This happens to the best of us, we have a fun gathering or a “cheat day,” which usually involves eating way too many comfort foods. Before you know it, it’s affected your mood, your weight, sleep and drive. Even if the foods you consumed were good choices, increasing your carbohydrates can still impact your system. Normally, a carb hangover can last 2 – 4 days, however, with the right fitness tips you can get back on track in no time!
So, what happens when you have an influx in carbs? If you’ve been eating pretty well, your system has been able to adapt to your usual intake and it deals with it well. You function well and you’re able to get through your day in a good mood without huge fluctuations in your weight and inches. However, when you introduce a large amount of sugar or carbohydrates, your body uses what it needs then the extra floats around in your system making you tired, lethargic, and irritable. After your body sees no need for the extra carbs, it then stores them as “extra energy” and as fat. The added carbs can draw more water into your cells causing bloating.
Signs of a Carb Hangover
- Fluctuation in weight (usually an access of over 2 lbs)
- Brain Fog
- Moodiness
- Blurry Vision
- Bloating
- Lethargy
- Increased inches from water weight
This isn’t a happy list! No one wants to be this way for longer then they have to! For that reason, I’ve put together some remedies!
Carb Hangover Remedies
- Weight training! Most people immediately think they need to jump on the treadmill to ward off the extra carbs. In actuality, they need to go lift weights or do weight bearing activities. When you lift weights of any kind (body weight or weights at the gym), the body immediately draws the sugar (carbs) from your system to fuel the muscles. This is one of the fastest ways to feel better, shrink the bloat, and lift your mood. It’s also a great fitness tip for those struggling with blood sugar issues.
- Cut your carbs – Eating low carb after 2 -3 days of eating high carbohydrates is the best way to allow your system to rebalance. Then, it can focus it’s energy on shuttling the extra waters and sugars our of the body instead of processing new carbohydrates.
- Drink Up – Drink a lot of water to flush the excess fluid in your system. Less water will make you retain the fluid that was drawn into the cells when you consumed the additional carbohydrates.
- Fight the Urge to Overindulge again. With the highs come the lows. After the huge spike in blood sugar, your body will send you back with cravings to eat again and again. To counteract the yo-yo affect, eat meals high in healthy fats and proteins. This will help your blood sugar level out naturally.
How Do You Know When You’re in the Clear?
- You mood will stabilize.
- Water retention will decrease.
- Weight will drop back down.
- Vision will return to normal.
- Sleep will return to normal. You won’t wake up wanting to climb right back into bed.
- Cravings will subside.
Preventing a Carb Hangover
The pain is real people. You don’t have to suffer the effects if you use some of these tips to reduce the rebound.
- Workout within 45 -60 minutes of the high carb meal (with weights).
- Always eat protein with high carbohydrates meals. This will help to level out your blood sugar and prevent massive spikes that send your blood sugar plummeting.
- Take your minerals. Sugar cravings and chocolate cravings have been linked to fluctuations in magnesium.
These signs and symptoms may seem all too familiar but knowing how to combat them is some pretty import advice. If this happens to you often, you may want to write these down or print them for the days when you feel a carb hangover coming on.
Living Lean,
Adria
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