Happy Day after July 4th! You might have gone to a big BBQ yesterday, ate a lot of food, and now today feel perhaps sluggish, tired, bloated, and gassy. Additionally, often times after a large meal there is a judgmental voice that pops up. "Why did you do that?" "You are such a failure for eating that much." "I have to restrict what I eat today to make up for yesterday." "I have to go to the gym today and work this all off."
Do any of these sound familiar to you? This list goes on in terms of what that voice can say, but it is a voice that is loud, mean, and not looking after your health and well being.
So here are a couple of steps you can take after eating a big meal:
1. Focus on Emotional Nourishment
Being with friends and family nourishes us in a similar and different way than food. We can get filled up by the experience of being around loved ones. Chatting, catching up, funny stories, playing games, effect the way we digest our food. When you are being emotionally nourished by the situation your body is in a relaxation response and your digestive tract can handle any input of food easier. So as those voices pop up, redirect your thoughts toward how you were nourished by the situation. Often big meals are eaten in the company of others. Instead of focusing on how much you ate, reflect on how the people, the situation, the environment was ultimately very fulfilling.
2. Be gentle with yourself
Think of the negative, harsh, internal voice that arises after a large meal as your inner child. The more you ignore the fact they are whining, the louder they get. Listen to what your inner child is saying, rub their back, and tell them everything is going to be alright. The voices may still be there but you can acknowledge them and choose not to do anything about them. This can be an opportunity to delve deeper into what the voices are really trying to say. Is eating a large meal mean you deserve less love? Is feeling overly full mean that people won't like you anymore? Be super gentle with yourself after a large meal and think about what you can emotionally nourish yourself with throughout the day that doesn't have to do with restriction or self punishment. Take a bath, take a walk, listen to some music, call a friend, do something that nourishes your soul. It is all about coming back to self love.
3. Eat something fermented/take your probiotics
I of course had to add this in! After a big meal, there might have been a lot of sweets, sugar, or carbs that were consumed. By eating some kimchee, sauerkraut, taking a probiotic, drinking some Kevita, you will be flooding your gut with beneficial bacteria which will go to work to make sure those foods are not sitting in your stomach and fermenting. Getting in the good bacteria after a big meal will help keep your mood up and aid your belly in digesting all the yummy food you just ate. Additionally if you take your probiotic with a glass of water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in it you will increase your stomach acid to also help break down the large meal.
And just remember every time we eat is an opportunity to learn more about ourselves. Every meal is a chance to explore our relationship with food and others. There is no judgment here. Be curious like a child and explore the situation with fascination and inquiry.
Do any of these sound familiar to you? This list goes on in terms of what that voice can say, but it is a voice that is loud, mean, and not looking after your health and well being.
So here are a couple of steps you can take after eating a big meal:
1. Focus on Emotional Nourishment
Being with friends and family nourishes us in a similar and different way than food. We can get filled up by the experience of being around loved ones. Chatting, catching up, funny stories, playing games, effect the way we digest our food. When you are being emotionally nourished by the situation your body is in a relaxation response and your digestive tract can handle any input of food easier. So as those voices pop up, redirect your thoughts toward how you were nourished by the situation. Often big meals are eaten in the company of others. Instead of focusing on how much you ate, reflect on how the people, the situation, the environment was ultimately very fulfilling.
2. Be gentle with yourself
Think of the negative, harsh, internal voice that arises after a large meal as your inner child. The more you ignore the fact they are whining, the louder they get. Listen to what your inner child is saying, rub their back, and tell them everything is going to be alright. The voices may still be there but you can acknowledge them and choose not to do anything about them. This can be an opportunity to delve deeper into what the voices are really trying to say. Is eating a large meal mean you deserve less love? Is feeling overly full mean that people won't like you anymore? Be super gentle with yourself after a large meal and think about what you can emotionally nourish yourself with throughout the day that doesn't have to do with restriction or self punishment. Take a bath, take a walk, listen to some music, call a friend, do something that nourishes your soul. It is all about coming back to self love.
3. Eat something fermented/take your probiotics
I of course had to add this in! After a big meal, there might have been a lot of sweets, sugar, or carbs that were consumed. By eating some kimchee, sauerkraut, taking a probiotic, drinking some Kevita, you will be flooding your gut with beneficial bacteria which will go to work to make sure those foods are not sitting in your stomach and fermenting. Getting in the good bacteria after a big meal will help keep your mood up and aid your belly in digesting all the yummy food you just ate. Additionally if you take your probiotic with a glass of water with a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in it you will increase your stomach acid to also help break down the large meal.
And just remember every time we eat is an opportunity to learn more about ourselves. Every meal is a chance to explore our relationship with food and others. There is no judgment here. Be curious like a child and explore the situation with fascination and inquiry.
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