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When it comes to eating at certain times, I found that eating six small meals a day and listening to my bodys natural clues works by far the best for me. It helps even out my energy levels, make me perform at my best and prevent overeating. Ive tried skimming on snacks to loose extra pounds for years, but somehow it always turned on me: Never mind how big a plate of food I had at lunch time, by 4pm I would be wrestling with my cravings.
Now, I know Im not alone in this. Ive heard this same complaint from my working friends. A dear friend informs me that she hits the vending machine, every day, promptly at 4pm. What baffles her is that her days always go so great at first: Cereal for breakfast, sub sandwich or salad for lunch, and then boom! round about 4pm she throws all caution in the wind, head for the vending machine and gobble up a few candy bars.
For some of us who work from home the munchies can be ever so real. Never mind what youre working on, being it the never ending laundry, lovin on those little ones, or typing away at your laptop, you are not immune.
The smart people tell me that it is important for our health and mental well being to keep our energy level steady. This can truly only be achieved by eating small amounts of healthy food, frequently. So diets, starvation, binging and overeating all sends us on a roller coaster ride that will put Six Flags to shame. Energy levels go up and come crashing down, emotions fly all over the place and our health is in serious danger.
So maybe you want to join me and go with it for a while. Follow your bodys signals, be ready for those 4pm munchies with snack that you love but that can also help to even out your energy level.
Heres a few Tips for you
THINGS TO DO WHEN THE MUNCHIES HIT:
1. Try drinking water, you might just be dehydrated
2. Get moving! Exercise is another great source of energy, and you might just be bored or in need of some fresh air. Going to the gym at 4pm actually helped me overcome huge carb cravings for a season
3. Make sure that you add enough lean protein and whole grain to your lunch meal, otherwise you will be starving just a couple of hours afterward
4. Check yourself to see if something upset you or made you anxious. Try lying on your bed or sitting in your favorite chair with music on. Talk to God or just wait in His presence. Your craving might have nothing to do with hunger after all
5. If this keeps happening every day, wise up, your body might need nutrition that time of day. Rather plan ahead to have a light mid-afternoon meal daily, this will put you at ease and prevent overeating at lunch time
6. You might simply be exhausted and a power nap (15-20 minutes of sleep) will perk you right up!
7. Make sure you really need to eat something, wait a few minutes, do something else that consume your thoughts, such as reading, talking to a friend or taking a long bath. The urge to nibble might just vanish!
THINGS NOT TO DO:
1. Go grocery shopping when you have the munchies
2. Watch mid-afternoon TV. All the food commercials WILL bring on more cravings!
3. Eat a snack high in sugar, salt and fat. This will not satisfy you but rather increase your cravings and keep you grazing until bedtime (believe me, I know)
4. Move in the direction of the vending machine when the clock strikes 4!
GREAT SNACKS TO FEND OFF THOSE 4PM MUNCHIES:
Fresh or dried fruit, Low fat granola bar, Slice of whole grain bread with peanut butter and sliced banana, Cereal with low fat milk, Vegetable/Bean soup, Pretzels and low fat string cheese, Low fat popcorn and a handful of nuts, Pitta bread with hummus
If you know that this is a problem for you and you have tried countless times to Stop Binge Eating without success, then it might be time for you to reach out to someone for help. Please have a look at my online program for Women Struggling with Food and find out How to Stop Binge Eating and break this vicious cycle forever. I know about the feelings of failure and the loneliness and I want to help you.
