Today we’re talking CRAVINGS!
I’ve had this question come up a lot in check-ins with my clients – How can I beat cravings late at night? What do I do if I’m hungry all the time?
There’s a few reasons that this may be happening – and keep in mind, this is a very individualized thing. What we suggest may not be the solution to what you’ve got going on, but these are some generalized steps in the right direction.
Protein Intake!
Most individuals don’t consume enough protein on a daily basis as it is, and this macronutrient is cruuuuucial to managing and regulating a lot of what goes on inside of us. Protein will keep you satiated for longer, as it takes longer for your body to digest and metabolize. This is the most obvious reason why prioritizing protein will help nullify your cravings and snacking desires.Make sure to include a protein source with all of your major meals – aim for 1-1.5 fist sizes for ladies, and 1.5-2 fists for men.Even better if you can include a protein source in your snacks – then you’ll really be on target to beat those cravings and late night snacking tendencies!
Balance out your plates!
One of the reasons why you might be feeling snacky or hungry is because you haven’t managed your blood sugars. By making sure we have a balanced plate at all of our major meals, you can curb these snacking desires because you will regulate your blood sugars better! Break your plate down as follows:
- protein source
- carb/starch source
- healthy fat source
- fiber source
This is the best way to manage our blood sugar levels and make sure we don’t spike too high or too low. This is also a major reason why we get hungry late at night – check your suppers and your late night snacks. Do they look like this?
Water Intake!
It goes without saying – and we’ve been saying this a lot – to stay hydrated and prioritize your water intake each day.Staying hydrated (2-4L depending) will make sure that our hormones are being regulated, and our metabolism and digestion processes are functioning as they should.Every function in the human body starts with a molecule of H20. Don’t underestimate the importance of this!
Sleep & Stress Management!
This one is a tough one, and is usually a large contributor to why we’re feeling snacky or craving sugary things. Managing your sleep is essential to the function of your body on so many different levels. We talk a lot about this on our One Percent Better podcast and break down all the important reasons you need to work on your sleep here.
On the contrary, stress management is also crucial because cortisol is a culprit to many of these things. Increased cortisol disrupts a lot of the management systems your body has in place to keep things regulated. It throws your hardwiring system for a loop, and tempts you with sugar as an immediate fix for everything that’s going haywire inside. Managing sleep and stress – albeit two difficult things BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE – are one of the best ways to manage our hormones and curb these snack and sugar cravings.
What on this list is something that you need to work on the most? What can you make a change with almost immediately that will start having an impact right away? What’s the easiest thing for you to make improvements on to help curb these cravings and snacky tendencies?
Sit down with one of our Expert Coaches and let us help you walk through all the areas you can make small improvements in, to beat your snack-y cravings!
