How to fix a FOOD HANGOVER
YOU CAN HAVE YOUR CHRISTMAS CAKE AND EAT IT!
On Christmas day, the average person will eat around 25,104 kj (6000 Cal), according to research by Wren Kitchens, which is three times the average daily amount.
If your pants are groaning just thinking about that, approach this year’s festivities with a more strategic plan.
“There are things you can do after a food blowout to help your digestive system work more efficiently. Don’t be tempted by diet shakes and bars to try to compensate, these kinds of foods starve the good bacteria in your gut and make it more difficult to lose weight,” says Kate Save, accredited practicing dietician and founder of Be
Fit Food.
TACTIC #1: REHYDRATE
Don’t beat yourself up if you mysteriously finish the box of Ferrero Rocher while watching The Holiday – it happens. “A lot of ‘accidental’ overeating can happen when you are dehydrated to start with, so fix that first. Plain fizzy water, herbal tea or regular water or water with fruit are all good rehydrating options. In summer I put a herbal teabag in my water bottle and have flavoured water that way,” says Kate.
TACTIC #2: FINISH WITH FIBRE
If your tummy is feeling crook after over indulging, clinical nutritionist and health coach Gabby Ratner recommends eating gut healthy yoghurt and fibre to ‘move things along.’ “A summer fruit salad with some Greek yoghurt topped with nuts and seeds is
perfect,” she says.
TACTIC #3: CLOSE THE WINDOW
During the festive season, stop eating at 7pm and wait until 7am to have breakfast. “This type of intermittent fasting doesn’t have to be drastic. Have tea or coffee in the morning but keep the window of eating shorter and your body will get a chance to burn off some of the excess calories, as well as giving your digestive system a break,” says Kate.
TACTIC #4: REST YOUR LIVER
Make sure you have some booze-free days over the holidays, which gives your liver a rest and also helps your body process your meals more efficiently. “When you’ve got alcohol in your system, it slows you burning anything else you eat, so a few days without it helps your body use glucose stores from your food again,” says Kate.
TACTIC #5: GET MOVING
“A workout is always great for a pep up and mood enhancer too,” says Gabby. Although you would need to walk for 21.5 hours on Boxing Day to burn off those 6000 calories, every little helps – and a good walk after a meal speeds up the rate at which foods move through your stomach, according to a study published in the Journal Of Gastrointestinal And Liver Diseases.