Hi Everyone,
This is first post here on shapefit.com and I just want to say hi to everyone! husband and I are going to try to have a baby in about a year and I want to be in tip top shape in order for body to carry and deliver a baby. So I am now changing the way I eat and I am going to the gym everyday. But every good thing in life has its challenges. problem is night-time snacking! I can control myself during the morning and afternoon, but after evening meal, I get intense cravings for two vices: BBQ sunflower seeds and hershey's hugs. I am looking for any advice to help fend off these cravings or for any healthy alternatives. Thanks so much!
Please help with cravings...
Moderators: Boss Man, cassiegose
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CarveMyBodyNew
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- Joined: Wed Dec 21, 2011 11:07 pm
Re: Please help with cravings...
Schedule another meal. You may be not eating after 5-6PM, so by around 8-9PM you'll get hungry then snack.
If this is the case, depnding on when your dinner is, have another meal around 8-9PM.
So you could have things like a small sandwich, beans on toast, a portion of Peanuts, Low Fat Cheese, a small bowl of soup as examples and such options would work better and fill you up better, so you'd not feel the urge to snack late evening.
If this is the case, depnding on when your dinner is, have another meal around 8-9PM.
So you could have things like a small sandwich, beans on toast, a portion of Peanuts, Low Fat Cheese, a small bowl of soup as examples and such options would work better and fill you up better, so you'd not feel the urge to snack late evening.
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ultimatehlth
- ESTABLISHED MEMBER
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- Joined: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:17 pm
Re: Please help with cravings...
You can try having a low calorie snack about an hour or two after dinner. Best bet yogurt with some crunchy cereal mixed in or a no sugar added popsicle. If it's salt you want have a handful of Popchips. Immediately following brush your teeth or at least chew sugarless gum. We are wired to crave different flavors and textures so the gum or toothpaste can fool your brain into being more satisfie
Last edited by ultimatehlth on Mon Apr 28, 2014 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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CarveMyBodyNew
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Re: Please help with cravings...
Thanks for all the great tips!
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yveskleinsky
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Re: Please help with cravings...
I suppose the first question I have is, have you always had these cravings or are they new? Second is, what is going on at night--are you an emotional eater or just not eating enough during the day?
...A lot of people (and I used to be one of them) think that cravings are a sign of weakness, and that we need to be disciplined to overcome them. This may sound a little woo woo, but the more I get into nutritional and health/wellness, the more I really have come to believe that cravings are often our body's way of communicating nutritional or emotional needs to us--especially during pregnancy when our nutritional (and emotional) needs are continually changing.
As a general rule of thumb, when you find yourself craving salt (or dirt), odds are the craving means you may have a mineral deficiency. A way to see if this is the case is to swap out table salt for sea salt (which has approx 60 different minerals, compared to table salt which has next to nothing). If you are trying to reduce the amount of added salt out of your diet, consider taking a vitamin and mineral supplement. If you are expecting right now, I'm guessing you are taking a prenatal vitamin--if you aren't you need to start. When craving sugar, 9 out of 10 times it means your body is craving energy/nutrients (which a multivitamin should also help with). Try experimenting with different high nutrient foods and see if any of them reduce the cravings.
There is also another theory which has worked wonders for me and that of "crowding out". So basically if your body is craving sugar eat sweet foods throughout the day such as apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc. I've found this works really well for me.
You will have to experiment to see which foods work best for you and your body, and give it about a week for the cravings to slow down or stop.
Keep us posted!
...A lot of people (and I used to be one of them) think that cravings are a sign of weakness, and that we need to be disciplined to overcome them. This may sound a little woo woo, but the more I get into nutritional and health/wellness, the more I really have come to believe that cravings are often our body's way of communicating nutritional or emotional needs to us--especially during pregnancy when our nutritional (and emotional) needs are continually changing.
As a general rule of thumb, when you find yourself craving salt (or dirt), odds are the craving means you may have a mineral deficiency. A way to see if this is the case is to swap out table salt for sea salt (which has approx 60 different minerals, compared to table salt which has next to nothing). If you are trying to reduce the amount of added salt out of your diet, consider taking a vitamin and mineral supplement. If you are expecting right now, I'm guessing you are taking a prenatal vitamin--if you aren't you need to start. When craving sugar, 9 out of 10 times it means your body is craving energy/nutrients (which a multivitamin should also help with). Try experimenting with different high nutrient foods and see if any of them reduce the cravings.
There is also another theory which has worked wonders for me and that of "crowding out". So basically if your body is craving sugar eat sweet foods throughout the day such as apples, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc. I've found this works really well for me.
You will have to experiment to see which foods work best for you and your body, and give it about a week for the cravings to slow down or stop.
Keep us posted!
Re: Please help with cravings...
Boss Man wrote:Schedule another meal. You may be not eating after 5-6PM, so by around 8-9PM you'll get hungry then snack.
If this is the case, depnding on when your dinner is, have another meal around 8-9PM.
So you could have things like a small sandwich, beans on toast, a portion of Peanuts, Low Fat Cheese, a small bowl of soup as examples and such options would work better and fill you up better, so you'd not feel the urge to snack late evening.
I was supposed to suggest the same thing.
that's actually right. If you are full, you don't crave for anything. So, instead of getting yourself "in" to the temptation, prevent it with healthier options.