Thanksgiving Health and Fitness Questions

Philip Pape 0:00

Welcome to a special Thanksgiving edition of Weird Q&A here on Wits and Weights , where I answer three offbeat questions about health and fitness , covering anything from nutrition to training , to mindset and more . And if you have a weird question you'd like answered , just send me a message on Instagram at Wits and Weights or use the send a text message link in the show notes and I will definitely tackle it on the show . Question one today does eating turkey on Thanksgiving really make you sleepy because of the tryptophan ? Now , this is something that I thought for years and I would use it as a reason that I felt like dozing off after that large Thanksgiving meal and the belief that turkey makes you sleepy . It's very common . Tryptophan is an essential amino acid , so it's one of the essential nine amino acids and it serves as a precursor to serotonin and melatonin , and those are neurotransmitters involved in regulating mood and sleep . Now , turkey does contain tryptophan , but unfortunately it doesn't have significantly more than other common foods like chicken , eggs , cheese and so on . And I say unfortunate in terms of if you thought the myth was true and in reality , the drowsiness that you get after a big meal is more likely because of the huge quantity of food that you just consumed , especially carbohydrates and fats . Nothing wrong with that . Thanksgiving meal is incredible . It's delicious and I want you to enjoy it .

Philip Pape 1:24

Eating a large meal can even activate the parasympathetic nervous system . Right , and that's the part of your nervous system that promotes rest and digestion , and then that leads to a feeling of fatigue . And then there's the high carb foods like mashed potatoes and stuffing and desserts and , by the way , the stuffing we eat in my family it's a sausage stuffing , so it's high fat and carbs and these all cause a spike in blood sugar , which then is followed by this rapid drop in blood sugar , and that makes you feel lethargic Again . There's nothing abnormal about these blood sugar spikes . It's totally normal , it's expected , it's not a health concern or anything like that . What else do we consume during the festivities ? Alcohol . And if you consume alcohol , like that spiked eggnog or hard apple cider , it's going to make you sleepy as well because of the sedative effects on your CNS , your central nervous system . So while tryptophan does play a role in sleep regulation , in a small amount , the quantity in turkey isn't enough to cause the significant drowsiness on its own . It's the combination of overeating , carbohydrate-rich foods and possibly yes alcohol that makes you want to take a nap after you have your Thanksgiving dinner .

Philip Pape 2:37

All right , question number two Can you gain weight just by smelling delicious Thanksgiving food all day ? Now , hear me out . This is a serious question and you'll understand why in a moment . Because the idea that you can gain weight just by smelling food it's intriguing on its own . It also is kind of ridiculous , right ? Oh , you're just smelling and you're not ingesting calories , but smelling food can trigger your hunger signals . They can stimulate your appetite by activating your olfactory system if you remember the phrase from school about your smell olfactory , and that's closely linked to areas of the brain involved in emotion and memory . It's why a smell can trigger a memory and this might lead you to eat more than you otherwise would .

Philip Pape 3:19

However , here's the cool thing the act of smelling food , which we know . It doesn't provide calories . So let's just get that myth out of the way . In case you even thought that I'm not sure who thinks that , but you can't . It doesn't provide calories , just smelling . So you're not going to gain weight from aromas , but you can gain and consume excess calories , which is the way we gain weight because of your eating behaviors and the smells , the enticing smells that come from the kitchen , whether it's on Thanksgiving or for any other meal being prepared , could influence how you eat , potentially leading to increased calorie intake . However , however , here's what's cool . Some research suggests that prolonged exposure to the same smells the same food smells might reduce your desire to eat that food . You get desensitized to it . Right ? It's a phenomenon known as sensory-specific satiety , and this varies among individuals . It's not a reliable method for controlling appetite . I'm not saying you should take the thing that you like to binge on and just smell it all the time , but it's an interesting hypothesis , isn't it ? And so , while smelling food doesn't cause weight gain , it can affect your hunger levels . It can affect your food choices and then being mindful of what you're eating and your own body's hunger and fullness cues , and where they might be coming from , will help you enjoy whatever you're trying to enjoy , including the holiday feast , without necessarily overindulging . But again , no judgment . If you overindulge one day out of the year because it's fun and it's a holiday , all right .

Philip Pape 4:48

Question three Is pumpkin pie a good pre-workout food because of its carbohydrate and nutrients , carbohydrate content and spices ? Now , this is an interesting one because pumpkin pie , of course , like any kind of baked good in its category , contains carbs , it contains sugars and we know that carbohydrates are essential for providing energy during workouts , especially high intensity workouts lifting weights both before and after . And the pumpkin filling that's used in a pumpkin pie , you know it has some vitamins and minerals vitamin A , potassium , fiber . And it's also , though , part of pie which is higher in added sugars and fats from ingredients like , of course , sugar and condensed milk . And the pie crust itself is made with usually butter or shortening .

Philip Pape 5:37

And consuming higher fat and higher sugar foods before a workout isn't really ideal . Not so much the sugar part , but really the fat part , because the fat content slows digestion and then that could lead to some discomfort or sluggishness . You know your stomach is just fuller during exercise and that's not great . And then the sugar you know having too much sugar content could cause a spike in blood glucose followed by a crash . So depending on the timing of that , it could affect your energy , like in the middle of your workout . So timing is a factor here . If it's right before your workout , it could actually be helpful .

Philip Pape 6:12

And then some people love the spices in fall foods like pumpkin pie . You've got cinnamon , nutmeg , ginger , and each one of these have some nominal health benefits anti-inflammatory properties and whatnot but they're present in just very small amounts . They're not going to impact your workout performance specifically . So for a pre-workout I would rather choose something easily digestible , an easily digestible carb paired with a moderate amount of protein , and then keep the fats and the fiber low to avoid slowing down your digestion too much or having gut or stomach issues during your workout . You get the sustained energy , but you don't get the GI discomfort .

Philip Pape 6:49

Now , if you're a fan of the taste of pumpkin and it's like all the rage this time of year well , you could make your own smoothie with pumpkin puree , banana , protein powder , almond milk , some cinnamon thrown in there . It would tastes great . They're obviously packaged and processed versions of pumpkin spice and pumpkin flavored things . I mean the list is endless . There's a pumpkin spice protein bar by First Form that I really like , and all of these offer you the carbs and the protein you're looking for and minimize some of that added sugar and minimizing the fat . So these are all great pre-workout choices really . Just an easily digestible carb with some protein . And pumpkin pie is delicious . So I just want to end right there . Pumpkin pie is a delicious treat , especially with some whipped cream on it .

Philip Pape 7:31

When I enjoy Thanksgiving dinner and desserts I quote-unquote save room , right I try to have a balance of pretty much everything available in just very small amounts . You know , start very small and you can always add more food if you want it after that , just to really enjoy the different flavors and tastes and variety . And then you have some leftovers as well . So pumpkin pie may not be an optimal pre-workout , but who cares ? That's not really the relevant question . We want balanced , nutrient-dense foods in general to support our training and we want to enjoy ourselves on the holidays .

Thanksgiving Q&A Special Episode

Philip Pape 8:01

All right , thank you for joining me on this special Thanksgiving edition of Weird Q&A . I hope these answers help you navigate the holiday with a bit more knowledge . Maybe give you some table topics , some conversation starters at the dinner table . And remember if you have a weird question that you want me to answer , send a text message in the show notes or shoot me a message on Instagram at witsandweights and I'll definitely feature it in a future episode . I'm wishing you all a happy , healthy Thanksgiving and rest of your week filled with gratitude and mindfulness . I'll talk to you next time here on the Wits and Weights podcast .