Now that you know WHY you're craving carbs at night, here's how to STOP those cravings… Set reminders throughout the day to eat, if you often forget. ... Meal plan and prep to make sure you always have easy options available. ... Add carbs to your meals! ... Balance your plate. ... Give yourself permission to eat ALL foods.
Craving carbs nonstop? Thinking about bread all the time? Can’t stop eating carb-heavy snacks at night? Here are 5 reasons you’re craving carbs at night… and how to stop!
It’s 8pm, you’re hitting the couch to watch The Bachelor and you start itching for a snack.
“I shouldn’t be hungry,” you think, as you just finished dinner less than an hour ago.
But you can’t get the idea of crunchy and salty chips out of your mind.
This isn’t a unique occurrence. It happens every night as you sit down to watch your favorite show.
It’s not you… it’s not a lack of willpower. You’re simply craving carbs at night for a reason.
If you can’t stop craving carbs at night, I’m going to tell you why…
It’s physiological. Your body knows what it needs. It’s our job to trust our bodies.
But we’re taught not to.
By the time you’re just 5 years old, you begin to listen to external influences more than your own internal cues. This can lead to confusion if you’re surrounded by dieting messages, like many of us are.
But if you’re craving carbs at night, there’s a solution. And it’s usually a very simple one. This blog post will share the 5 reasons you’re craving carbs at night, what to do about it, and what you should eat when cravings creep in.
Here are 5 Reasons You’re Craving Carbs at Night
1. You’re not eating enough, period
Many times I have clients who tell me they are eating enough. They’re not terribly hungry throughout the day and eat a fine breakfast and lunch.
But then they have terrible cravings in the afternoon or (more commonly) at night, after dinner. They describe an all-night marathon of snack after snack… that are usually carb-filled snacks.
Heck, I even know this from my own experience! If I have busy days “mom-ing” and working in my business there are times I too just don’t eat enough during the day… and I definitely will see more cravings at night for popcorn, cereal, and pretzels (my go-tos!). I’m going to share my top tips for what I do when this happens below.
Remember, your body actually knows how many calories it needs. So if you ignore it earlier in the day, it will find a way to remind you at night looking for that energy. You may be able to ignore it for a few nights, but eventually your body will find a way to get that energy it needs (that’s usually when a binge happens and you feel a little overstuffed. Here’s what to do after eating too much.).
Listening to your hunger cues throughout the day and eating is a great way to prevent this from happening. Check out this post to get started.
2. You’re not eating enough carbs during the day
Restricting carbs during the day is a sure-fire way to crave them at night.
It’s a classic tale of “you want what you can’t have,” and it’s probably one of the most common causes of cravings I see from clients and Nutrition Training Program students.
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There’s a simple remedy, however… add carbs to your meals! If you eat eggs and avocado for breakfast, add a slice of whole grain toast.
3. You’re letting yourself get over-hungry or waiting too long between meals and snacks
When you’re over-hungry you’re not just moody and irritable. Your blood sugar also dips too low. This tells your body that it needs fuel ASAP.
The quickest form of energy in your body is carbohydrates. Hence you craving carbs at night.
If you wait too long to eat in-between meals a couple of things may happen:
You’ll overeat at your next meal. You’ll feel insatiable for the rest of the day.
No matter which happens for you (sometimes both!), you’ll likely be craving carbs at night more.
4. You’re not eating a balance of nutrients (carbs, protein, and fats) at meals and snacks
Consistently creating balanced meals prevents your blood sugar from swinging too high or too low. The combination of macronutrients (carbs, protein, and fat) helps your blood sugar increase just enough to give you energy, but not so much that you have a crash after eating.
If you are eating carbs and eating enough during the day, make sure you have enough protein and fats on your plate too.
The best way to get started is with my FREE Ultimate Guide to Balance Your Plate!
5. You’re depriving yourself of sweets
One of my close friends swore off all sweets in college in a way to micromanage her weight. I couldn’t believe when she told me she was doing this because she had the biggest sweet tooth! She stuck with it for a while, but instead gravitated towards other high-carb foods, like quesadillas, pizza, chips, pretzels, crackers, etc.
While there’s nothing wrong with ANY of these foods (I eat them all!), she sometimes felt out of control around these foods because she restricted another food she really loved.
Instead, allow yourself to eat sweets. Focus on how sweets make you feel. Maybe it’s not an everyday food for you. Maybe it is. There’s no right answer.
When you focus on how food makes you feel versus what you can’t have, you’ll notice cravings for carbs begin to dissipate.
Now that you know WHY you’re craving carbs at night, here’s how to STOP those cravings…
1. Set reminders throughout the day to eat, if you often forget
Consistently eating throughout the day will help cut carb cravings at night for a few reasons:
You’ll ensure you’re eating enough. Remember, a lack of food will make your body ask for food… many times in the form of high carb processed food that’s easy to boost your energy ASAP!
This prevents you from getting over-hungry, avoiding a dip in your blood sugar and carb cravings.
You’ll consistently be giving your body fuel it needs. Your body will stop guessing when it’s going to get fuel next.
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2. Meal plan and prep to make sure you always have easy options available
If it’s hard for you to pause your day to eat, perhaps meal planning and prepping in advance will be helpful. This does NOT mean you have to spend the entire weekend in the kitchen.
Sure you can do a full on meal prep, if you’d like, but your time may be better spent placing a delivery grocery order that provides easy and quick, mostly no-cook staples for busy weeks.
Try these no-cook staples to have on hand in a pinch:
Rotisserie chicken + salad kits + canned chickpeas + store-bought dressing = a filling salad that
High fiber whole grain bread + nut/seed butter + fruit = quick and filling toast/sandwich
Eggs + avocado + high fiber whole grain bread = quick breakfast for breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Also check out these meals to make from pantry staples for when you can’t quite get your delivery grocery shop in on time!
If skipping carbs makes you crave them more, simply add carbs to your meals! If this is scary for you, I suggest starting with just one meal a day. See how you feel. Then add a carbohydrate to another meal. Eventually, you’ll see your cravings diminish and your snack habit subside too.
4. Balance your plate
It’s my #1 tip for most things because you can add ANY food to your balanced plate and feel good! You’ll have more energy, fewer cravings, more satisfaction, fewer blood sugar crashes, and more. Here are all of the reasons why a balanced diet matters.
5. Give yourself permission to eat ALL foods.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: you want what you can’t have.
Give yourself permission to eat ALL foods (carbs included!) and your cravings for these foods will die down.
This may seem scary, which is why I help students navigate their cravings and what to eat in the Nutrition Training Program. You can save your spot on the waitlist HERE to learn when enrollment opens next!
What to Eat When You’re Craving Carbs at Night
You could eat potato chips, pretzels, a bowl of cereal, or whatever else you’re craving to satisfy your craving, or you could eat something that’s more balanced, satisfying, and filling that will help you FEEL GOOD.
Chia pudding
Yogurt parfait (add some of this granola!)
Whole grain toast and nut/seed butter
Popcorn and pumpkin seeds “trail mix” (the magnesium in pumpkin seeds will help you wind down for bed)
These options all add protein, some healthy fats, and high fiber carbs so you feel good, balance your blood sugar, and cut your cravings!
Keto Means
Photo: Anete Lusina
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