How to tame the midday food monster

August 04, 2008|By CHAD SMITH

It's 3 p.m., you're starving, and if your boss talks to you again, he might find himself on the business end of your stapler.

As time continues toward the end of the work day, your mood and your energy levels continue to plummet. At 5:30, you're commuting home, and all you can think about is how great a Twinkie would taste while you deal with the people who have seemed to forget what a gas pedal does.

By 6, you're finally home. Feeding time! At this point you're ravenous. Anything is fair game. Your body is telling you to grab the quickest source of energy you can find: sugar!

We know what happens next, halfway through a pack of Oreos; you come to your senses and realize that you just got off the exit on the healthy eating highway.

You were just eaten alive by the midday monster. It's the series of events that happens between lunch and dinner. With a gap of what can be as long as 6 hours between feedings, blood sugar levels quickly drop, which causes irritability, inability to focus, and, worse of all, a huge sugar craving. None of which are good.

Worst of all, when you finally get to a meal, it's usually not good stuff - a lot of not-good stuff.

How do you tame the beast? Two ways:

Eat more at breakfast. Load up on lots of good, healthy food first thing in the morning. A combination of whole grain sources, fruit and lean protein will bring hormones in balance, and jumpstart the metabolism. Hot oatmeal with low-fat or soy milk and some berries makes a good choice.

Get a mid-afternoon snack. Something as simple as an apple with some peanut butter will go a long way in the battle against the midday monster. Getting a little something here will also keep you from gorging at night. A quicker option is to have a piece of fruit with a tasty protein shake.

If you do nothing else, these two tips alone will instantly make a huge difference in your afternoon experience. The midday monster won't stand a chance.

Chad Smith is a local certified personal trainer and fitness expert. He can be reached via e-mail at fitnessanswerman@live.com.

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