... Consumed after a big meal.

After gorging on pasta and cheesecake at your favorite local restaurant, stuffing yourself into your car, and rolling yourself to your house, what is often your first instinct upon arriving home? Right- opening the fridge in order to find a snack. While this might seem counter-intuitive since minutes before you were complaining that you would never be able to eat again, the impulse to snack post-meal is completely natural. This is because all calories consumed after a big meal don't count.

After a big meal, massive amounts of blood begin rushing to your stomach as the digestion process begins. During this time, all other metabolic processes come screeching to a halt, as your body focuses on working through all four servings of mashed potatoes, bread, chicken, and dessert you consumed at dinner. Your body is literally unable to process anything else, making any additional calories you snack on after your meal harmlessly pass through your body. No further calories can be extracted by your body while it is attempting to gather nutrition from your dinner extravaganza. So feel free to snack all you want, all the while complaining about how full you are.