There are always going to be times when you get a tad overzealous in the ‘eating everything in sight’ department (hello long weekends/birthdays/Brazilian BBQ). And let’s be honest, that’s probably never going to change, but what we can help prevent is that bloated ‘about to pop’ feeling post feast.

If you know you have a ‘food coma’ worthy meal approaching there are a few ways to approach it.

Prepare:

Firstly make sure you have a light yet protein rich meal for breakfast ahead of that big feast which rivals Christmas dinner. Think a green smoothie packed with spinach, frozen berries, chia seeds and a scoop of protein powder, or a ham omelet full of veggies, a little avo-  but hold the bread. Gluten is a common culprit known to cause inflammation and gut byosis.

Move:

Have 20 minutes up your sleeve before you have to get ready? Use this time to work up a sweat! Try a short yet intense metabolic training workout – a combination of resistance (anaerobic) and cardiovascular (aerobic) training in the one session to give you that awesome after burn effects. Think increased metabolism for the rest of the day, reduced appetite, decreasing body fat while building muscle… just to name a few. The key to reaping the benefits on this time saver workout is having no breaks in between each exercise, you want move from one exercise to the next as fast as you can, with only a 30-60 second water break between each round.

Grab your stop watch timer set the time and go through as many times as you can. Remember to choose compound movements so you are always working more than one area, more bang for your buck!

Why not try the below? If you don’t have a kettlebell or dumbells I highly recommend you get one or two in varying weights to have at home. They are easy to find (but just watch the price as many places over price them!!). I get a lot of my fitness bits online via www.hartsport.com.au good variety plus it is delivered to your doorstep. #winning.

Workout:

10 burpees

20 kettlebell swings

30 step ups with knee drive (15 each side)

40 mountain climbers

40 bicycle crunches

30 lumping lunges (15 each side)

20 plank get ups (10 each side)

10 KB squat and press (thrusters)

1 minute plank

Prevention is better than cure:

Be mindful of what you are actually eating rather than piling everything the eye can see onto your plate. I know it is easy to get carried away but remember, the food ‘aint going anywhere so don’t panic!

Avoid starchy carbs such as breads and pastas (instant bloat material) and instead try a variety of salads, roast veggies such as sweet potato, proteins such as seafood, ham or roasts. Also don’t forget to add some good fats to the mix such as nuts, seeds, olive oil or avocado. Another tip is eating light to heavy which can aid in easier digestion (soups, salads, and meat etc).

If you are prone to bloating and tummy issues try take an a enzyme based digestion tablet around the big meal or try my favorite, Glutamine, before your meal. Glutamine is the most abundant non-essential amino acid in the body. This means it can be produced by the body and is involved in a variety of metabolic processes such as assisting with energy metabolism, protein synthesis and neurotransmitter function. It is also one of the most important nutrients for your intestines and has the ability to ‘repair a leaky gut’ by maintaining the structural integrity of the bowels.

Post feast:

Sometimes even with the best intentions, you go overboard. Maybe it was the all you can eat seafood platter or that last piece of pecan pie that did it… but you ate way too much and now you are paying the price with tummy pains and a guilty conscious. First of all, go make yourself a cup of peppermint tea to help aid in digestion and sooth that tummy via its relaxant, antispasmodic properties. It is one of my favorites for relieving gas, indigestion and nausea.

Don’t press play on that chick flick just yet, the best thing you can do (after sipping your tea) is go for a short walk to promote digestion.

Happy feasting!