Everything's fine until 4pm

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Love that she has this snack crazed look on her face

In the comments section of our Hail Merry Snack post last week, I was asked:

Do you have any tips for people who overeat between work and supper? Because I have a...ummmm...friend who does this sometimes. And I...I mean...my friend...is having a hard time figuring out what kind of afternoon snack will hold her over so that she doesn't eat the caloric equivalent of an extra meal or two between 4:00 and 5:30

This question is just a taste of one of my favorite blogs Clay Baboons. Many of us have “a friend” just like this.

My clients and I’m sure most of you can tell me what you generally have for breakfast, perhaps lunch is organized too and then mid afternoon hits and all bets are off.  Sign a presnack-tual agreement. Each week, pick two items you’ll have mid afternoon, write them down and stick to those. For example, maybe one week your two choices are veggies and guacamole or kale chips. The next week you can rotate to yogurt or a bar.  Too many choices can lead to too much eating.

Let’s say you have your bar and you want something else. Midafternoon for many of us can feel like the Depeche Mode song "Just Can’t Get Enough". You know “When I’m with you baby I go out of my head, I just can’t get enough, I just can’t get enough."

If this isn’t ringing a bell here’s a little 80's refresher. Perhaps you've always assumed this was a song about a person. I say it could just as easily be about peanut butter.

If you’re used to serial snacking, it’s very likely that one snack will feel like the first course of a tasting menu. "What’s next?" that tired part of your brain will say. If you really want to reform your snacking habits veggies are next. Your snack is now a 1-act play and if you want an encore it’s cut up peppers, celery, jicama, grape tomatoes or radishes. We often do what we're used to doing. By making the choices concrete and then defining the sequence of options you can see real change. Veggies aren't exciting? Feeling in control is.

It’s also hard to satiate yourself once you wait too long. If lunch is at noon. Try having your snack at 3:00 or 3:30. If you wait until 5pm, it’s almost dinnertime. And speaking of dinner, the early bird is special. If you find yourself eating “the caloric equivalent of a meal” as Stephanie’s “friend” does, maybe you should have a meal. I can hear jeering from the peanut gallery (or the eat-too-many peanuts gallery). “My husband isn’t home yet” or “I’m still at work”. Your husband really wants you to sit with him and you’re not going to enjoy the meal if you’ve had 500 calories an hour earlier.  And if you’re still at work, if you have time to eat snacks, you have time to eat a meal. I’m happiest when I can eat dinner by 6pm. Give it a try. If you can’t have dinner at 5 or 6 maybe have part of dinner, a salad or soup.

Sometimes it’s not really food we need. In the fall, I posted “The Cure For Afternoon Munchies”. The cure the title alludes to is a nap from I now see an afternoon nap as a treat and on the days I have early clients will lie down for 15-20 minutes before I start to write or return emails in the afternoon. I also put my head down on my desk for a few minutes when I’m at work to disconnect and unwind. 

So Stephanie, let me know if your friend finds these tips helpful. I’m sure you’re a rock star at 4pm but maybe a pre-snacktual agreement, earlier dinner or nap would help you too. When it comes to food, we’re all pretty similar.

What time of day are you most likely to overeat? Can you see yourself trying any of the strategies mentioned above? Do you know the Depeche Mode song? 

And, speaking of 4pm,  congratulations to Gina, The Candid RD (and another great blog) you’re the winner of the Hail Merry giveaway. Please email us your mailing info info@foodtrainers.net.

The Cure for Afternoon Munchies

Do you know what these are? I didn't...

Twas midafternoon, when all through the workplace

All energy was gone, without a trace; 



The salads had been eaten at lunchtime with care, 



In hopes that weight loss soon would be there; 



Morning motivation now replaced with dread, 



And visions of sugar danced in everyone’s head.

On our new client paperwork, one questions asks “what’s is your worst time of day for overeating?” It’s no surprise that 3:00pm and 4:00pm are the most common answers (and yes, after dinner is a close runner-up). Mid-afternoon our blood sugar drops after lunch and our morning caffeine has almost run its course. The cravings begin. For some it's sweet, others salty and people start to hunt for something to satisfy themselves. What’s going to do the trick? Maybe it’s something without calories or sugar or salt.  Maybe what you really need is a nap.

The sleep/weight connection is a strong one and I’ve talked about electronic curfews and sleep hygiene before. The less sleep you get the greater your appetite and the stronger your carb cravings will be. But it’s not just nighttime, a 20-30 minute  nap can improve alertness, mood and performance (too long can leave you groggy). Napping can also lower your risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke and isn’t reserved for the stroller set or seniors. Our biological clocks or our "circadian rhythms," are actually programmed for long sleep during the night and short sleep during the day. So what we mistake for hunger in the afternoon hours may actually be a need for sleep. According to the sleep foundation nappers are in good company:  John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Napoleon, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison and George W. Bush are known to have valued an afternoon nap. Though I am unsure about Napoleon (short but not sure of weight), none of these men were heavy.

Some studies have shown that just relaxing can help so don’t be discouraged if there’s no bed in sight,  though beds are best. I first learned the value of napping as a new mom; these weren’t planned naps but what is referred to as “emergency napping”.  I now see an afternoon nap as a treat and on the days I have early clients will lie down for 15-20 minutes before I start to write or return emails in the afternoon. I also put my head down on my desk for a few minutes when I’m at work to disconnect and unwind. 

These are nap facts from Sara Mednick assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, and author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life Make it quick. 

• Set your cell phone alarm for 30 minutes or less if
you don't want to wake up groggy. (I read a tip elsewhere to have some tea or coffee pre nap, it kicks in just at the time your nap is over)
• Go dark. Nap in a dark room or wear an eye mask. Blocking out light helps you fall asleep faster.
• Stay warm. Stash a blanket nearby to put over you because your body temperature drops while you snooze.

Here is a list of all the things napping can do for you:

Increase your alertness.

Speed up your motor performance.

Improve your accuracy.

Make better decisions.

Improve your perception.

Improve performance at work.

Preserve your youthful looks.

Improve your sex life.

Lose weight.

 Reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

 Reduce your risk of diabetes.

Improve your stamina.

Elevate your mood.

Boost your creativity.

Reduce stress.

Help your memory.

Reduce dependence on drugs/alcohol.

Alleviate migraines, ulcers, and other problems with psychological components.

Improve the ease and quality of your nocturnal sleep.

And the cookie? It just makes you look like St Nick and…

He had a broad face and a little round belly

That shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.

Are you a napper? How long do you usually sleep? Did you guess what was in the photo at the top? (Hint in the poem)