Natural Medicine: Curb those carb cravings

One of the easiest ways to lose weight is to consume most of your calories earlier in the day, tapering off toward the evening. In fact, changing when you eat your food to earlier in the day can better support weight loss even if you consume the same amount of calories. Despite having this knowledge, many of us crave high-calorie carbohydrates later in the day, such as cookies, ice cream or crackers. Sometimes, we may be "strong" and resist eating them, but life happens and we succumb, often leaving us feeling guilty or bad, not to mention heavier.

So, what do you do to curb the cravings of those late afternoon or night snacks? One answer is "properly positioned protein." Since, for most of us, all our activity happens during the day, we need to properly fuel ourselves at that time. When we eat large quantities of food at night, we are giving our body fuel it likely will store as fat.

Eating a substantial breakfast that includes a good amount of protein, like one to two eggs, one yogurt or 3 ounces of meat is an energizing way to start the day. After breakfast, it is important to continue fueling ourselves throughout the day with high-quality meals and snacks that include protein. For example, a midmorning or midafternoon snack like hummus with carrots, an apple with peanut butter or string cheese, or a handful of nuts can help push you through the afternoon.

By the time we reach the late afternoon and evening, our bodies have been so well fueled throughout the day, that we are not in an "energy deficit." The cravings diminish and, ultimately, we start to see the benefits of increased energy, as well as better-fitting clothes.

-- Julie Starkel, MS, dietetic intern and Debra Boutin, MS, RD, assistant professor Bastyr University

Nonprofit, accredited Bastyr University (bastyr.edu) offers multiple degrees in the natural health sciences, and clinical training at Bastyr Center for Natural Health (bastyrcenter.org), the region's largest natural medicine clinic.