Great Circle

It was the most regular thing about my working life.  Every day at 3.00pm I’d start obsessing.  Round and round in my head would go thoughts of fudgey chocolate brownies and my mum’s home-made sponge.  Or what about those cute little friands at the cafe just five minutes away? 

I tried to get rid of the thoughts.  I’d practice self-discipline.  I Ignored the craving, hoping they’d go away.  I’d try drinking a glass of water, after all that’s what the womens’ magazines always suggested. 

But most of the time I just ended up really wanting that cake. 

While I was studying to be a nutritionist I found out this feeling was called a food craving, and a whole lot of people experience them, particularly women.  I also learnt it’s these stroppy food cravings that often undo a healthy diet plan.  Many people eat really well in the morning and at lunch-time, only for things to start going downhill mid-afternoon. 

I also learnt food cravings are often a case of mind over matter. 

By the middle of the afternoon your blood blood sugar levels are getting low.  You’re a bit hungry and need to eat something.   

The middle of the afternoon is also when you start feeling tired.  You’ve been at work for a while, up for even longer.  Work is starting to feel a bit boring.  So you’re looking for something to perk you up and provide a distraction. 

This combination of hunger, tiredness and dreariness, makes it a perfect time to start obsessing about food. 

However, despite what your body is saying, you don’t specifically need chocolate, lollies or chips.  And I didn’t actually need cake. 

Instead, here are the two strategies I use for beating afternoon food cravings: 

1. Plan a snack for the afternoon 

I used to think three meals a day was the only way to eat.  I’d happily take my lunch to work, eat really well in the evening.  However I assumed I should be able to last the afternoon. 

However from lunch to dinner-time can be six or seven hours.  Six hours of declining blood sugar levels and growing hunger.  No wonder my thoughts turned to food. 

As soon as I learnt about blood sugar levels, I realised my mistake and started planning an afternoon snack.  I stopped trying to prevent myself from eating cake.  Instead I concentrated on eating a healthy and long-lasting snack.  A piece of fruit, a yoghurt and a small handful of nuts became my friend.  My afternoon saviour. 

2. Get out of your chair and do something 

When your energy lulls in the afternoon, certainly have a snack.  But don’t look to food to entertain you.  Do something, anything and that alone will perk you up.  Walk to the kitchen and make a cup of tea, talk to a colleague, go outside for five minutes.  And then see how you feel. The simple act of moving, of changing what you’re doing.  That alone will perk you up. 

That’s it.  Those are my two strategies.  It doesn’t seem like rocket-science.  However, do these, and they will work. 

And if you want more snacking suggestions then take a look at this post: eat a healthy snack this afternoon. (http://www.kathrynelliott.com.au/blog/2007/08/07/31-days-eat-a-healthy-snack-this-afternoon) 

It’s many years since my food craving epiphany.  I now work from home a lot, where there’s very little cake.  However, the kitchen is full of food, there are cafes up the road. 

And, I still use these strategies every day. 

I plan a snack. We include plenty of healthy snackable food in our weekly shop. There’s always plenty of nuts, fresh and dried fruit, yoghurt, vegies and hummous in the house. 

When that afternoon lull hits me I go to the kitchen and make up a mini-snacking plate.  If it’s sunny I take this outside and sit in the garden.  Alternatively I’ll walk up the road and have a cup of tea.  Or I might spend a quick five minutes reading the paper while munching on my snack. 

Then I’m refreshed and ready for work again. 

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Kathryn Elliott is the nutritionist behind the Limes & Lycopene blog: http://www.kathrynelliott.com.au/blog .  While she does believe a balanced diet includes the odd cakey thing, she’s now much more obsessed with eating vegetables.  Her blog provides information, recipes and diet advice: basically, all the information you need to eat well.