5 Ways To Eliminate Nighttime Cravings
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Do you find yourself wrestling with late-night cravings, unable to resist the siren call of sugary snacks or carb-loaded treats? You're not alone. In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we will dive into the strategies to conquer those midnight munchies once and for all.
Join us as we explore five practical strategies to outsmart those late-night cravings, from the importance of hydration to the power of macro counting. Let's regain control of our cravings and cultivate a healthier relationship with food.
What I discuss:
Hydrate consistently throughout the day
Eat protein at every meal.
Eat consistently throughout the day.
Find out what your vitamin deficiencies are and address them.
Macro count.
If you loved this episode, be sure to tune in to…
Episode 105: The Secret to Eating Enough Protein Daily + Why It’s So Important
If you want more from me, be sure to check out...
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Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy: https://www.macrocountingmadesimple.com/
Website: www.juliealedbetter.com
Get my eBook: FREE Macro Counting Ebook
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Transcript:
[00:00:00] Hey there, beautiful human you're listening to Embrace Your Real With Me, Julie Ledbetter, a podcast where I empower you to just be you. With each episode, I get you a dose of real talk and actionable advice for building your confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned. If you're ready to embrace your real. Let's get it. Let's go. Hello and welcome back to another episode on today's podcast. I am so, so excited that you are here. Today's episode is a topic that is highly discussed and this is one that you know many people struggle with. This was me for a decade of my life. I didn't realize and didn't understand how to control these nighttime cravings. Right? We feel like we're doing so great throughout the day. We are hitting our macros where we're doing all the things, and then nighttime comes and we just feel like we are extremely hungry and we're giving in to these cravings, which is preventing us from being able to experience the results that we're chasing so hard after. And so in today's episode, I want to give you like five tangible ways to help you eliminate those nighttime cravings. But before we dive in, I want to share this reveal comes from Grace is 003. She gave a five star review and said, much needed podcast. This is my first time tuning into the podcast and it came just in time. As I was starting to feel bad about rest days, Julie gave us the science behind the importance of the rest day, but she also made it very quick and easy to listen. Great podcast that aligns well with her program. I'm so grateful, first of all, that you tune into the podcast and that your very first episode was that episode. [00:01:35][94.8]
[00:01:36] That's an episode that was highly requested and one that many people ask about on a weekly basis. So my goal for this podcast always is to help either in encourage you, empower you, or educate you in some way, shape or form. And hopefully it is an extension of the programs that I offer, right? Both my nutritional and my training program. My hope is that you can tune into these podcasts, and you can feel like you know, you're following one of my programs, but this is just an extension, kind of a long form way for me to communicate even more tips and tricks. And so grateful that you are finding this podcast helpful. Thank you so much for tuning in, and also thank you for taking time out of your day to send in that rating interview. They mean so, so much. So if you could scooch over to Apple Podcasts, leave rating interview, all you have to do is go to your Apple Podcasts app on your phone, iPad, any Apple device, and then type in Embracer real. Scroll all the way down and you'll be able to leave a rating and review there. So thank you in advance for doing that. Okay, let's dive into the five ways to Eliminate Nighttime cravings. And I really think again that this podcast is going to be very tangible for you so that you can take, you know, all or some of these tips and implement them so that you can start to actually see the results from all the hard work that you're putting in. Number one, super, super important, hydrate consistently throughout the day. Dehydration actually mimics these hunger pangs, which triggers your body into seeking food when it actually needs water, which is kind of crazy and something that maybe you didn't know. [00:03:00][84.5]
[00:03:01] But this is why staying hydrated is so, so important and ensures that your body clearly distinguishes between these two signals, which leads for fewer, unnecessary late night snacks. Plus, as you know, water fills your stomach, which creates this feeling of fullness that can suppress cravings, especially for those calorie dense, sugary foods that we often crave at night time. Studies have shown that people who drink more water before meals tend to eat less overall. Now I'm sharing this with you in the context of you going over your daily allotment of macros, protein, carbs, and fats that your body needs based on where you're at and what your goals are, and eating more than you need daily. Not as a tool for you to eat as little as possible. Because that is never a solution for anything. And I never want you to take these tips and be like, oh, Julie said, just drink more water. Said it suppresses my, you know, suppresses my hunger. And if you're not eating enough, there's a reason why your body's telling you. But sometimes, again, we mistake our dehydration for hunger. And so that's something to definitely keep in mind. Now, the last major way that hydrating regularly helps to curb cravings is by just regulating your blood sugar. So dehydration can actually disrupt your blood sugar balance, which leads to fluctuations that trigger cravings for that quick fix sugar hit. And this means that constant hydration helps to maintain that stable blood sugar level, preventing these cravings and stabilizing your appetite, which is essentially just a win win. There are so many other benefits of staying hydrated that could be a whole nother podcast in and of itself, but these are just kind of some of the benefits in regards to those nighttime cravings. [00:04:31][90.2]
[00:04:32] Number two eat protein at every meal. So you're doing three meals a day. Try to eat protein at every single meal, at least 30 to 35. If you can have 40g of protein for each of those three meals, that would be amazing. But this is honestly one of the most effective ways to eliminate those cravings. And I have found that when I'm consistent at eating 30 to 35, 40, sometimes even 45g, depending typically dinner is when I can hit, you know, those higher numbers in terms of protein for a meal that allows me to never feel like these cravings are controlling me, right? Of course, I still have moments where I want ice cream or pizza because I want it, not because my body is screaming at me for it. But here's why protein is so effective. So protein actually takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, which keeps you feeling fuller for longer. And this is because it kind of undergoes this complex digestive process taking. Longer to break down and absorb, and this slower process provides this sustained energy release, which keeps you feeling fuller for longer, and preventing those energy dips that trigger those cravings in the first place. When you are eating protein, your body actually releases hormones that signal this satiation and this reduced appetite, making you feel less inclined to snack frequently and to really battle these cravings throughout the day and especially at night, right? This increases the levels of leptin in our body, which is a hormone that tells your brain that you're full and it decreases levels of ghrelin, which is the hunger hormone. And that's what we want. Right? So this super sustained digestion and hormonal balance response that we get when we're eating protein, this allows us to make sure that our blood sugar levels are in check and they stay in check. [00:06:13][101.4]
[00:06:13] And it's these blood sugar highs and lows that often trigger these cravings in the first place. So if we can keep them level and steady throughout the day, less cravings will arise, especially those nighttime ones. So again, by eating protein at every meal, no matter you know what you're eating, if you can have some protein and a sufficient amount of protein, so about 30 to 35g of protein per meal, assuming you're doing three meals a day, this is really going to help keep those blood sugar levels in check all day long. Number three eating consistently throughout the day. So personally, if you know any of my story, I try to eat as little as possible. And it was like this game that I could play and it was so unhealthy. And man, I'm just so grateful that I have learned so much since then. And that's why I'm committed to this podcast, because I want people to. I never want people to experience what I did for a decade of my life, and I used to try to eat as little as possible throughout the day, and then my nighttime cravings would be absolutely uncontrollable. And when I say uncontrollable like that is an understatement. Skipping meals or severely restricting your calorie intake. This creates an energy deficit, right? And your body goes into a survival mode for lack of a better term, which slows down metabolism and ramps up those hunger hormones like ghrelin, which is what we just chatted about. So not eating all day. This should not be a goal, especially if you're struggling with cravings at night. With limited fuel throughout the day, your blood sugar levels become unstable and these dips and crashes trigger these strong cravings, especially at night. [00:07:44][91.1]
[00:07:45] And that's when the willpower is gone, right? Plus, when you deprive your body with satiation and these hunger cues, they get super confused over eating. You know, one meal throws off your internal balance, which makes it harder for your body to recognize true hunger and satiation cues later in the day, which then can lead to these uncontrollable nighttime snacks. So for me personally, I was able to break free from this toxic cycle of overindulging at night once I started to prioritize, at the very least, eating three super well-rounded meals throughout the day with a high protein snack you know, one to sometimes three times in between. And when I nourish my body with what it needed on a consistent basis, my body never felt like I was deprive, deprived, or depriving anything. Therefore, I wasn't having these crazy cravings at night because typically these cravings are telling us that our body is missing something and that it needs it. And those cravings show up as needing, you know, chocolate, or needing pizza or needing ice cream or needing chips. And it's really our body just saying no. We actually need certain micronutrients. We need a certain amount of calories based on where you're at and what your goals are. And so kind of once you start to learn that, especially learning how much your body needs based on protein, carbs and fats, where you're at and what your goals are, and you start to eat these three well-rounded meals with the right balance, proper balance of protein, carbs, and fats, you'll notice that your cravings will no longer control you, which is one of the most freeing feelings that you can have because you will actually start to feel energized throughout the day. I can't tell you how I lacked energy when I was only eating one, maybe two meals, and they weren't even. [00:09:24][98.8]
[00:09:24] I wouldn't even consider them meals back in college. Like I would again, just try to deprive myself all day long until I couldn't take it anymore. And then it was just a free for all. And I would feel so, so crappy. And I was lacking so much energy throughout the day. I was so bloated, I was not drinking enough. And with the mixture of not drinking enough and not eating enough, I mean, there was at one point I know I've shared this on the podcast. I was working in my salon job or my college job, was working at a salon, so I was managing a salon. And I remember one day a woman said, oh my gosh, congratulations, you're pregnant. And I wasn't. I was just very, very bloated. My body was so confused and I remember just feeling so embarrassed. First of all, never say that to a person, especially if you don't know them. I mean, just just don't even go there. But it was kind of a check. It was a check in my face. Like it was like, dang, your body is screaming at you. And people think that you're pregnant because you're so bloated and you're malnourished, and this is not how your body should be reacting. Your body should be able to function and digest this food. Your body should be able to be. Giving you energy. And so that was just one of the many things that I experienced in college. That was kind of a wake up call for me. So my hope again, my hope and prayer for you, for this podcast is that I'm sharing these things so that you don't have to go through what I went through for a decade of my life. [00:10:39][75.5]
[00:10:40] Number four, find out what your vitamin deficiencies are and address them. This is really, really important. So our bodies are constantly monitoring these nutrient levels. And when a specific vitamin or mineral falls below these optimal levels, the body might send signals in the form of cravings for foods that are either high in that particular nutrient. Plus, many vitamins and minerals are involved in essential metabolic processes, and when these processes are disrupted, it can cause this imbalance in hormones like leptin, which is your satiation, and ghrelin, which is your hunger, like we talked about earlier. And as we know, those hormonal disruptions that can lead to an increased overall hunger or cravings for specific foods. So when deficient in these nutrients, your body might experience these super low energy levels. And and to compensate for this, your body might crave these quick energy sources like sugary or starchy foods, regardless of the specific nutrient lacking, because it's just desperate for more energy. So here are some examples of vitamin and mineral deficiencies that you might crave because of it. So if you have a magnesium deficiency, you'll likely be craving chocolates or sweets all the time. If you have a vitamin D deficiency, you'll likely crave salty foods. If you have a deficiency and B vitamin B, you'll typically crave these carbs or sweets. But the best thing and obviously I'm not a doctor. I'm not a specialist in this. I want you to go to your doctor, go to a medical professional that can help you figure out what your deficiencies are. If you just haven't done an updated blood panel in a while, that's where I would start. I would start there. I would CBC, B panel and see where you're at there, and then ask if there's other specialized tests that you can take just to see where you're at in terms of your vital vitamin and mineral deficiencies. [00:12:23][102.8]
[00:12:24] And again, I want this for you because the more that you know, the more you can be on offense instead of defense. I don't want you to get to a place where you're feeling so many effects, and it's because you have lacked going to the doctor to being proactive in those visits, in those annual visits, to just kind of check where you're at. And the beautiful thing about our bodies is that if you do have a deficiency, our bodies are so adaptable. So you're able to pinpoint that you're able to take control of that. And our bodies are so smart. The way that God designed them is that we can, you know, see, okay, there's x, Y, and Z wrong. And there's a solution for that. And you stay consistent with that solution. And the next time that you get your updated blood panel and maybe six months or 12 months, you're going to see a major difference, which is so, so cool. So again, really going on the offense there instead of waiting until you have to be on the defense. And lastly, number five, I couldn't go without saying this, but macro account this is so important. You'll kind of, you know, if you are prioritizing your macros, your protein, carbs and fats that your body needs based on where you're at and what your goals are, you're naturally going to knock off a lot of things off your list, right? Macro counting is going to ensure that you're eating enough daily, that you're eating well-rounded meals consistently throughout the day, and that you're eating an adequate amount of protein. You're eating enough in general. Plus, when you're eating enough throughout the day, you're less likely to have vitamin deficiencies or at the very least, not have as bad a vitamin deficiencies. [00:13:48][84.5]
[00:13:49] Plus, with macro counting, this allows you to eat whatever you want so no foods are off limits. Honestly, this is one of the biggest reasons why so many people, myself included, can stick with it for long term. Because it's not a diet. It's a tool that you have in your toolbox to be able to say, based on where my body's at and what my goals are, and looking at foods and looking at the, you know, the quantity of protein, carbs and fats in that food. It allows me the freedom and flexibility to fit whatever I want. So, you know, prior to learning how to properly fuel my body, I would go months, sometimes even years without eating like pizza or ice cream. And then, you know, and a special occasion would come up and, you know, I'd be like, okay, I'm just going to have one. And because I restricted myself for so, so long, one slice that I initially had planned turned into the entire pizza. And then I felt disgusting because I was giving in to this craving, because I had made myself not eat it for so, so long that my body was just wanting it right. And so now, now that I know that I can eat whatever I want in moderation, if I want a slice of pizza, I'll have a slice of pizza. If I want chocolate, I'll have some chocolate. If I want some ice cream, I'll have some ice cream. I'm not going to have, you know, tons to the point where I'm over eating it, because I know that I can have it every single day. I no longer have this scarcity mindset which also triggers these cravings, right? And I know that if I want to have it again tomorrow, I'll have it again tomorrow. [00:15:10][81.3]
[00:15:11] But to really speak to this more technically, when you ensure that you're meeting your individual protein carbon fat needs, you're providing your body with the proper balance of fuel. And when you have the proper balance of fuel, it's really hard for cravings to exist. Protein keeps you feeling fuller for long. While these healthy fats help to slow digestion and regulate regulate those blood sugar levels, preventing those energy crashes that trigger cravings for quick fixes. And this balanced approach really helps you to keep your body satisfied, your energy level stable, and reduces the urge to snack mindlessly. So if you are tired of, you know, the snack and cravings and just having no control, I want to encourage you to at the very least, look into properly fueling your body through utilizing the 12 macro counting. And there's so many different ways that you can do it. If you are just starting out, focus on your overall calories and your protein goal. There's so many different approaches to macro counting. It doesn't have to be so black and white. It doesn't have to be so overwhelming. I do have a program. I will link it in the show notes called the Macro Counting Made Simple Online Academy. It's a step by step guide as to kind of how to get started. So you'll find that your macros are custom calculated based on your body, your needs, your goals, kind of where you're at. And you'll get all the information on how to get started and really make this into a lifestyle. And it can seriously be a life changing decision. I mean, I can tell you single handedly, learning how to properly feel my body was one of the best investments that I ever made, simply because it educated me on how to. [00:16:41][90.2]
[00:16:42] And when I feel educated, I feel empowered. And when I feel empowered around food, there's nothing that can stop me, right? It's the lack of confidence around food that oftentimes leads people down this road of just not being able to reach their results because they're not confident around food. So I will leave that link in the show notes below so that you can easily go check it out. Let's quickly recap the five ways to eliminate nighttime cravings that I talked about today. Number one, hydrate consistently throughout the day. Number two, try to aim for 30 to 40g of protein each meal, assuming you're doing three meals a day. Number three eat consistently throughout the day. Number four find out what your vitamin deficiencies are and address them really going on the offense instead of waiting until you have to be on the defense. And lastly, number five prioritizing how to properly fuel your body through your macro count. If you love this episode, I know you will also love episode 105, The Secret to eating enough protein daily and why it's so important. That's one of the biggest struggles that I see people have when they go into this macro counting lifestyle is okay, you know, I'm ready to do this, but I don't know how I'm going to get my protein count, especially if this is something that I've not focused on ever in my life. And so that episode, episode 105 should hopefully answer some questions for you, give you some great ideas. So I will link that in the show notes below. But that is all that I have for today's episode. I hope that you found this helpful. I would love for you to share it with a friend. I would love to hear your moments, so be sure to screenshot this post it up on your Instagram story. [00:18:06][84.5]
[00:18:07] You can also send the link in a text message to a friend. But that is all for today's episode. Love you so dang much. I mean it, I'll talk to you in the next one. All right, sister, that's all I got for you today. But I have two things that I need you to do. First thing, if you're not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so. Julie Ledbetter. Yes, it's with a in the middle for that Daily Post workout. Real talk, healthy tips and tricks, and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world, and I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace the real because you're worth it. [00:18:07][0.0]
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