How to avoid energy crash after lunch?

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kristinL16
kristinL16 Posts: 401 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am often very tired after lunch. Right now I feel like I can hardly stay awake. I about 1 1/2 hours ago. A bit about me...I am 36 (37 next month), have four kids (youngest is 6 months and wakes up quite a bit at night still), weigh 148 and am 5'0" tall. I had gestational diabetes and my fasting BG has been high for the last month (usually high 90's or low 100's). I go in for a fasting glucose tolerance test next week. That being said, what are some general food rules for avoiding a crash after lunch? Here is what I have eaten so far today:

Breakfast--Quaker weight control oatmeal and an egg muffin cup (about 3/4 of an egg, a bit of sausage and onions and peppers).

Lunch--I was very hungry (still am)--homemade pasta fagioli soup (1 cup);yoplait greek yogurt;carrots, snap peas and grape tomatoes; Zone simple perfect energy bar; and I just ate a piece of string cheese.

Any suggestions?
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Replies

  • kristinL16
    kristinL16 Posts: 401 Member
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    I also drink diet soda. I hadn't really thought about it until now, but could this be a "crash" from not having caffeine for a few hours? I usually have three cans of soda per day--two in the morning and one in the afternoon (just having it now). I do stay tired throughout the afternoon, though.
  • abcwhite10
    abcwhite10 Posts: 140 Member
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    How much water are you drinking? Tiredness can result from dehydration too.

    *just saw the diet soda thing - that will dehydrate you too if you aren't drinking enough water with it.
    I will be the last person to tell someone to stop with the diet soda's and you will probably hear that from many others, but I figure everyone has things they don't wnat to give up and need to make them fit in their new lifestyles........mine is coffee creamer.....and the occasional slice of cheesecake :)
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    Insulin which regulates the glucose in the blood makes that. When you run low on it is the time the regulation is over. (Takes roughly 3 hours. You can avoid that by :

    - Eating food with low GI (cook your pastas al dente)
    - Mixing some vegies with your plates

    F1.large.jpg
  • kristinL16
    kristinL16 Posts: 401 Member
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    I do drink water as well. I am always drinking something. :) I keep telling myself I should stop drinking soda but then don't know how much it will actually help me, KWIM? I hear some people say it made a big difference in how they feel, others didn't notice anything. I didn't notice any change when I stopped drinking it during my pregnancies, but then again, I was tired all the time from being pregnant. However, if the soda is what is causing me to feel this way then I would stop.

    Is there anything that I should do differently with my eating, based on what I have eaten so far today? The soup had a small amount of pasta (8 ounces for the whole soup which comes to over 8 servings) but is mostly tomatoes, beans and a small amount of ground beef.

    If I am pre-diabetic could that be causing tiredness?
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    go to bed earlier
  • kristinL16
    kristinL16 Posts: 401 Member
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    I am also breastfeeding, forgot to mention that.

    I can't get much more sleep since the baby wakes up frequently.
  • ladyace2078
    ladyace2078 Posts: 460 Member
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    I eat snacks between breakfast and lunch so that I don't over indulge at lunch which then leads to a crash for me after lunch. I also try to eat a lot of veggies and protein at lunch and stay away from pasta. When I start to feel tired, I go outside in the sunshine for a 10 minute walk.

    ETA: That first sentence is confusing - if I over-indulge at lunch I crash after lunch. If I eat snacks mid morning, then I'm not starving my lunch and I don't over-indulge.
  • Kristy_Elizabeth
    Kristy_Elizabeth Posts: 435
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    I would have a mid morning snack and a smaller lunch. In fact, I do. =D
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
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    Avoid the simple carbs and sugar at lunch. Eat a protein based meal and follow up about 30 min later with water!!!!

    Crashing is either carb or sugar issue. Eat protein which gives you real engery, no crash!!!

    Oh and get rid off or really cut back on the diet soda.......

    Best of luck!!!
  • sophieshaped
    sophieshaped Posts: 228 Member
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    I would say go low-GI on the carbs, and to be honest you might as well cut the diet drinks to see if it helps. Many say that fake sugars will give you a bigger crash so it's probably not helping.
  • Il_DaniD_lI
    Il_DaniD_lI Posts: 1,593 Member
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    Maybe go for a run on your lunch break? or some other type of activity. I used to have the same problem before I started running on my break. It's a great energy/mood boost for the day.
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    I am also breastfeeding, forgot to mention that.

    I can't get much more sleep since the baby wakes up frequently.

    I think having a newborn is the reason you're sleepy after lunch, rather than insulin.
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
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    Reduce simple carbs and up protein at lunchtime.
  • JPod279
    JPod279 Posts: 722 Member
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    I hear meth works pretty well. May help you lose some weight too. Bonus!
  • MyTime1985
    MyTime1985 Posts: 456 Member
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    As a recovering Mt. Dew addict, put down the pop! Seriously, I quit drinking it by downing a glass of water first thing in the morning. That way when I had my Dew on the way to work I wasn't actually thirsty. Sure enough, by about day 4 I wasn't even finishing my can of Dew. I don't know if you drink pop in the morning but I always did and it turns out (DUH!) my body was just thirsty from not drinking all night. That trick resolved the morning Dew issue. Next, I quit buying it at home and I carry my water bottle with me AT ALL TIMES! I keep one in my freezer as well about half full. It freezes, I add water and constantly have ice cold water at home. After a couple weeks I didn't even miss it. I still have a soda here and there but even when I have one I usually don't finish it and I'm getting a water instead. It has made a huge difference for me and I no longer have the caffeine crash that comes with pop! My head used to start drooping at my desk around 3 everyday. This has stopped since I quit drinking pop. Coincidence?? Maybe but I like to think it was the soda. Good luck! :wink:
  • Il_DaniD_lI
    Il_DaniD_lI Posts: 1,593 Member
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    I hear meth works pretty well. May help you lose some weight too. Bonus!

    Nice.. that was ALMOST funny. :yawn:
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
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    I am often very tired after lunch. Right now I feel like I can hardly stay awake. I about 1 1/2 hours ago. A bit about me...I am 36 (37 next month), have four kids (youngest is 6 months and wakes up quite a bit at night still), weigh 148 and am 5'0" tall. I had gestational diabetes and my fasting BG has been high for the last month (usually high 90's or low 100's). I go in for a fasting glucose tolerance test next week. That being said, what are some general food rules for avoiding a crash after lunch? Here is what I have eaten so far today:

    Breakfast--Quaker weight control oatmeal and an egg muffin cup (about 3/4 of an egg, a bit of sausage and onions and peppers).

    Lunch--I was very hungry (still am)--homemade pasta fagioli soup (1 cup);yoplait greek yogurt;carrots, snap peas and grape tomatoes; Zone simple perfect energy bar; and I just ate a piece of string cheese.

    Any suggestions?

    Are you eating all your calories, or running a higher deficit in the hopes of losing weight faster? If you are, STOP IT. Tiredness sometimes is a sign of lack of sleep, and sometimes a sign that you aren't feeding the machine properly and you need more fuel.

    But far more importantly...

    You said you are breastfeeding. Are you counting the calories you are giving your baby? You are making your baby's food right now and your body needs extra fuel to make that happen. The quality of that milk is more important to your baby's health than losing weight is to yours, so DO NOT go by this site's basic recommendation for your daily calorie intake - talk to your doctor or pediatrician about how many calories you should be eating and what they should consist of.
  • amielizabeth1
    amielizabeth1 Posts: 57 Member
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    I admire you so much for having four kids and trying to get in shape! I was exhausted for years with just one child! Try to stay away from sweets, eat small protein-filled snacks throughout the day. Good luck and more power to you! :smile:
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
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    It always helps me to eat a good snack around 2 or 3ish. I like to have some protien along with a fruit. A big glass of chocolate milk sounds good right now though. Since you are breastfeeding make certain you are eating plenty of calories.
  • MissMandroid
    MissMandroid Posts: 10 Member
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    I save my b vitamin and my daily multi vitamin for after lunch to give me an extra pick me up in the afternoon.

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