Five Tips to Recover From A Food Coma
You looked forward to the "party-of-the-year" for months.
You worked your butt off, so your little black dress would fit perfectly.
You prepared, packing healthy snacks in your clutch, and even asked the hosts what's on the menu so you could eat beforehand and not show up hungry. The last thing you wanted to do was unravel all progress you made to clean eat, and all the hard work you put toward your fitness.
But once you got there, and saw the spread, well all that well-intended preparation went out the window. I mean, who could resist those little shrimp rolls? Or those melt-in-your-mouth eclairs?
Eating just one or two would of each would have just been fine. But 10? Of each? Ruh-roh.
Now it's the morning after, and you're paying the price. You have a raging headache, and you're so bloated that your belly hurts. So much so that you can barely move. Hello, wheat belly...ugh.
I’ve learned, through a lot of trial and error, that it doesn't have to be like this. It is possible to enjoy a shindig without depriving yourself; without bingeing and without the morning-after food guilt.
But if you did indulge, no worries! It doesn't take much to get rid of the belly bloat and feel fabulous again!
Here are five tips to help you recover from a food coma -- and not have one again:
1 | Hydrate
Flush out the toxins with a lemon water elixir or a green juice.
Lemon water supports liver function which will then in turn flush out the junk. Plus it's loaded with nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, and magnesium. Try this lemon water elixir:
Lemon Elixir
1 cup room-temperature water
Juice from ½ lemon
1 teaspoon (capful) raw apple cider vinegar (optional)
Dash of cayenne
Juicing will also stimulate your digestion and detoxification, as well as boost your energy and immunity.
Here's a simple green juice recipe for you to try:
Detoxing Green Juice
2 cucumbers
1 handful kale
3 celery stalks
2 carrots
1 handful of parsley
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 inch of ginger
2 | Take an Epsom salt bath
Epsom salt baths help our body to flush out toxins, which then increases our energy, reduces stress, and improves our recovery.
Use the following ingredients to draw an Epsom salt bath:
Epsom Salt Bath
1 Cup Epsom Salt
1 Cup Baking Soda
10 Drops essential oil
3 | Get moving!
Daily sweat from simple and gentle exercises like jumping on a rebounder, going for a walk, light run or swim, can get your endorphins running again.
It might be the last thing that you want to do, but once you get moving you'll feel so much better!
4 | Stabilize your blood sugar
If you binged on sugary treats, eat some clean protein and healthy fats to bring your blood sugar back into balance.
Here are a few snack ideas:
A palmful of soaked nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews, etc.)
Veggie sticks (celery, carrots, cucumbers) + 1-2 tbsp nut butter (peanut, almond, etc.)
Homemade kale or zucchini chips
Apple slices + nut butter
Pumpkin seeds + dried cranberries
Veggie sticks + hummus or guacamole
Green smoothie + flax, hemp or chia seeds
5 | Write in your journal
Check in with yourself and ask:
Why did I binge?
Was it all about the food?
What was it that caused you to behave that way?
Would a self-care binge be more appropriate than food?
Next time, how can you slow down & enjoy each bite
Capturing your deepest thoughts and feelings can help you connect the dots to any underlying triggers you may have.
Naomi Nakamura is a Functional Nutrition Health Coach. She helps passionate, ambitious high-achievers who are being dragged down by fatigue, burnout, sugar cravings, poor sleep, unexplained weight issues, and hormonal challenges optimize health, find balance, and upgrade their energy so they can do big things in this world.
Through her weekly show, The Live FAB Live Podcast, programs, coaching, and services, she teaches women how to optimize their diet, support their gut health, reduce their toxic load, and improve their productivity, bringing work + wellness together.
Naomi resides in the San Francisco Bay Area and can often be found exploring the area with her puppy girl, Coco Pop!
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