CARBS AT NIGHT!!!!!!!

[GenetiKing]

I know this is a topic more suited for the Diet Board but I'm gonna post it here anyway, so there!

My diet is, for the most part, solid. I get around 200 grams of protein daily (I'm currently about 210 lbs). Also, it's pretty clean. Breakfast is usually a Met-Rx bar followed by some oatmeal (with Optimum 100% Whey mixed in) and tuna a few hours later. The afternoon is usually some protein snaking (usually sandwich meat, turkey, ham, etc.) and some good carbs before I hit the gym. The evening meal (after training) is usually some fruit, veggies, and a good meat-source protein with another Whey Protein shake. Sometimes I'll have another Met-Rx bar a couple hours later.

The only thing is...right before bed, I crave simple sugars!! Bad!! Sometimes I even wake up a few hours after I fall asleep and I'm craving junk food. Does anyone else experience this or is this unique to just me? My willpower during the day and early evening is unshakable, I could live off tuna and oatmeal if I had to, but it seems like I give in much easier at bedtime or sometimes right after. Anyone else experience this?

------------------
Backstage, '75 Olympia:

Serge Nubret, "I look like I can take you."

Arnold, "Keep looking."

[This message has been edited by GenetiKing (edited April 17, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by GenetiKing (edited April 17, 2001).]

 

[bignate73]

how many cals are you taking in daily? are you very far in a deficit? if you are minimizing your carbs so much and then you hit up simpler sugars right after your workout, insulin levels will spike and probably fall at just about the time you are about to sleep....hence your cravings. throw some oatmeal in with your fruit post workout and it should keep your insulin levels more stable, since its a more complex carb. you will be satiated at least until you go to sleep.

 

[Valdez]

That happens to me all the time. I usually will down some complex carbs with meat for the last meal. what works pretty well if your craving simple sugar (sweet) is to have a bowl of cereal because the lactose changes the gi and it takes much longer to absorb the carbs.

works for me.

 

[Cackerot69]

Craving occur when insulin levels are no longer stable. If you keep a steady intake of complex carbs (preferably low GI), you should be fine. One misconception is that eating carbs are night will make you fat. This is completely untrue. Eating carbs at night is no different than eating carbs at other times during the day, sure you will be inactive for 6-10 hours, but that doesn't mean your body doesn't require energy. While you sleep your body is repairing broken down muscle tissue (especially inportant for you high volume guys ), this requires energy. Additionally, after 8-10 hours of fasting, your body will start to eat up muscle, by eating carbs before bed, you will saturate liver and muscle glycogen stores, giving your body an extra source of energy throughout the night, thus you will avoid or at least retard catabolism.

If you already eat carbs at night, i just wasted a bunch of time typing that out, but you may want to try an carb suppressant. The best one i have found is 5-HTP. 5-HTP is most popular as a sleep aid, but is also a powerful carb suppressant.

Or you could always take the easy route and just eat some sugar free sweets. Such as sugar free pudding, jello, etc.



[This message has been edited by Cackerot69 (edited April 17, 2001).]

 

[bignate73]

there you go. more info than i put...but there you go!

 

[Robboe]

What is the goal of your diet?

Lots of protein supplelemts i see. You may be getting enough protein, but if you're trying to grow and aren't getting enough overall calories you'll hit dire straits.

Why use so many supps? Why don't you structure your diet to accommodate more real food:
Eggs
Roast beef
Steak
chicken breast
turkey
Fish - tuna, salmon(good fat from salmon)
oatmeal ( i see you already do eat oatmeal)
Rice
pasta
potatoes
wheat bread <--My diet saviour.
Natural Peanut butter
flax
olive oil
sunflower oil
egg yolke.

There's a list off the top of my head that can be put together to make one kick ass diet without the use of ANY supplements.

 

[bigjoeko]

yeah i have the same problem ....at night i crave bread, cereal crackers the easiest way to stop this,,,is just don`t buy them .. but its not me who is buying them...TODAY IAM STARTING MY DIET...FOR REAL THIS TIME NORMALLY IT WOULD LAST 3 DAYS SEE HOW THAT WOULD GO............

 

[Cerebus]

I also have those cravings. But after training I try to keep the carbs level as low as possible, so they shall not make me a fat ass by morning. Unfortunatly what helps me with those late night cravings is smokeless tobacco. Nasty habbit but it keeps me from eating. All I can say is self-control man. Another solution for me is water. If I feel I need something I just drink some water and pretend it's something else. Hope you find a solution that works for you.

 

[bignate73]

Originally posted by Robboe:

There's a list off the top of my head that can be put together to make one kick ass diet without the use of ANY supplements.

do you consider a multivitamin/mineral a supplement? it takes an assload of different veggies to make up for the nutritional deficiencies of todays normal diet. from what you listed, it would be ideal for me...hehe, but i take a vitamin. just curious.

 

[Cackerot69]

Everyone should be taking a good multivitamin.