If you’ve ever come back from lunch and fought to stay awake a few hours later, then you’ve experienced post-lunch slump. How can I possibly survive the afternoon? you might wonder, as you check the time every 10 minutes. Sound familiar?
This common occurrence appears as tiredness, lack of focus, poor productivity, and low energy. Post-lunch slump lasts about 90 minutes, and most commonly occurs between about 3 and 5 PM. What on earth is happening?
Heavy Lunch = Low Energy
The most common culprit is your body struggling to digest a heavy lunch. We actually talk about this quite a lot in this blog and in the Beauty Detox Solution. Your body struggles to digest heavy foods, diverting your natural energy to the digestive process instead of saving it for beauty, creativity, and productivity.
Other factors may also contribute to post-lunch slump including waning enthusiasm, an uncomfortable office environment, too-warm temperatures, and even stress. Many people also consume sugar or caffeine at lunch (or right before or afterwards). While that gives them an initial burst of energy, by about 3:00 it has worn off, dragging you down energetically.
Many people rely on external energy sources, like energy drinks, coffee, and candy to get them through this slump. You don’t have to fall prey to post-lunch slump, however.
With the right nutrition, tricks, and tools you can sail through your afternoon filled with energy and enthusiasm. Here are my top five.
1. Set your day up from the start.
I talk a lot about the importance of your morning routine. While you may not feel that what you do in the morning has a bearing on the rest of your day, it absolutely does.
Eating bacon and eggs for breakfast, for instance, primes you to have digestive troubles throughout the day, draining your life energy for digestion. These breakfasts often lead to unhealthy lunches that bring about post-lunch slump.
Likewise, consuming caffeine, sugar, or energy drinks first thing in the morning can set you up for a roller coaster of energy throughout the day. Usually, by mid-morning the effects of the morning caffeine and sugar rush have worn off, and you’re at the candy or soda machine seeking a pick me up.
This artificial rising and falling of energy from external stimulants occurs throughout the day, sending you off in search of artificial sources.
What should your morning routine look like? In the Beauty Detox Solution, I recommend starting with a cup of hot lemon water and following about 30 minutes later with a Glowing Green Smoothies®.
If you’re still hungry 30 minutes later, you can have more GGS or some oat groats or steel cut oatmeal. These foods are all easily digested and provide you with amazing energy throughout the day, helping you to avoid the energy roller coaster that ultimately leads to post-lunch slump.
2. Eat Light to Heavy.
This is a tremendously important part of ongoing energy throughout the day. If you eat heavy foods first, your body struggles to digest them and other foods get trapped behind. The result is that your body doesn’t absorb ideal amounts of nutrients needed for energy from the foods you eat, and you have to expel tremendous amounts of energy for digestion.
The fix is simple. Eating foods Light to Heavy, both throughout the day and at each meal primes you for optimal digestion. Your body doesn’t have to work as hard to digest the foods you eat, and it is able to maximally absorb nutrients from foods so you have the energy you need.
An example of Light to Heavy for your noon meal might look like this:
- Start with a green salad
- Follow with some quinoa and veggies
3. Skip the animal products at lunch.
Animal proteins (including milk), can rob you of your energy in a few ways:
- It is very difficult to digest, so your energy is diverted to the digestive process.
- Metabolism of animal protein leaves an acidic residue in your body, and your body has to work to return to its slightly alkaline pH.
Instead of animal protein, try some greens and a grain-based dish that provides you with vitamins and energy.
4. Minimize caffeine and sugar.
I understand the desire to consume sugar and caffeine for energy. Coffee addicts often believe they “need” their morning coffee, but I’ve taken (okay pried!), many clients away from their coffee, and after a short adjustment period most all of them report back to me how surprised they are at how little they miss or need the coffee after all.
The sugar/caffeine consumption becomes a vicious (and addictive!), cycle. As the effects of your first dose wears off, you begin to feel tired and sluggish, leading your body to crave more caffeine and/or sugar.
According to Susan Roberts, Professor of Nutrition at the Friedman School and Director of the Energy Metabolism Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, consuming caffeine produces metabolic changes that give us temporary energy, including increased fat metabolism and higher levels of serotonin, dopamine, and acetycholine. As a result, we feel energized, clear, and focused – unless we have too much. Then, we may feel jumpy, anxious, and jittery.
Sugar works differently. Your body digests it quickly, breaking it down into two monosaccharide components (fructose and sucrose), as well as an enzyme called sucrase.
Your body then quickly converts both fructose and sucrose into glucose, which flows freely in the bloodstream producing a quick energy spike.
High blood glucose levels, however, can be dangerous for long periods, so your pancreas floods the body with insulin to tidy up the blood glucose, moving it into long-term storage. While this allows your blood glucose levels to return quickly to normal, it also creates a dip in the energy you feel, leaving you craving more sugar.
The only way off this roller coaster of highs and lows from sugar and caffeine is to cut it out altogether. It’s easy to replace sugar with complex carbs, which burn more slowly and provide you with sustained energy.
To cut off caffeine you can choose two paths: minimize withdrawal, by tapering down gradually, or go cold turkey, like ripping off a band-aid.
5. Eat energizing foods at lunch.
The best way to beat the afternoon slump is to carefully manage your energy by eating high-energy foods. Foods that are rich in complex carbohydrates and contain moderate amounts of healthy fats and protein can help provide the energy you need to make it through the afternoon unscathed.
Here’s a list of a few great, high-energy foods, plus a link to one of my latest recipes for some tasty Energy Bars:
- Leafy greens
- Avocados
- Seeds, such as chia
- Whole grains, like quinoa, millet, and brown rice
- Poppy Seed & Date Energy Squares
I hope you’re ready to face your day bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Start incorporating some of the tips above and you’ll start to see the results you’ve been looking for!
Let me know what your favorite tip is and how it worked for you! ;)
In love and health,
Kimberly
what about fats such as coconut butter (not oil)added around lunch time. is this too heavy?
Thanks for the great tips!
What brand of dark chocolate would you recommend that I can find at Trader Joes or Whole Foods?
P.S. Don’t forget to post the Spring Beauty Smoothie recipe ;-)
Kim, I have PCOS and my blood sugar skyrockets when I eat grains (even the good ones you recommend). I’m on medications to help this. I eat animal products with veggies at each meal because it helps my blood sugar feel balanced and keeps my appetite down. But I also feel the slump you mention here. Any advice? Should I try to eat quinoa and millet and deal with the dizziness/hunger that ensues afterwards? Thanks
~E
ooh.. i have two good ones that i just learned. veggies, apple, beet root, and ginger Juice is awesome for energy. and raw cacao with goji berries (though this one may give you too much energy lol). i was bouncing off the walls all day.
Hi Kim,
I have been on your Beauty Detox Solution for over a year now. I am 70 years old, start out the day with lemon water then the GGS. I have Steel Cut oats for lunch with Almond Milk and a few raisins. For dinner it’s always a Pro Biotic Salad.
I have never felt better and have tried every diet in the book until your book came out. My addiction was sugar but I have eliminated it along with dairy, meat, eggs. I have lost a lot of weight due to walking 5 miles daily and following your BDS. For a short time I was eating to many dates and pecans but not now.
Thank you for this awesome book which I made the mistake of putting on my kindle and rewrote most of the recipes on another spiral notebook so I have ready access to them!
Sincerely, Joannie
When I eat a grain for lunch I get double tired.
This is great! Thanks for the wonderful tips. I discovered your book over a month ago and have been so enlightened! Especially the info about dairy. I have a 10-month old daughter and am not comfortable giving her cow’s milk after her 1st birthday, but I didn’t know if Almond Milk was a nutritious supplement? Do you have any info for parents of infants?
Hey Kim, I was wondering if you need to chew the chia seeds? they are so small and slippery I have a hard time chewing them all.
Hi Kim! I have a quick question….is there a line for facewash/moisturizer that you can recommend. I’ve been loving the GGS every morning as well as the other tidbits I’ve read about on your blog for skincare. I just need a little extra help!!! I live in CO where it is SO dry…I need something for my face that won’t clog my pores, but will help hydrate it! Any ideas?? I’ve gone through cosmetic database online too…I’d love another opinion on where to turn!! Thank you!!!
Hi Laura,
You should try Origins! My skin peels from being so dry for a few months out of the year, and I’ve found a few products from their line that work for me. Otherwise, I did a natural spa party recently, and we made yogurt/cucumber masks and I was surprised how hydrating natural products were!
Hey Kim, love your book and lifestyle! Great post as usual! I’m still in blossoming beauty, but lost too much weight! My family & friends are all so concerned because of how underweight I am and so they’re unsupportive of my restrictive lifestyle but I love the structure and support of the BDS! I saw you commented on another post to gain weight as a BB to up our millet bread & quinoa & chia seeds! I’ll do all that but how do I know when to stop? Once the weight comes back I’m afraid of gaining too much or getting used to those changes. I’m worried about keeping the BDS lifestyle long term! I obsess about messing up! Also do you recommend a vitamin b-12 brand? Or liquid multi?
Hi Kimberley ! Love your blogs, book and have enjoyed all the health benefits that come with this way of living !!! Thanks for all your advise! I live in sunny Melbourne Australia! I play cricket and am looking for a food that will give me sustained energy throughout the days play! Any suggestions????? Thanks Suriya
What is your opinion on Erythritol? It is often used with Stevia, for example in chocolates. It is thought to be easier to digest. Is it a better Xylitol? What is your opinion?
What do you think?
Michael
Dear Kimberly
My name is Samira, I live ins Switzerland and I like what you write. I read your book.
I started the detox beauty two weeks ago and am very excited, but my problem here in Switzerland:
Organic vegetables and fruits are very expensive also the products for the beauty detox are very expensive, not for poor people.
Otherwise I feel great except for my flatulence give me a lot of problems?
Do you have some advice for me?
I wish you a nice day.
Best regards
Samira
Hi Kimberly!
Just wondering if you still use grapeseed oil to cook with? I tried coconut oil once, a while ago, but found that the coconut flavor overtook the flavor of the veggies. Are all coconut oils like this? Do you recommend a particular brand? I also just bought some low sodium tamari – it doesn’t say fermented, but does say traditionally brewed.. Same thing?
Also, was wondering how you pack nuts/seeds for snacks after soaking? I don’t have a dehydrator. Do you also store all nuts & seeds in fridge, including chia seeds? Last question, the 73% organic, raw, dark chocolate I buy contains evaporated coconut nectar – ok? The brand is ‘loving earth’ – its an australian brand – Not sure if you know it. They also have just released a coconut chocolate which contains around 50% organic raw cacao, evaporated coconut nectar, organic raw cacao butter, organic vanilla beans & organic coconut – does this sound like a good option too?
Thank you very much :) Your book has had such a positive, wonderful impact on my life!
Julia xx
Kimberly,
One of my readers recommended your book.
I’m hooked! Your way of eating, your GGS, your brilliant attitude and abundant energy — all addictive in the most positive way. Thanks for shining so brightly and sharing your sage wisdom with the rest of us.
I’ve since recommended it to my wonderful little community and your message is spreading like wild-fire.
Hi Kimberly,
I know this is a totally unrelated question, but I can’t figure out what’s going on. I’ve been following your detox solution for a few days, and I seem to be doing everything right–including your recommendations about cleansing. But I’ve gained 1 pound each day and I’m suddenly an insomniac. I can’t sleep more than 4 hours, and I can barely make it through the day. Is this normal?
also, I read your post about B12, but I’ve always taken B12 supplements so that shouldn’t be causing this
Hi Kimberly! Great post. My question is about food combining.. a lot of food consists of both protein and starch (like beans) or both protein and fats (nuts, avocado..) and it makes me wonder how much truth there really is to food combining “rules”. Wouldn’t our bodies be adjustable enough to handle combinations pretty well as long as we don’t make awful ones (such as a huge steak pasta with melon for dessert)? How careful are you with your food combining?
Thanks for all the inspiration!! XO
Hi Karin,
The main thing with food combining is to simplify meals. If you keep that in mind you’ll be improving. I make a point not to combine quinoa and nuts for instance, and I do know my body really well so that if I do miscombine even a bit I can really feel a difference. Because beans contain starch and protein, as I mention in the Beauty Detox, they are by nature bloating foods, and I personally do not eat them except for very occasionally. xx
I have purchased your book and wow I am looking forward to changing the way I eat!
I don’t purchase anything with bakers yeast or yeast extract as I find that I bloat. Is Nutritional yeast the same?
I think Kimberly uses the nutritional yeast for cheesy flavor. I think she uses it a lot. Dont quite remember
Hi Monica….thanks for checking out my blog. Yes, you are correct. I do use nutritional yeast to add a cheesy flavor. Sending lots of love! ;)
Hi Kim,
Well im on the KS train now!!! So far so good :). I started off with the G Smoothies and have been doing them daily for approx 3 weeks now. Love it!!….If only I could take my Vitamix to bed…..LOL!!!…..Ok so my only mystery is why am I soooooooooooooooooooo tired all of the time?? I do hot yoga 5 days a week and eat really well. I take supplements and get at least 8/9 hours of rest at night. I feel like a walking Zombie all of the time?? It sucks!! I thought exercise and a good diet are suppose to give you energy??……….any suggestions as to why I am feeling this way? It’s been going on too long now and I just dont know what else to do.
5’5″
117lbs
“almost”40 year old mom of 3 incredible toddler boys!!
Best,
Christine
Hi Kim
I Read your book and I feel great after drinking the green smoothie in morning. The concern I have is the food combining. Sometimes I feel like I have less energy or need to eat more than just salad and soup. I have an active job at
Greatclips and need to have energy. I need to have food at work I can bring and grab quickly like granola bars fruit ect protien ect. Can you tell me what I can include so I stay on the plan. I am not fat I just need to boost my immune system and health and hopefully beauty!!!
Hi Kimberly,
I’m writing an article for my magazine writing class about how to prepare kids healthy vegetarian school lunches. I was hoping you could answer a few questions to give me better insight into what foods would be ideal.
What are some of the most important energizing foods that can be prepared and left in a locker or cubby for a few hours?
What type of drinks are best to consume at lunch?
Any recommendations on making greens and grains more flavorful and enticing to kids?
I am 54 years old and have been on the Beauty Detox diet and Smoothie for about 3 months. My skin is gorgeous. My wrinkles are disappearing and my dark circles are all but gone. I have one problem. I am still very tired a lot of the time. When will I start getting all the energy? I am thin with no weight to lose and I exercise 5 days a week. But I am so tired.
Sleepy in Houston
I do not even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good.
I don’t know who you are but definitely you’re going to a famous blogger
if you aren’t already ;) Cheers!
Are you using a CDN? This article loads quite fast in IE.
Pains that are due to bloating will feel sharp and cause the stomach to cramp. These pains may occur anywhere in the body and can change locations quickly.*,..-
Ciao for now
<http://www.healthmedicine.co/