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Thanksgiving dinner, yum! After stuffing your faces with all things Thanksgiving, exhaustion hits, and you’re officially in the slumps. Getting up from the couch? Not happening. Going on a walk? Impossible. As you continue to yawn your way through the rest of the night, you wonder…how can you get yourself re-energized? This is where Haute MD expert Dr. Deborah Houk comes into play with her tips to avoid the inevitable exhaustion after eating Thanksgiving dinner. We suggest you take a read.

Dr. Deborah Houk | Internal Medicine | Naples, FL

The best way to energize yourself the day after Thanksgiving is to be more physically active. This means that as much as you may want to, don’t sleep in on Black Friday! Get up and go take a walk in the morning sun if you can, go shopping at a mall, or exercise to put some extra spring in your step. Be sure to be active and try to balance the calories you ate on Thanksgiving with your physical activity. Other tips include:

1. Varying your sources of protein. Turkey may be the most popular protein on Thanksgiving, but don’t eat a ton because with turkey comes the sleep-inducing amino acid called tryptophan. So, limit the turkey and instead add variety to your plate with other protein sources like grains, beans, or fish.
2. Limit desserts. Thanksgiving desserts are full of carbs and sugar, both of which add to feelings of drowsiness after they’re consumed. Skip the pie and go for whole fruits if you’re in need of a sweet treat after your meal.

For more information, visit Dr. Houk’s website, Instagram, or Facebook!