#1 Biggest Mistake After Last Night’s Junk-out by Joan Kent, PhD

This post covers the biggest mistake you can make after bingeing or junking-out last night, what to do instead, and why.

 

So maybe last night’s junk-out started with crackers and devolved into a large bag of chips or cookies, which you polished off completely. Maybe more junk followed.

 

What happens the next day is critical.

 

Many of my clients would skip eating for half the day or more. This mistake has massive impact.

 

It seems to be based on the “calories-in-calories-out” perspective. Calories do matter, but avoiding food for much of the day following a late-night binge can be a bad idea for several reasons.

 

A junk-out seldom centers on healthful veggies. It usually involves junkier foods – crackers, chips, cookies, cake – and affects a number of factors.

 

Junk-outs impact blood sugar (glucose).

Bingeing on junky carbs can result in a reactive hypoglycemic response, leaving your morning glucose level lower than normal. Some people are more susceptible to this than others, but that doesn’t mean it’s rare. Those who binge frequently may be susceptible.

 

Junk-outs impact brain chemistry.

The junky foods of a binge have predictable effects on brain chemistry. I’ll address only a few of them.

 

• For susceptible folks, some binge foods may trigger an addictive response. That can virtually guarantee a repeat binge that includes the same addictive foods or others like them.

 

• Binge foods are likely to trigger cravings the next day for the same or similarly troublesome foods.

 

• The after-effect of the binge may be a drop in key brain chemicals. That can leave us feeling blah, cranky, or worse. Such ‘low’ emotional states are likely to prompt the desire to self-medicate the next day just to change the mood or feeling.

 

Junk-outs impact several hormones.

Examples are insulin, ghrelin, CCK and others. Those hormones, along with the other factors above, influence appetite, food preferences, and even emotional attachment to the foods.

 

Junk-outs delay breakfast.

The following day’s desire to eat will be pushed back by hours. That’s probably due to the calories consumed during the binge and may be the only factor that calories control directly.

 

So what’s wrong with postponing breakfast?

 

Skipping food until late in the day, even late morning, allows the day-after-binge to be controlled by the effects that last night’s binge had on glucose, brain chemicals, hormones, appetite, food preferences, cravings, and mood.

 

What Should You Do Instead?

 

Take control immediately. Wake up at your usual time, visit the bathroom as usual, go directly to the kitchen, and eat. You don’t have to eat a full breakfast if you really don’t want it, but at least have protein.

 

Why protein? Protein — even by itself — will address most, if not all, of the problems listed above:

 

• It will help to raise low blood glucose to a healthier level.
• It will boost your metabolic rate from its morning low.
• It will trigger brain production and release of chemicals that boost mood.
• It will trigger the release of CCK (cholecystokinin), a hormone that reduces both appetite and cravings for carbohydrates, especially junky ones.
• It will trigger release of glucagon, a hormone that opposes the not-always-beneficial effects of insulin. Protein is the only food-type that will do this.
• Eating first thing in the morning may help to prevent a shift of calorie intake to the late hours of the day, where they may negatively impact weight.

 

What About a Full Morning Meal?

 

A full meal is fine; be sure it includes a full serving (20-plus grams) of protein. The problem is many late-night bingers don’t want a meal early in the morning and postpone eating till the afternoon, or at least till late morning. That mistake has far-reaching consequences, as outlined, so eat protein first thing the next morning.

 

Which Foods Have Protein?

 

Examples include eggs, chicken, fish, shrimp, beef, lamb, cottage cheese, plain Greek yogurt with 20 grams of protein per serving. Leftovers are fine.

 

(Yes, you can eat chicken or fish in the morning.)

 

Vegans, of course, will prefer plant proteins. Hemp, pea or vegetable protein powders are a good choice.

 

Please note:  Nuts are NOT protein; they’re fats. Quinoa is NOT protein; it’s carbohydrate.

 

What About the Rest of the Day?

 

My recommendation is to build meals (and snacks, if needed) that include protein, vegetables, healthful fats, and complex starches.

 

Bottom line

 

Don’t try to ‘starve off’ a late-night binge. Instead, take control of the next day immediately by eating promptly after waking — within 30 minutes at most — and having protein, either by itself or in a solid meal as described above.

 

Bonus Tip

 

Now that you know what to do after a junk-out, you’re invited to discover how to prevent junk-outs in the first place – and even stop one when it happens. It’s easier than you may think! Grab your free Stop My Junkouts consult at LastResortNutrition to get started.

 

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar.