Dang, you did it again. We feel you. We all ate too much at Thanksgiving. Now we’ve got a bad case of postprandial dip, otherwise known as the “itis”. Of course the holidays are a time to get your grub on, but the reality is the average Thanksgiving meal weighs in at about 3000 calories (a day and half’s worth of food) and can leave you feeling sluggish and irritable. Not to mention, oh so guilty. Here are five easy ways to help you recover from a thanksgiving hangover.
Take a walk
Because most people gain about a pound every holiday season, consider taking a brisk walk for at least 30 minutes to release some feel good hormones and burn a few calories. Even walking around in the mall can do the trick.
Drink lots of liquids
Constipation, bloating and nausea are common food hangover symptoms. The bloating you feel is often because of too much salt in our holiday meals. Drink lots of water to help your body flush salt out and relieve bloating. Sip on ginger ale to relieve nausea and an upset stomach.
Don’t skip meals
Don’t let guilt push you to the edge. Skipping meals only causes the body to go into starvation mode, which increases your chances of going postal on grandma’s leftover pecan pie. Eat small portions of leftovers throughout the day to keep your blood sugar balanced.
Be a picky eater
Because you’ll be packing in the calories from now until the New Year try being a food snob and only eating the treats with the utmost yum-factor. That means no snacking on candy canes and chips, just the good stuff you really can’t resist during the holidays.
Hit the town
Use hosting relatives from out of town as an excuse to keep you as far away from the fridge as possible. But avoid replacing food with alcohol or you’ll be left feeling just as lethargic and irritable.