AFTERNOON SUGAR CRAVINGS … Why do you have them?
Many of my clients tell me it’s effortless for them to eat “as they should” up until mid-afternoon, only to start feeling these urges to eat EVERYTHING from 17h00 on. And, to tell you the truth, I’ve been there too.
The true meaning of sugar cravings
From my experience, this type of cravings is your body’s way of saying, “Hey girl, I need food!”.
When the body starts “talking” to you about food, it actually screams, and it’s always about sugar. Because, as you know, most of what we eat is metabolized and absorbed as sugar (glucose).
So, instead of thinking that you’re flawed because you have these urges to eat, mentally rewind your meals and be honest with yourself: “Did I eat enough today?”
For example, my friend M. is a super lean sporty woman who has a very demanding professional life and works out every morning and sometimes also in the late afternoon.
During a coaching session, she told me: “I usually have a light breakfast and a light lunch, and I feel fine. It’s only after 5 pm that things get complicated. And then I eat whatever comes my way!”
Well, from that quick conversation, it was very intuitive for me to say: Well, you’re just not eating enough at mealtime. Especially with that level of physical exertion!
Opinion: women are not eating enough!
I see this over and over again.
On the one hand, women are trying to reduce the amount of meat they eat, and M. was no exception. On the other hand, women also want to avoid “carbs” – meaning, bread, rice, pasta, or potatoes – because “they don’t want to get fat”. They are also trying to avoid fat, again the same reason.
In the end, women are typically eating minimal nutrients and end up blaming themselves because their bodies start screaming “I NEED SUGAR, NOW!”
Tips to avoid (uncontrollable) sugar cravings:
1. Forget food fads. Ensure your main meals (three a day) are balanced from a macro-nutrient perspective: you need protein, fats, and carbs, all from quality sources.
2. Eat for your activity levels, both physical and intellectual: body and mind both need nutrients and water to function. Adjust accordingly.
3. When you exercise, be mindful of pre- and post-workout meals. Make sure you have the right type of energy for your body to perform, and then heal.
4. Acknowledge that some days you’ll really need the comfort of a sweet taste. Just make sure you get it from healthy natural sources, not the office vending machine.
I created the FREE FROM SUGAR program to support women who feel this way, who need a friendly face to ask the right questions, and then make them feel empowered to finally eat what they need and break free of that sugar habit.
When you start eating this way, you’ll feel the bloating, the extra pounds, and even that guilty feeling melting away from you without the need to diet ever again.
I would be honored to help you on your journey. Send me a message if you want to find out how I can best help you. Click on “Book your free session“, fill the short form, and send it my way.
Love,
Sílvia
