Sport How to fight night cravings for sugar?

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triskel

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Hi:

I'm new to this boards.

Everytime i try to start a new low-carb/high-protein diet, i find the same issue, at night, after a fat and sugar-free day and a dinner plenty of proteins, skimmed chesse, some vegs, etc... I would wait like 2 hours before i go to bed. But at night i would always wake up with a craving for sugar i can't stop unless i really eat some cookies, some chocolate, cakes, etc...

It's like loose your will power, you have during the day and at night is completely gone. Can anyone help with this? I'm sure some other people go thru this when they start some kind of diet.

Thanks in advance.
 
Well, for starters, why are there cookies and other 'goodies' in your house? If you have nothing to ruin your diet with, its harder to ruin your diet :)

Are you actually eating enough food? Cutting out starch carbs means more protein, fat, and veggies. Your cravings may be due to too low a caloric intake.

Lots of water also helps, as does going to bed physically and mentally tired. If your energy is high or your mind is racing, you don't sleep as soundly.
 
I can sort of relate with having goodies in the house (for the kids) and I love chocolate but this craving should/will pass and its you and you alone who can change this....as suggested drink more water, you'll be too busy peein' to be worried about sugar!:D
 
I'd also add to the advice in the above 2 postings that at night your seratonin levels fall and you also naturally feel tierd, its all to do with a reduction in the natural light. Both are "read" by your brain as a depeletion (sp?) in energy, you feel lathargic, you lack the same degree of motivation that you have in the day, also I don't know about you but the lack of structure, the lack of people around me and the dread of things that have to be done the next day can all add stress to my evening/night time.

As a result of the lack of energy and drop in 'feel good' hormones, my mind craves foods which are rich in carbs (and for me, sugary fruit like watermelon, apricots, prunes, figs...) this is because on eating sweet foods or foods rich in refined carbs, your seratonin levels are temprarily raised, your energy levels boosted and refined foods and sugary foods are a very fast way of getting sugar into your blood stream, your body has learnt this from past experiences and knows to send out such cravings in order to restore what it has not got/what it wants.

Best thing to do? eat some complex carbs, have some dairy or similar which will give your body the energy it requires (ONLY IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY HUNGRY AND HAVE ENOUGH CALORIES TO SPARE THOUGH!)
Otherwise, find something to do: knit, tidy up, file away things... phone a friend for a chat or go to bed and sleep!
 
The main time I ever get cravings would be if I was staying in one night and chilling out with a bit of playstation. Now, I don't do this often maybe one or two nights every few months, then i'm bored of it again for a while.

But when i'm just sitting there on my ass I get cravings for things like pizza, one of the worst things to get a craving for when you want to be healthy haha.

Usually I nibble on a fruit and nut mix (small amount) and then any craving passes. Mines not really for anything sweet, and I probably don't actually need any food, it's just that laziness that leads to the craving.

Try chewing some sugar free gum, I know a lot of people say that it's a solution to sugar cravings. Not a complete solution, would be better to not have it I guess, but better than munching on a bar of dairy milk or something similar lol.
 
Thanks for the answers guys, I really agree with summer123's answer that at that time of the night I lack any kind of motivation, which is the reason why I eat any sugar, cadbury bar, cookie or any thing without a feeling of guiltiness if i haven't done so during the day or at dinner.

last night it happened again, i just woke around 4 am and ended up eating half bottle of Nutella :sad3:, tonight ill try with fruit instead :S

Ther must be some way to reduce these craves gradually :confused:
 
I don't think there's anything wrong with snacking at night as long as they're the RIGHT things to snack on. Dump the cookies and have an apple. Lose the chocolate and have some grapes or nuts. You're satisfying the craving without doing damage to your progress.
 
I got this sugar craving (badly) only last night..a small handful of brazil nuts & almonds followed by a protein shake fixed that although if I'm honest I sooo would have preferred chocolate, I'm glad I didnt now.

On a side note, allow yourself a cheat once in a while as a reward :cool:
 
Practice makes perfect. Also, Malkore had a good point on trying to keep that stuff far, far away from yourself. Your carb intake might also be affecting your sugar cravings.
 
Hi Triskel – I agree with summer123 – your body has gotten used to getting a certain amount of calories every day. When you go on a diet, your body takes time to adjust to the change in calories and in diet. Cravings are normal and temptations are most severe when you begin a new diet. Hang in there – it will get better! I got through by feeding my cravings with a healthy cocoa tea (CocoPure). Find a substitute which works for you – something sweet which has hardly any calories and is healthy to eat or drink. I liked CocoPure because it also has Green tea – a natural thermogenic that burns calories faster. :)
 
post up pictures of what you wanna look like right near the cabinet and know that if u start munchin u wont look like that
 
I have to echo Malkore's post. I had to literally remove most sweets from my house cause I kept breaking my diet.

For me, once I fill full I don't eat. In the end of the day it's how many calories you consume, right?

I use chocolate casein protein at night and that seems to help keep me satiety. I sometimes mix fiber in with it to help bulk it up and further aid in the slow release. I always save room in my calories.

I too am on a low carb/high protein diet. So I'm always trying to find ways to curb my sweet tooth or feeling of hunger so fiber(including veggies) and casein goes a long way for me.

Anyways good luck
 
I've read recently that a lot of supposed "cravings" are just our own justification for eating what we want, not really your bodies internal craving for a particular micro or macro nutrient. Your body does not really NEED carbs at night, but you may be extremely hungry in general and be translating that into a craving for carbs.

remember, nightime really is the worst time to consume ANY carbs. All carbs are is energy, and you don't need energy at night.

I would recommend adding some protein/fats right before bed. I'd also recommend keeping some turkey breast or some other easy protien in the fridge so you can grab that at night instead of carbs.

PS. why do you have goodies in the house "for the kids"? Isn't their health worth getting that stuff out of the house as well?
 
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