What a Dietitian Wants to Tell You About Eating More During the Holidays

For many, holidays Synonymous with quality time and long-standing traditions. Usually full of delicious food, it’s not unusual to eat more than usual during the holidays.

You probably know the feeling of being too full – that point when you’re pleasantly satisfied one moment and uncomfortably satisfied the next. Additionally, eating more than you want or expect can cause physical discomfort as well as guilt.

The physical and psychological pressure of holiday meals can be challenging. As a registered dietitian, I want to assure you that your Body knows what to do with that extra Eat and drinking, and that your overall health and well-being is defined by much more than a few days of indulgence. In fact, the experience of eating and sharing can play a vital role in creating lasting, positive memories of the holiday season.

Still, if you’ve ever wondered what’s happening inside your body after a heavy meal, you’re not alone. understanding a little about how digestion Work can make post-meal feelings a little less mysterious and a lot less stressful.

slow down digestion

Food is made up of three main macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Your gastrointestinal tract uses both mechanical and chemical processes to break down these Nutrients In their simplest form so that they can be absorbed and used energyTo carry out repair and biological functions.

When you eat large amounts of food over the holidays, you’ll likely consume more of all macronutrients in a short period of time. Larger amounts of food will take a little longer to digest, meaning it will move more slowly through your GI tract.

Proteins and fats also take longer to break down naturally. While more carbohydrate-rich foods, such as a granola bar or a glass of orange juice, give you instant energy, including more protein- and fat-rich foods, such as eggs or chicken, in your meals provides energy that lasts longer.

In this case, the slower digestion process may actually be beneficial for stable energy and appetite control.

physical discomfort

Rest assured, your digestive system will keep working, no matter how large a meal you eat. Rather, the question is how long digestion will take and whether it might cause some temporary discomfort along the way.

When you eat, your stomach expands to accommodate the food you eat. As the stomach works to send food contents into the small intestine, the chance of heartburn increases – the backflow of acidic contents into the stomach that can cause a burning sensation in your chest or a sour taste in your mouth. Excess food can cause stomach pain, nausea, gas and bloating as well as general feeling of lethargy.

Even before you take the first bite, your body begins preparing for digestion. The first sight and smell of food causes your body to increase the production of saliva and stomach acid in anticipation of what’s to come.

When the workload is greater than normal, your body temporarily expends more energy to fuel the digestion process, breaking down macronutrients and absorbing that fuel for later use. As a result, it is common to feel more tired after a large meal.

Try to stay upright after meals to reduce physical discomfort related to digestion. Although it may be tempting to lie down, it can increase the risk of stomach pain and heartburn. Give your body time and gravity to work in your favor by staying upright for at least two to three hours after eating. A 10 to 15-minute walk can also be beneficial for the digestive process, stomach contractions, and increasing overall blood flow in the GI tract. This in turn can move food out of the stomach and into the small intestine more efficiently.

Moving beyond food guilt

Just one day of indulgence will not cause permanent weight gain or permanent changes in your physical health. But repetitive patterns of food guilt can, over time, lead to an unhealthy relationship with food.

Beyond digestion, the way you think and talk about food can be just as important as how you feel after eating. Food has no moral value, and yet it is easy to fall into the habit of labeling foods as “good” or “bad.” This mentality often appears during holidaysThink about how often you hear yourself or others say, “I was good all morning so I can eat more tonight” or “I’ll spoil and eat pie too,” How you talk about food directly determines how you feel about eating it and about yourself,

Food can also bring positive emotions and good memories. When your body recognizes a strong emotion associated with the smell of food, your brain’s emotional center – the amygdala – alerts the part of your brain that forms and stores long-term memories, your hippocampus. This explains why the smell of grandma’s pie can transport you to a vivid memory.

This holiday season, pay less attention to calorie counting and more to the company, laughter, and smells and tastes that make you you. traditions Specific. Eat foods that bring you comfort and connection; You’re nourishing more than just your body.