Feeling Tired after lunch 3pm

krishnap1104
krishnap1104 Posts: 53 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I take my lunch around 12:30 and once the click hits 3pm I am extremely tired, and cant focus on my work. Need help!
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Replies

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    There are common reason for a post-meal crash that we might be able to spot if you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    edited April 2016
    Try stepping out into the sun for a few minutes or take a walk around the block.

    http://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/12/science/feeling-sleepy-an-urge-to-nap-is-built-in.html?pagewanted=all
  • BelleCakes2018
    BelleCakes2018 Posts: 568 Member
    Heavy carbohydrates can make you feel sluggish after eating, like pasta, potatoes etc.
    Have you tried just eating some salad or veggies with a bit of meat or fish during the day and saving the heavier meal for the evening?
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    Coffee and a piece of chocolate. Works for me.
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
    I second Mirabelle's suggestion. I use to feel like that after a big lunch. It was especially worse if I didn't have a good sleep the night before. Not only at 3pm but also the time I drove home, to the point that I dreaded driving.

    This problem went away after i discovered I could live on 200-400 calories (low carbs) until dinner time. That also makes creating deficit very easy. Win, win.

  • krishnap1104
    krishnap1104 Posts: 53 Member
    Mirabelle, I usually eat a salad kit from Kroger/Walmart. It has 250 Calories and comes in flavors like Chicken Ceaser, or Southwest Chicken.
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    krishnap1104 wrote: »
    I take my lunch around 12:30 and once the click hits 3pm I am extremely tired, and cant focus on my work. Need help!

    Eat a small meal every few hours to keep your energy up. I eat at 6AM, 10:30AM, noon, 3PM, 5PM and 8PM on work out days.
  • BelleCakes2018
    BelleCakes2018 Posts: 568 Member
    Hmm not sure what's in it. Doesn't sound bad as a salad but I know the pre-bought ones can contain lots of sugar. Have you thought about making your own and taking it with you?
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    krishnap1104 wrote: »
    Mirabelle, I usually eat a salad kit from Kroger/Walmart. It has 250 Calories and comes in flavors like Chicken Ceaser, or Southwest Chicken.

    Is this all you're eating for lunch? Do you eat anything else in the morning? (An open diary might help here...) I'm inclined to think that your issue might be low blood sugar...
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
    Looks like the carb & sugar police are out & about. Potatoes & pasta are very filling for me - yum. It sounds like you just need a simple snack in the afternoon or, like someone else suggested, a breath of fresh air.

    And picking on salads? Really?
  • frankiesgirlie
    frankiesgirlie Posts: 669 Member
    Mirabelle1983 wrote: »
    Heavy carbohydrates can make you feel sluggish after eating, like pasta, potatoes etc.
    Have you tried just eating some salad or veggies with a bit of meat or fish during the day and saving the heavier meal for the evening?
    endlessfall16 wrote: »
    I second Mirabelle's suggestion. I use to feel like that after a big lunch. It was especially worse if I didn't have a good sleep the night before. Not only at 3pm but also the time I drove home, to the point that I dreaded driving.

    This problem went away after i discovered I could live on 200-400 calories (low carbs) until dinner time. That also makes creating deficit very easy. Win, win.

    This for me too! Less than 300 or so calories until dinner does me right. I have boundless energy for my workday and do my workout before dinner. Then feast and relax with family.
    Any time I stray from this my energy level plummets and I slowly gain weight. Win win is right.
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    I'm an early morning person, and I have a huge tendency towards crashing by mid afternoon. I eat a lighter lunch because being too full makes me lazy quick. Keeping it a bit lighter as far as carbs helps. Also, I try not to sit during my whole lunch hour. The longer I sit...the lazier I get.
  • krishnap1104
    krishnap1104 Posts: 53 Member
    For breakfast I eat a Fiber One Cookie because I take iron supplements and this helps my constipation. I also drink a bottle of starbucks iced coffee with milk -low calorie. and then I'll snack on an orange or banana until lunch
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    How many calories total are you eating most days? How tall are you? How much do you weigh?

    Again, I'm guessing that you aren't eating enough...
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,649 Member
    Did you not read all the helpful replies in your previous thread?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10372107/pick-me-up-after-lunch/p1
  • shaunte92
    shaunte92 Posts: 127 Member
    Black Tea!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,228 Member
    I found I needed to get enough protein throughout the day in order to feel satiated, plus some good fiber-containing high-volume, low-calorie foods, and some healthy fat with each meal.

    But satiation differs for everyone - you might want to try experimenting with different timing/volume of your eating (3 big meals, vs. 2 and snacks, big breakfast vs. none, that sort of thing), and the composition (amount of protein, fats, carbs within a healthy range) to see if it makes a difference.

    And if I get seriously hungry, I eat a snack - usually something with protein/fats, like a string cheese, some crispy chickpeas, or 1/2-1oz of nuts.
  • krishnap1104
    krishnap1104 Posts: 53 Member
    mitch16: I am eating 1200 calories, I weigh 180 and I am 5'5. This is what my doctor suggested
  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
    I eat most of my calories at lunch. I would add an apple and a plain yogurt or even peanut butter as lunch dessert after the salad. My breakfast is a whole foods smoothie with veggies, nuts, seeds, berries, yogurt, and 1/4 banana. It keeps me full till lunch. Lunch keeps me full till dinner (lean meat and veggies typically) and then I'm done till breakfast.
  • krishnap1104
    krishnap1104 Posts: 53 Member
    My fitness trainer recommended coconut water! I bought the "Bai" brand and it is absolutely amazing!
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
    I used to take a small nap during my lunch. However, I found that a small walk instead gave me much more energy. Go figure!
  • betuel75
    betuel75 Posts: 776 Member
    Not sure how heavy carbohydrates would make you feel sluggish unless you have a medical condition. Carbohydrates should do the exact opposite. I have the same problem sometimes. On Fridays when we have donuts and I eat them I don't have the problem at all, in fact I'm bouncing off the wall with energy. Maybe up your simple carbs in the afternoon. Also how is your workload in the afternoon? I find that if I'm not really busy I work a little slower to stretch the work out and I get that sluggish/tired feeling too since I'm bored. As soon as I leave work I'm good again.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    How much do you sleep at night?
  • krishnap1104
    krishnap1104 Posts: 53 Member
    Sleep from 10pm-7am. I do wake up in the middle
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,944 Member
    I can't eat food high in calories at lunch, and that's mainly fatty food or lots of protein that digests a bit slower. I'm fine with quick carbs though. My main meal of the day is in the evening.
  • Wicked_Seraph
    Wicked_Seraph Posts: 388 Member
    krishnap1104 wrote: »
    I take my lunch around 12:30 and once the click hits 3pm I am extremely tired, and cant focus on my work. Need help!

    Eating a light lunch - or no lunch - might be helpful, as I personally found that heavier lunches tend to make me drowsy. If you do eat lunch, maybe try something like fruit or some nuts to hold you over. If you choose to skip lunch, try walking around outside, weather permitting, and get a change of scenery. I often run by Publix to grab a fruit salad for lunch, and half the reason I do so is because being outside a little bit does wonders for my focus and mood :smile:
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,167 Member
    If you can possibly take a break around 3 then maybe a quick 10 minute walk would help. I find that sitting all day makes me extremely tired. Which sucks because I have a desk job and some days I can get up and walk around and some days I can't. I also like to drink unsweetened tea. It gives me a little caffeine boost.
  • krishnap1104
    krishnap1104 Posts: 53 Member
    I would love to take a 10 minute break and walk but people at my work are too nosey and go straight to the manager when they see someone doing something like that.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    On your other thread it sounded like you'd found a solution:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/36311772/#Comment_36311772

    Usually every day, I go on a walk during my lunch for 30 minutes and it is at a moderate pace. Today I had an Asian Sesame salad from Panera (half portion) and I feel pretty good! I think it has about 25g of protein.
  • krishnap1104
    krishnap1104 Posts: 53 Member
    I did! But it never hurts to seek more advice.

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