How to prepare your body for the excesses of Christmas
Of all the festivities of the year we take the time to gorge ourselves, Christmas is probably the date that brings this to its fullest. The result, usually, is a lot of people unable to lift a finger even at the end of the party (or even before), such people's gluttony at the banquet.
But that need not be so. And that doesn't require anything drastic, like swapping that delicious slice of turkey for a piece of celery or giving up the banquet altogether. Just follow the tips below, recommended by the folks at Discovery News; that way you won't end up bitterly regretting that late forkful of food.
Before supper
Being prepared for Christmas dinner is not an easy task. It's not enough to simply take some action when the banquet arrives: You need to start conditioning your body well in advance - the sooner the better prepared your body will be.
Work out
No, we are not trying to give tips on how to have a healthy life (after all, this is a tutorial on how to prepare for a banquet). The fact is, exercising helps the body cope with the nutrients and energy that food brings - you should probably remember that feeling of hunger that comes after a long walk.
With that, your body will start asking for and processing more calories - which in turn means that you'll get fit for the banquet if you start early and can still afford to eat a few extra bites quietly.
Eat well
While you've already started to exercise more, why not let your body ingest those extra calories he's been asking for? Unlike many people think, eating too soon before a big meal tends to have the opposite result.
This is because, by eating too little, your stomach will be unprepared for banquet time. Soon, he will not be able to stretch his walls to make room for the food he eats. "You would eventually feel worse, " said nutrition professor Joanne Slavin of the University of Minnesota. “Eating up to dinner would be better, ” she explained.
“So I need to eat the equivalent of a Christmas dinner for the next few days?” You ask. Not for that - because no exercise would save you from getting fat in that case. Just don't worry about stopping eating on supper day (or even the days before).
During supper
It's ok. You exercised for the banquet and fed properly to prepare your stomach. But and now? The main secret here is to use your head, as you can see below.
Planning is everything
Strange as it may seem to be to do this for a supper, it is important to think strategically before "going for the attack." After all, what's the point of stuffing yourself in the doorway and ending up without a single room for the dessert you so wanted? The best thing here is to get everything you want to taste in small portions. If necessary repeat the dish until satisfied.
Also try not to forget to consider the second banquet if you attend more than one supper. After all, it's no use spending all of your stomach space at the first party and having to fight for every serving at the next event.
Watch what you eat
One of the most common mistakes we make during any meal is not paying attention to our body signals. In a supper with so many hard-to-resist dishes, however, the situation is even worse, as many focus only on eating as quickly as possible so as not to lose the chance to repeat.
So be aware of any discomfort that comes to you. Not being hungry anymore is a good indication; Feeling a little satisfied is a great tip that it's time to stop. Already having the impression that it is better to loosen the belt ... Well, let's say that in that case you probably went overboard.
"And why stop before you feel full?" The explanation for this is simple. It is important to remember that although the food comes down to the stomach in a matter of minutes, we do not immediately feel the reflection of it.
So those who are satisfied will probably be feeling full within a few minutes, while those who feel close to exploding will regret it even sooner. So stop before you cross the line - you have probably reached it and not even noticed.
Remember those with a "weak stomach"
Anyone who is intolerant or allergic to any kind of food is probably already prepared to find out about it. But it's always a good idea to remember: Ask if there is anything that can hurt you before you start eating.
For the hosts, remember to make dishes with a variety of foods to prevent someone allergic or intolerant from being forced to just watch others eat.
After supper
As much as you follow all the tips above, it is likely that the result is still slightly below expectations. Fortunately, there are solutions to offset the excess food in your stomach.
Taking a nap
Do you know that relaxing sleep we usually get after overeating? So know that it's a great idea to get carried away by it. This is because the digestion process usually takes about two hours - a time when you will feel very unwell due to the work your body is going through to get rid of so much food. So sleep can be a simple solution for those hours to pass quickly.
Exercise More
Let's consider that, unfortunately, the two-hour nap is over and yet you are still tired. The solution then may be to do some light exercises, such as playing “touch the ball” or something that requires some movement. But don't overdo it too much (don't run a marathon or play a football game is definitely not a good idea).
Exercising the body is obviously also a great way to ease the guilt of having eaten so many calories. So take advantage of the situation and try to follow a healthy life, at least for the next few days. You may end up feeling great about it.
Enjoy the banquet
Perhaps the most important of all the items on the list is this. That's because worrying so much about something like this is definitely the worst that anyone can do: you won't enjoy your meal and you will still have the consequences of eating more than usual.
Just keep in mind that a Christmas dinner in the year has no major side effects for anyone. So unless you plan a feast like this a week, feel free to overdo it a bit.
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