One Trick To Free Yourself From Afternoon Sugar Cravings

I started blogging over 5 years ago when I was feeling “fat”. I was exhausted, dealing with a new back injury/chronic pain, and I hated how I felt. I wanted a specific goal I could work towards, so I signed up for a sprint triathlon and spent my summer training (<- read about the incredible experience I had). I lost some weight and felt amazing, but in the 4 years since, I have stayed at or above that weight.

So what do I do? I’ve counted calories. I’ve exercised. I’ve counted my steps. I’ve never been able to sustain anything long enough to drop below the threshold I’ve been sitting at for the last 10 years and I can’t shake these afternoon sugar cravings. I’ve spent a lot of time learning so I’m going to share a few steps I’m starting to take towards a wholly healthier me.

4 years ago: A Hot Day at Kings Dominion

I’ve been wanting to feature the things I am doing and want to do as I am actively working towards a healthier me. If/when I get pregnant again, I want to start at a much healthier place than I did the last time. It’s such a journey, and it’s a personal one at that. But I like the sense of community that comes with blogging. It’s motivating to connect with other moms and women who have similar goals and struggles.

I’m want to add: I am not a doctor and I am not giving any level of medical or dietary advice. I believe that this journey is both mental and physical and every single person has different needs. You should find registered medical professionals who respect your individual body and use their expertise to help you get to where you need to be. I’m only sharing my personal experience as a means of documenting progress for myself and sharing ideas with my community.

No Calorie Counting

First, whatever changes I make need to be sustainable which means I will not be cutting calories. Instead, I’m learning to incorporate intuitive eating and to be aware of my hunger and fullness cues. For so long I’ve been ignoring BOTH cues and I want to do better.

One of the things I’ve done to guide me is to figure out my current basal metabolic rate (BMR). I need to be eating enough to feel good and keep my metabolism running properly. I often don’t eat enough calories in a day (unintentionally) so I’m trying to make sure my body is getting the fuel it needs.

“Starvation can reduce BMR by as much as 30%. Similar to a phone that goes into power-saving mode during the last 5% of its battery, a human body will make sacrifices such as energy levels, moods, upkeep of bodily physique, and brain functions in order to more efficiently utilize what little caloric energy is being used to sustain it.” (source)

Another thing I have struggled with for years is intense sugar cravings. I recently saw a registered dietitian suggest that many sugar cravings come from not getting enough calories. Lightbulb. I realized that I haven’t had a regular eating pattern since I left home for college. I never struggled with weight until I left home. I overate occasionally and I loved desserts and treats whenever they were available, but I still maintained my weight throughout high school. I went to college and I progressively started eating less frequently and haphazardly. I no longer had defined meal times and as time went on, missed meals created afternoon sugar cravings. Which eventually turned into sometimes equating cookies as an appropriate meal. I knew it wasn’t a healthy habit, but I’d lost all boundaries. When I was hungry, I turned to quick comfort and it’s a habit that has stuck.

Eat Regular Meals and Eat Enough Calories to Avoid Afternoon Sugar Cravings

So this brings me to my second step: create mealtime boundaries. My goal is to have consistent mealtimes and to be intentional about the foods I’m eating (ie. no cookies as my lunch haha). For example, I could eat breakfast between 7:30-8:30 am, lunch between 12-1 pm, and dinner between 5-6 pm. Again, no hard and fast rules, but intentional mealtimes with actual filling meals, not just cookies or crackers. I don’t know if this is something that works immediately to curb sweets cravings but I assume that it could take some time of properly fueling the body before you fully feel the effects of this method.

Commit to Exercise

The last step here is separate from food goals but imperative to my overall health goals. I want to feel fit. I want to feel strong and healthy. I was doing a lot of exercise in April-May but I stopped somewhat abruptly when I started having shoulder instability pain. I haven’t an exact plan in this area yet but step one is committing to finding time whether it’s with my toddler awake or before he wakes up in the morning.

To be honest, what makes all of this hard, is low energy levels! I don’t know if it’s as simple as saying, I have a toddler that wears me out or if it’s more complicated and I have a hormone imbalance. Whatever it is, I’m tired and I’m trying to stay motivated. I want to have more strength and energy for myself and I want me to feel healthier for my family’s sake too!

One Trick To Free Yourself From Afternoon Sugar Cravings

A bonus thought to this conversation… I spent some time talking with my sister-in-law recently about hair care and I was mentioning how I never struggled with hair health until after I started college. I remember my hair getting really bad in my sophomore year and now I wonder if there’s a relationship between my poor diet habits, being overweight, and dealing with the stress and depression of losing my mom. I’ll be super interested to see what happens with my hair as I clean up my diet!

So as I actively dive into a healthier, well-rounded lifestyle, I invite you to join me and watch for updates, recipe roundups, and additional steps I’m taking to feel healthier. I’ll also keep you updated on how my afternoon sugar cravings are going as I intake more mealtime calories.

What are 3 things you do to keep you feeling healthy?

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