Tell me if this sounds familiar…you’ve done great with your nutrition all day long, but as the sun starts to set, it’s like a nasty little alter ego takes over, and you find yourself raiding the frig, the pantry and all other places where snacks may hide. Then you proceed to nibble on this and that until bedtime. Metabolic Effect calls this the “continuous meal”. Whether it’s boredom, habit or true cravings that cause this to happen, here are a few tips to nip it in the bud.
1. Be prepared: prepping clean meals for the week and having them right at hand can help you avoid the urge to munch. Usually the last thing I want to do is make dinner after a long day, so having stuff already done is key. If you know your meals are already prepped, then you may be less likely to start snacking. Even if I don’t cook, I like to have things like salad greens and rotisserie chicken on hand to throw together a quick salad.
2. Keep a food log: perhaps there is something missing during the day that causes the munchies to take over in the evenings. Are your hunger, energy and cravings in balance? If not, try adding in some extra fibrous veggies, protein, a few bites of clean carb or some healthy fat earlier in the day.
3. Get out of the house: take a walk and get some fresh air. This can lower stress and help put you in an overall state of well-being and fulfillment. Or, if the weather is bad, take a long, relaxing bath.
4. Try the ME Cocoa Drink: this can help with cravings and brain chemistry. Mix 1-2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (baking cocoa) with hot water, add stevia drops to sweeten.
5. Late afternoon/early evening sprints: sprinting, at least in my opinion, is one of the best natural appetite suppressants there is, at least for a couple hours after it’s done. Find a stretch of road or go to your local track, and complete ten 100-meter all-out sprints. The only caveat to this is you may be a little amped up if you try to sleep too soon afterward. You can try a relaxing bath, along with some Yogi Sleepytime tea to help.
What are some of your favorite ways to avoid the continuous meal? Let me know! Tara@PrimeLifeFit.com.