Weird crazy sugar binges at 3/4pm

[InconstantMoon]

I eat so healthily and do so well until 3 or 4 when I'm in the cupboards shoving chocolate in my face like a mad woman. Why?!?! How do I stop it? It's honestly like I lose control

Bump!

I'm the same, I find drinking lots of water helps settle down the cravings.

You’re tired, you’re looking for energy, and you probably have a blood sugar slump between lunch and supper, and you haven’t got energy left to resist. Some things to ponder

• do you just need a rest? A nap / walk / cup of tea / phone a friend?
• Some daylight will also wake you up if you take a walk at lunch
• if you need a snack (and lots of people do at teatime) can you eat something healthier eg an apple and almonds, yogurt and berries, a mini smoothie
• are you eating enough for lunch, and at your other meals - protein, fibre-y veg, complex carbs?
• also try and get rid of or hide the chocolate. If it’s not there you can’t eat it

Yes that's exactly it. I think chucking it away is the most sensible option and then I'll be forced to satisfy myself with something healthier. It's like I don't just have one chocolate I have to have a binge on loads!

3/4pm is the bad time for me as well. If you're not hungry you won't get the cravings I find so eat more at lunch and have a mid afetrnoon snack.

What do you eat for lunch? Make sure it includes lots of protein and not too high in unrefined carbs. That will help with the mid afternoon dip.

I usually go for eggs and avocado at lunch with full fat Greek yoghurt and fruit

It might help to add complex carbs to that

fibre as well as protein is filling and you’ll be getting little of that. Also should help your energy levels.

@InconstantMoon

I usually go for eggs and avocado at lunch with full fat Greek yoghurt and fruit

I had to do a ruthless low FODMAP diet for six weeks. I would have made enough omelette to be able to eat some more (without the yogurt) at that 3-4pm spot-of-doom if I were hungry.

I replaced the yogurt with pickles like cornichons and beetroot, and olives, because I had to eliminate lactose.

(Kefir, yogurt and cottage cheese were among the first things I tried to re-introduce.)

I'm at times a late night eat er, and get sugar cravings at times

Thanks I'll try to add some carbs, trying to avoid wheat so might look at something bean-y!

Have you recently cut back on alcohol?

I'm a fairly sensible drinker overall but during the Christmas holidays I do drink quite a bit, and then I'm sick of it so I cut out alcohol for a few weeks in January/February and it always seems to start afternoon sugar cravings! I go crazy for fizzy/sour sweets, which I would never normally eat.

Do you suffer from an ED?
What is your weight like?
It sounds to me like depriving yourself during the day
Going to bed obsessing about food and hungry
Waking up in middle of night with tummy rumbling
And then needing to eat

@LadyPropane yes I have! But I have it up over a month ago so would that still be happening? I did always have these cravings before too but I must say they seem less manageable

@Excitedforthefuture no ED. I do eat dinner too so don't go to bed hungry it's just that gap between lunch and dinner at 3/4ish. It's like clockwork!

Forgot to add, normal BMI. I sort of do IF in that I avoid eating until 11/1130ish in the morning but otherwise nothing out of the ordinary

If I don't eat at least a slice of toast mid morning I get bad low sugar at 4 without fail.

Jack in the IF and see if that stops the binges

So have breakfast

Could you not just have the eggs and avocado at lunch and save the yoghurt and fruit for 4pm?

I do this too, I start to feel sick, weak and shaky and it is always between 3-4pm.
I'm on my own with two young children and worry I might fall down the stairs or something so I raid the cupboards for a quick fix sugary snack.
Unfortunately I am massively overweight and this ruins my healthy eating daily.