Why You Keep Crashing After Lunch (and how to fix it)

I used to down 4-5 Chipotle burritos per week in college. 

During my junior year, I lived around the corner from Chipotle and would swing by after my 2 p.m. classes. My order was the same every time: two burritos with extra rice, double chicken, fajita veggies, lettuce, pico, and cheese—one to eat immediately and one for lunch the next day.

I’d eat burrito #1 on my couch, play some Xbox, and pass out. Like clockwork, around 5 pm, I’d wake up in a daze to my roommates getting home from class.

I’d be lying if I told you these crashes stopped after college - I still have days where I eat a big lunch and then struggle to get anything done after 2 pm.

The “post-lunch crash” is a widely accepted norm in today’s working world. My first boss even had a rule because of it: No important meetings for 90 minutes after lunch because people will struggle to pay attention.

In reality, the post-lunch crash is extremely avoidable.

It’s almost lunchtime for some of you, so let’s get into it.

Our energy levels naturally dip in the afternoon, but our biggest energy swings usually come from what we eat and the ensuing blood sugar response.

Here’s an example. A few years ago, I rented a blood sugar monitor from Levels. I suspected my blood sugar might be behind the post-burrito fatigue. So, I put on the monitor and downed a burrito, just like the old days. This is what I saw:

Levels rated the Chipotle burrito a heartbreaking 1/10 for my blood sugar levels 🫠 

Why? Our bodies all respond differently to foods, but one of the most common spike triggers is a large dose of refined carbs— like a Chipotle tortilla.

I learned that rapid blood sugar crashes often manifest physically as sleepiness and fogginess. Those energy crashes in college started to make more sense. Lots of refined carbs at once → blood sugar spikes & crashes → the sudden urge to nap.

Out of curiosity, I wondered what would happen if I ditched the tortilla. So, I went back to Chipotle the next day and swapped the burrito for a bowl. I ordered the exact same ingredients, minus the tortilla, and threw in some avocado. This time, things looked a little different:

Even though the bowl was arguably more food than the burrito, my blood sugar stayed way smoother than before. And no urge to pass out on the couch afterwards.

At this point, you might be expecting me to tell you to “Stop eating burritos!” or “Eat less carbs!”

But this is not an anti-burrito post. Or an anti-carbs post for that matter. I grew up eating rice with every single meal. Pasta is my favorite food. And I still eat Chipotle burritos! (just less often 🙂 )

This is, however, a post about paying attention to the foods you eat most and considering how you feel afterwards. What are your ‘go-to’ breakfasts and lunches during the workweek? Are they fueling or draining you?

Occasional crashes are harmless. But if the crashes are happening regularly, they can increase your risk for prediabetes— a condition that affects more than 1 in 3 U.S. adults, 80% of whom don’t even know they have it. Prediabetes opens up the door for type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases in the future.

The good news is that small tweaks to your meals make a world of difference to your blood sugar responses.

For example, here’s what can happen if you mix some beans into a bowl of rice instead of eating the rice by itself. (Credit to @glucosegoddess, a great follow)

Or getting some greens before going to town on some pizza.

Or not changing anything about your meal, but just adding a short stroll afterwards!

Ultimately, if you’re crashing often during the workweek and want to break that cycle, how can you add extra fiber, fat, and/or protein to your meals? How can you do it while making your meals taste BETTER than before? Can you fit in a 10-minute walk after you eat?

The goal here is not to take the joy out of eating, but rather to make small changes to your everyday meals that ultimately bring you MORE joy and consistent energy throughout your days.

Eat well and talk soon!
Nico