We have all had a late night junk out. There is no need for you to feel guilty about this because we have all done it before. However, it is important for you to get back on the right track after you have had a late night junk out. The worst mistake that you can make after eating junk food late at night is to skip eating the next day.
The reason that people feel that this is a wise thing to do is because they believe that a calorie is a calorie. However, it is important to remember that all calories are not created equal. They also believe that skipping meals will counteract the effects of overeating. There are several reasons that you should not skip meals after you have a late night junk out.
Your Blood Sugar Can Be Negatively Impacted
Junk food can cause your blood sugar to spike. Your body will then release insulin in
order to bring it back down. However, insulin can sometimes cause your blood sugar to drop too low. That is why you don’t want to skip meals the next day.
Your Hormones Will Be Impacted
Ghrelin and Leptin are two of the main hormones that control your blood sugar. Ghrelin stimulates hunger while Leptin has a tendency to suppress it. Junk outs can negatively impact those hormones. However, if you eat healthy meals after your junk out, then you can get them back your homes back in the right order.
Your Brain Chemistry Will Be Impacted
Junk outs can alter your brain chemistry. They can actually cause you to become addicted to food. That is why if you have one junk out, then you may find yourself having another one in the near future.
What You Should Do Instead of Skipping Meals
Your recovery from a late night junk out begins the next morning. You should continue with your normal routine the next day. You don’t have to eat a full breakfast if you don’t feel like it. However, you should eat something.
Ideally, the meal that you eat should have at least 20 grams of protein in it. There are several reasons that you need to make sure that you have enough protein in your meal. Protein helps boost your metabolism. If your metabolism is higher, then you will be less likely to gain weight after your late night junk out.
It can also stimulate the release of glucagon. This hormone can counteract the effects of insulin. Furthermore, a good meal can help boost your mood.
Plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beef and shrimp are examples of some of the foods that are high in protein. The rest of your meals should have complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables.