To hasten digestion, reduce fat storage, and avoid heartburn after eating too much, go for a walk or sip 4 to 8 oz. of water — but don't overdo it. A psychological trick that may make you feel better is to plan your next meal — when it will be, and what foods it will include.
Myth: You Shouldn't Eat After 7 P.M.
“However, there's no magic to the 7 p.m. time,” Dobbins says. “Losing weight is a matter of limiting our calorie intake, and most people tend to eat most of their calories in the evening, at dinner and snacking afterward.
The researchers explain that, after we eat a meal, our brains begin the process of circulating insulin thanks to the increase in our blood sugars. The brain should send a signal to the body to begin burning some of that energy—a process that's referred to as browning the fat.
Stay Upright
Slouching or, even worse, lying down right after eating can encourage food to move back up and out of your stomach into your esophagus. Remaining upright and avoiding positions in which you're leaning back for two to three hours after a large meal will minimize the risk for heartburn, Dr. Saha advises.
After dinner, wait for at least one-half hour and then drink a glass of warm water. Slightly warm water helps helps break down the food in your stomach and aids digestion. This helps the body absorb nutrients. After enjoying a warm dinner, many people are tempted to go to bed right away.
1. Exercise: Vigorous exercise trims all your fat, including visceral fat. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least 5 days a week. Walking counts, as long as it's brisk enough that you work up a sweat and breathe harder, with your heart rate faster than usual.
The most common cause of stomach pain and bloating is excess intestinal gas. If you get a bloated stomach after eating, it may be a digestive issue. It might be as simple as eating too much too fast, or you could have a food intolerance or other condition that causes gas and digestive contents to build up.
Healthy Eating Habits
Avoid laying down after eating: Keep upright for two to three hours after meals to reduce gastrointestinal discomfort and aid digestion. Eat a well-balanced diet: Plan meals that include fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains.
Walking after meals, especially dinner ensures the food is digested well. It also boosts the absorption of nutrients from the food. The physical movement of the body promotes better digestion as it also causes movement in the various organs that are part of the digestive system.
Experts recommend waiting at least three hours after you've eaten to go to bed. This allows your body time to digest your food so you're not up at night with an upset stomach, indigestion, or acid reflux.
In fact, drinking water during or after a meal helps how your body breaks down and processes food (digestion). Water is vital for good health. Water and other drinks help break down food so that your body can take in (absorb) the nutrients. Water also makes stool softer, which helps prevent constipation.
Lying down (or not)
When you do lie down, though (ideally at least three hours after a meal), consider lying on your left side, since that position promotes better digestion by protecting against heartburn and allowing gravity to more efficiently pull waste down through the colon.
Digestion benefits and left-side sleeping
However, the location of the stomach is a clue. The stomach's natural position is on the left side, where it can digest food more effectively. Gravity helps the waste travel from the small intestine to the large intestine.
Experts say that having a late-night meal keeps the body on 'high alert' at a time where it should be winding down, which can have dangerous implications for our health. Researchers have now said that we should never eat within two hours of our bedtime, and ideally, nothing after 7pm.
Walking within 60 to 90 minutes after eating delivers the best results. Although light walking at any time is good for your health, a short walk within 60 to 90 minutes of eating a meal can be especially useful in minimizing blood sugar spikes, as that is when blood sugar levels tend to peak.
Such fat-burning foods include eggs, nuts, and oily fish. The term “fat-burning foods” may apply to those that produce fat loss by stimulating metabolism, reducing appetite, or reducing overall food intake. All foods stimulate metabolism.
Spinach and other leafy green vegetables like kale, lettuce, etc. are great for burning belly fat and are very nutritious as well. There have been some studies done on the subject of the fat burning capabilities of spinach and the very healthy veggie has come out a winner in this category.
Experts believe that walking at least 100 steps after eating your dinner / lunch improves your overall wellbeing. This includes proper digestion, burning calories, better control of blood sugar levels and triglycerides in the body.