The Danger of Overeating

                With Intermittent Fasting, you literally go hours without any food and then are presented a small window in which you are allowed to eat.   The importance of mindful eating during this window will make a difference in your success rate if your goal is to shed a few pounds.

                Mindful eating isn’t just about choosing healthier options, it is also about portion control and discipline.    Its tempting to start eating as much as you can in the “eating window” knowing another long stretch of fasting is ahead of you.   This is not the time for indulgence. 

Choosing to Indulge, this is what you can expect : 

Low-Energy

                Sluggish and tired after a meal?  It could be your body telling you that you had a bit too much to eat.   Overeating makes your body work harder and redirects blood flow away from other organs and concentrates on the digestive system.   This makes you feel more tired and sluggish.  Foods we tend to overeat are generally higher in carbohydrates which ca cause a sugar rush inevitably followed by the dreaded sugar crash.

Heartburn

                Your stomach has this potent formula to break down food called “hydrochloric acid”.  When you over eat, this acid can back up into the esophagus, giving you heartburn.  Overeating high fat foods such as pizza or cheeseburgers can make you more susceptible to this condition.

Bloating

                Getting a bloated stomach after eating too much is not unusual.  Your stomach can only hold so much.  Repeatedly eating too much will stretch your stomach allowing you to consume more, however that is a slippery slope since that means consuming more calories as well.  Eating too fast can cause bloating, as well as food intolerance.   Slow down!

Gas

                Copious amounts of calories can cause digestives issues, including gas.  Lower intestinal gas can be caused by certain foods, or not being able to fully digest some foods.  

Nausea

                Your stomach does expand to make room for more food which in turn puts pressure on nearby organs.  This can cause discomfort, heartburn, bloating, gas and the generally feeling of wanting to throw up. 

None of these sound like a good time, do they?  We have all experienced them because we have all been there overeating and consuming the calories.  Those days are behind us now.    The longer you do the Intermittent Fasting, the more you’ll find yourself easily pushing away the plate.   Your mindful eating will become a habit and if you do overeat, the experience is painful. It will remind you how far you’ve come and encourage you to be much more mindful going forward.