{"id":7223,"date":"2019-09-18T10:28:01","date_gmt":"2019-09-18T15:28:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=7223"},"modified":"2021-02-16T09:21:27","modified_gmt":"2021-02-16T15:21:27","slug":"i-ate-too-much-now-what","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/i-ate-too-much-now-what\/","title":{"rendered":"I ate too much. Now what do I do?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The big family feast\u00a0 is over. All your favorites were on the dinner table.<\/p>\n

\n

Overindulge
\noften?<\/p>\n

Talk to a primary care provider<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

And you ate too much \u2013 more than your body could handle at one time. Your eyes were definitely bigger than your stomach. An average stomach holds about one or two cups of food. You start feeling discomfort when the stomach stretches to accommodate up to twice that amount.<\/p>\n

Now you feel miserable. You\u2019re bloated, tired and pretty much disgusted with yourself.<\/p>\n

So now what?<\/p>\n

First thing to do is relax. Being hard on yourself isn\u2019t the answer.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce the deed is done, you need to avoid the temptation to continue nibbling or to clean your plate \u2013 or anyone else\u2019s plate \u2013 if food still is present,\u201d said Kim McClintic<\/a>, MS, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian at the Center for Healthy Lifestyles<\/a> at OSF HealthCare St. Joseph Medical Center<\/a> in Bloomington, Illinois. \u201cEnjoy, but don\u2019t let the overindulgence<\/a> go on for several weeks. That\u2019s when it can show up on the scale and possibly in our health.\u201d<\/p>\n

After you ate too much<\/h2>\n

\u201cPull yourself away from the table,\u201d Kim said. \u201cBe the first to volunteer for dish duty and clean up instead of settling down on the couch in front of the TV. Also, it might be helpful to sit up straight and engage in some simple, deep breathing techniques.\u201d<\/p>\n

No napping<\/h2>\n

Fight the urge to fall asleep too soon after feasting, Kim said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFatigue can set in because your body is using a lot of energy for digestion and that can make you feel sleepy and lethargic,\u201d she said. \u201cDigestion<\/a> continues even though you are snoozing and can cause indigestion<\/a>, heartburn<\/a>, nausea and disrupted sleep. Some experts recommend waiting one to two hours after a very large meal before napping.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take it easy<\/h2>\n

If you ate too much – to the point of being overly full – avoid doing any strenuous physical activity, Kim said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, some simple stretching exercises, a light walk, some simple household chores aren\u2019t bad ideas,\u201d she said. \u201cAgain, many experts recommend waiting at least an hour after a very large meal before doing any strenuous exercise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Go natural<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re feeling nauseous or have an upset stomach, Kim suggests trying some ginger<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know ginger has some solid backing for helping with nausea and upset stomach \u2013 ginger tea, ginger ale, ginger candy or chews or freshly grated ginger,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

In addition to aiding the stomach, ginger also can help increase movement of the rest of the gastrointestinal system after you ate too much.<\/p>\n

Time to eat<\/h2>\n

When it\u2019s time for the next meal, don\u2019t skip it in hope of saving calories, Kim said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis often backlashes and can feed a craving and\/or send you into another over-indulgence,\u201d she said. \u201cSkipping meals causes one thing \u2013 hunger. At the next meal, commit to practicing portion control, eating slowly, cutting your food into smaller pieces, chewing each bite and swallowing before the next bite goes in and take a few sips of water in between bites to help you slow down and feel fuller.\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s always tomorrow<\/h2>\n

One thing to remember, Kim said, is that you only tripped, but didn\u2019t fall.<\/p>\n

\u201cAvoid negative self-talk, guilt and regret,\u201d she said. \u201cThe attitude of, \u2018I already blew it, I ate too much, I may as well wait \u2026\u2019 can dictate your food choices for the next several days or weeks. Everyone has an oops, so just get back on track.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t count on it<\/h2>\n

Kim stresses that you should avoid the temptation of weighing yourself after you ate too much.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to eat about 3,500 calories to gain one pound and likely what\u2019s showing up on the scale is fluid retention from excess sodium from the food,\u201d she said. \u201cTake some time to do a little meal planning for the next week. Have ingredients on hand for a few healthy meals you can fix for suppers and things to pack for lunches.\u201d<\/p>\n

The OSF HealthCare dietitians have plenty of healthy recipes<\/a> to choose from online if you\u2019re needing some suggestions.<\/p>\n

In the future<\/h2>\n

To avoid that feeling of being miserable from overeating, prepare yourself<\/a> when facing a big family dinner.<\/p>\n

Kim offers the following advice:<\/p>\n