The Day After

After a big meal, it can be hard to face the next morning. This heavy feeling throughout your midsection makes it difficult to just get up and seize the new day. A friend in professional competitive eating told me it's like going through a hangover. A food hangover.

You don't really feel like eating, or doing much of anything, but life is rolling on. There's not much choice but to get up and live life.... even if life feels temporarily heavy and sluggish.

So what do you do? How do you get back on track after consuming 8 senseless lbs of grub? First, you just eat a lot less for the next couple of days. You eat with strict focus: lean, light, low-calorie foods, to keep your digestive system going. You must stay well-nourished regardless of how you feel. I like protein shakes, coffee, milk, raw vegetables, and cottage cheese. I also drink generous amounts of water to keep myself hydrated. And finally, I exercise (as I always do) at a high level of intensity for the next few days to make use of the excess calories that I've consumed.

It's usually about a day or less before I feel right again. I've found that my recovery times have shortened in the past year.... which I believe is a good development for any "athlete" in this sport. It's wonderful to feel full, but even better to feel right.