences. Associating guilt with food, however, may lead to unhealthy eating patterns over time. Instead of stressing over what cannot be undone, plan what you’re going to do to better your feeling in the days that follow.
2. Don’t Lie Down
A big meal often makes us feel tired and sleepy. It’s best if you try and resist the urge to take a nap. Lying down makes it more likely that you experience acid reflux, as it puts pressure on the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which is the muscle responsible for preventing stomach acids from going back up. Moreover, even doing a small task while standing upright, like doing the dishes, may help burn some calories.
3. Stay Hydrated – But Be Cautious!
What causes the feeling of being bloated after a big meal is the intake of sodium. Drinking water may help flush out some of the excess salt from the food you consumed, but remember – small sips are the keywords. Limit yourself to about 8 ounces (one cup) of water after a meal, and drink it slowly and moderately. Continue to sip throughout the day. If you chug a large amount of liquids, it can expand your stomach even further and give you a stomachache.
4. Avoid Fizzy Drinks
When drinking carbonated drinks, you swallow gas, which can fill up the digestive system. Your system is already strained with the burden of the meal, so until that excess gas is released, it will only worsen the ‘heaviness’ that you’re feeling. In 2017, researchers found that sugar-sweetened drinks decrease fat oxidation, and thus, the body stores more fat, especially if you drink them with or right after high-protein meals.
5. Take a Walk
It may not help you feel less bloated and full, but walking can help the stomach empty more quickly, according to studies. A walk that is at least 10 minutes long can aid digestion, as well as balance blood sugar. When blood sugar spikes, which is likely to happen after a rich meal, a hormone called insulin is released. Insulin removes excess sugar from the bloodstream in two ways – it can either be burned as fuel or stored as fat. Balancing the blood sugar by walking can help you avoid storing a lot of extra fat.
6. Plan Next Meal
Once we've eaten in excess, without fretting, one can easily plan the next meal, which is light, but at the same time healthy. You can even make just one dish, which has carbs, proteins, vitamins, fibers. Such a meal is vegetarian biryani ( you can see the recipe in my recipe blog), vegetable pulao or vegetable kichdi/ pongal. As you can incorporate a lot of veges, dals, nuts, best is to have a raita, i.e., a dish made with curd to which you can add cucumber / tomatoes / onion or all combined finely chopped and seasoned to taste, makes a complete meal.
for such healthy recipes, feel free to view my recipe blog