One of the biggest complaints I hear from my patients with PCOS is their uncontrollable carb cravings! If bread, pasta or chocolate calls your name, you’re not alone. And once you start in on these foods, it may be hard to stop. There are many reasons for these cravings. Insulin, inadequate sleep, altered appetite hormones, stress are just a few of the causes. The good news is that there are ways to beat your PCOS carb cravings!

Here are some causes of PCOS carb cravings

1. Going too long without eating.This will lead to low blood sugar which will increase the urge to eat carbs. I doubt many of you crave broccoli when you haven’t eaten for 8 hours! My guess is that you would be looking for something starchy or sugary.
2. Consuming too many processed low fiber carbs. Foods such as white rice, white bread, sweets and other sugary foods are low in fiber and have a high glycemic index. Eating high glycemic foods (especially larger portions) can cause a quick spike in blood sugar, followed by a quick drop. This stimulates a spike of insulin, followed by increased hunger and can cause the urge to eat more carbohydrates.
3. Not eating adequate protein at meals. Eating meals that contain only carbohydrate (i.e. a jumbo bagel, big bowl of pasta or frozen yogurt with granola) will cause a rapid rise of blood sugar, followed by a spike of insulin, then a crash of blood sugar. This can exacerbate cravings. Protein helps to slow digestion a bit and keep you feeling full long.
4. Not eating adequate fat at meals.Many of my clients are fat phobic and will go out of their way to avoid eating fat. This isn’t a great idea especially if you have PCOS.  Fat takes a long time to digest, helps to prevent rapid peaks and drops of blood sugar and helps keep you full longer. Keep in mind that fat is high in calories, so be careful not to overindulge if you are watching your weight.
5. Taking your caloric intake too low.When your consume too few calories, your hypothalamus produces extra NPY (neuropeptide Y),  a chemical messenger that encourages you to eat more carbohydrates. In addition, the hypothalamus secretes another chemical called galanin which increases cravings for foods rich in fat and carbs. Take home message: eating too few calories = cravings for high carb foods.
6. Having sweets in your environment can give you “sugar brain”. I call foods that set off more cravings “trigger” foods.  It’s been shown that in certain people, high sugar, high fat foods activate a center in your brain what will cause you to want more of them. Trying to fight this by “being more disciplined” often doesn’t work. You’ll only end up beating yourself up … which can lead to even more eating.    Reference
7. Getting inadequate sleep. Sleep affects hormones that regulate satiety, hunger and how efficiently you burn calories. Too little sleep can lower levels of leptin and raise levels of ghrelin, which can increase hunger for sweet and/or starchy foods.
8. Consuming inadequate carbs,especially if you are an active person. I commonly see my patients with PCOS follow very low carb diets. While it may work out for some people, others feel exhausted. Exercising on a regular basis and not consuming adequate carbs can cause you to have powerful carb cravings as well as low energy levels. This is because carbs are the major fuel used by exercising muscles. Your body likes to keep your energy stores full of energy (called glycogen). If you exercise on a regular basis and don’t eat enough carbs, your body may go into “carb seeking mode” as it tries to replete its glycogen stores. In addition, you will likely find your energy levels plummet.
9. Having high stress levels.High levels of stress can cause chemical imbalances in your body.  Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands in your body when you are under stress. Cortisol will increase production of a neurotransmitter called neuropeptide Y, which as I previously discussed, can increase cravings for sweet or starchy foods.
10. Triggers: emotions, people, places or certain foods. Some may be obvious (the candy on your co-workers desk, your husbands pint of ice cream) but others may be more subtle. And even certain foods can trigger more carb cravings.
11. Altered hunger hormones. Women with PCOS are often leptin resistant. Leptin resistance can cause hunger and reduced the number of calories you burn. More on this at a later post! But in the meantime, most of the tips I’ve discussed in this blog post may help.
12. Nutritional deficiencies. This one is not “proven” in studies that I’m aware of. Yet, deficiencies of certain nutrients have been shown to be associated with insulin resistance and elevated blood sugar. So it’s possible there is a connection to cravings.

Ways to beat your  PCOS carb cravings

1. Keep a journal to help identify eating triggers. I  find a journal is the most important thing you can do to help you become aware of your triggers. See my previous blog post on journals so you’ll know exactly how to keep it. And once you know what they are, you can come up with a plan.
2. Eat meals at regular intervals. Plan a healthy snack for in between meals. Carry this snack with you if you’ll be on the road.
3. Include a protein source at meals and snacks. Protein sources include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nut and nut butters, non GMO soy and dairy products. Note: not all women with PCOS choose to consume dairy – but if you do, the best choices would be organic and fermented like yogurt – especially plain Greek yogurt. And stick to full fat or at least 2%.
4. Don’t be fat phobic. Adding fat to meals can go a long way to keep you feeling full and warding off cravings. Add  olive oil and avocado to your salad, natural peanut butter (which contains protein as well) on your morning toast instead of just jelly and a small handful of nuts with your afternoon snack of fruit.
5. Stick to whole grains and high fiber foods as much as possible. Limit/avoid sugary foods and refined “white” carbs.
6. Don’t take your calories too low! This will only backfire. If you want to have some lower calorie days interspersed in between days that are a bit higher, that’s ok. But going too low on a regular basis can set you up for trouble.
7. Rather than trying to “improve your self-control”, focus more on “reengineering your food environment.” Avoid keeping these tempting foods in your home or office.  Ask your family or significant(s) other to keep them out of the house or buy a flavor you don’t like. If they must be in the house, at least hide them. Avoid the candy on your co-workers desk …. don’t even start!
8. Get adequate sleep! Turn off the computer and tv at least an hour before bed. Ideally try to read before going to sleep. This helps to “shut you down”. Stay tuned for more sleep tips in an upcoming post.
9. Find your personal carb tolerance. This is not a mathematical formula! It means you’ll need to find what works for you. Eating too few carbs may trigger more cravings … yet eating inadequate carbs can also trigger cravings! I don’t recommend going below  2-4 servings of carb rich foods a day (includes fruit and grains) for the majority of women (many women need more). And of course, very active people would need significantly more than this.
   On the other hand, a some women (not many in my opinion!) feel better following a ketogenic diet. While this is not my first choice for PCOS, it works for some women! Just make sure you do it in a healthy way. Read my blog post on how many carbs a day should you eat with PCOS?
10. Find an activity to do that relaxes you or at least takes your mind off stressful thoughts. Try getting a massage, taking a bath, reading a book, taking a walk or going to the gym, taking a yoga class, practicing meditation – or any other pleasurable activity that doesn’t have anything to do with food.
11. Delay the urge. Often times if you distract yourself for even 10 minutes, the urge to eat something sweet can go away. Call a friend (who does not stress you out), go for a quick walk, do a 10 minute meditation exercise.
12. Supplements. I always take a food first approach (as well as behavior/lifestyle!) but supplements may be worth a try if you still can’t tame your PCOS carb cravings. Keep in mind these are only general recommendations. You should always check with your doctor before taking any supplements.
    – Inositol .May have many benefits for PCOS, including improves insulin sensitivity, regulates menstrual cycles, boosts fertility, improves metabolic syndrome and more. Some women report it helps with carb cravings. Read my blog post on Benefits of Inositol for PCOS-Magnesium at bedtime has been reported to significantly improve fasting blood glucose, insulin levels, and insulin resistance. Additionally, magnesium regulates dopamine, a hormone which signals reward and may stimulate action toward a reward. Magnesium may play a role in regulating reward pathways and reducing carb cravings. The majority of people are deficient in magnesium  References: #1
    – Chromium enhances the function of insulin to work more effectively. It has been found to reduce blood glucose and insulin levels. May be helpful for older adults as age-related deficiencies have been reported. A supplement dosage would be 400 mcg or a multivitamin. References: #1       #2
    – Omega-3 fatty acids can help cells better utilize insulin. It also helps reduce leptin levels which are linked to insulin resistance. Leptin is a hormone that signals satiety, but the body can become leptin resistance, leading to energy conservation and weight gain. Supplementation of 1-2 grams per day may help reduce carb cravings. However, supplementation is not necessary if you eat fish 4 or more times a week. Reference 
    – Glucomannan is a soluble fiber extract that can slow down carb absorption and decrease insulin response after a meal by up to 50%. It may help reduce appetite and may therefore help reduce carb cravings. This could be added to smoothies, oatmeal, or mixed with a liquid. Read my blog post on Health Benefits of Glucomannan.

Bottom line

If you experience frequent carb cravings, I’d recommend you play detective! Keep a food journal for at least a week. Record what you eat, the time, how much sleep you got, what you did for exercise along with any emotion you felt before you had the craving.You’ll likely be able to figure out what caused the craving and come up with a solution! 

I’d love to hear about your carb cravings and help you brainstorm ways to beat them!

I find that most of my patients with PCOS spend a great deal of energy focusing on their diet and exercise regimen, but tend to neglect one of the most important aspects of health when it comes to PCOS – sleep. What percentage of the time do you wake up feeling totally well-rested? Probably not very often. Studies show that 40% of us get less than 6 hours or less of sleep a night!  And women with PCOS have an even greater risk for sleep problems. Not only does inadequate sleep make it difficult to focus on what you have to do for the day, but it can make you want to eat everything in sight!

The majority of my patients with PCOS report increased hunger and carb cravings when they are tired. There are real physiological reasons for this which I’ll discuss below. But fatigue and increased hunger are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to inadequate sleep. Sleep deprivation can affect almost every part of your body ranging from your brain, muscles, immune system and even skin. And if that’s not enough, inadequate sleep can increase risk of heart disease, diabetes and obesity as well as cause inflammation and worsen insulin resistance.This is the last thing a woman with PCOS wants. Read on to learn why sleep is important and what you can do to get your zzzz’s.

PCOS and sleep problems

Women with PCOS tend to have more sleep problems than those without PCOS. There is a greater prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in PCOS patients, possibly due to the mechanisms associated with the obesity caused by PCOS-induced metabolic abnormalities.  As per Dr. Walter Futterweit, overweight women with PCOS with elevated androgens are 4 times more likely to have OSA than healthy women.  Second, regardless of OSA, studies have shown that the sleep disorders in patients with PCOS might be related to raised nighttime urinary melatonin levels, which are associated with lower sleep quality.  Other preliminary hypotheses for sleep disorder among PCOS patients include the impact of insulin resistance and hyperandrogenemia.  Reference

14 Reasons why sleep is important for PCOS

1. Mood changes … and not for the good!  Adequate sleep helps regulate mood and emotion regulation. You can be more reactive to stress than usual when you don’t get enough sleep. Several studies have confirmed that depression and anxiety are the most common comorbidities in patients with PCOS . This study indicated that PCOS might be a risk factor for subsequent depressive and anxiety disorders. Reference
2. Weight gain. The trends of chronic sleep restriction have paralleled those of obesity in recent years, suggesting epidemiological links between the two. In 1942 we got an average of 7.9 hrs sleep a night compared to 2013 with 6.8 hrs sleep a night. Leptin (satiety hormone) is decreased in sleep deprivation – while ghrelin (hunger hormone) is increased. Sleep deprived people eat more calories. Studies have shown that women eat 329 more calories and men eat 263 more calories the day after sleeping only 4 hours. To make matters worse, inadequate sleep will decrease motivation to exercise
3. Increased insulin resistance and risk of diabetes. Sleep restriction has been shown in many studies to increase insulin resistance, which is the last thing a woman with PCOS wants. And as we know, insulin resistance can be precursor to diabetes. Sleep extension improves insulin sensitivity. Read my previous post on 25 ways to decrease insulin resistance naturally. 
4. Inflammation. Sleep deprivation increases inflammatory cytokines TNF, IL-1 and IL-6. These cytokines disturb sleep. The increased levels of inflammatory markers can increase GI diseases such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, colorectal cancer, gastro-esophageal reflux and liver disease have changed cytokine profiles. Sleep disruption can increase the severity of these GI disturbances.
5. Increased blood pressure. Inadequate sleep has been shown to increase risk of hypertension, a component of the metabolic syndrome. Hypertension is a well-known risk  factor for cardiovascular disease.
6. Increased risk of heart disease. Sleeping fewer than six hours a night can increase your risk of developing high blood pressure or worsen high blood pressure if you already have it. It can increase inflammatory markers including white blood cells, IL-6 and CRP. Over time, skimping on sleep can increase your odds of developing cardiovascular disease. Reference Read my previous post on heart healthy diet and lifestyle tips.
7. Carb cravings. This is one of the most common complaints I hear from my patients with PCOS. Hyperinsulinemia is likely the cause. Sleep deprivation definitely exacerbates this!

   These are other effects of inadequate sleep, not specific to PCOS, but important nonetheless:

8. Your mind doesn’t function optimally. Sleep is critical for the formation and consolidation of memories as well as your ability to retrieve them when awake. It becomes more difficult to focus on a task or learn something new. Your creativity is compromised as well as your ability to make decisions – which affects overall work performance.
9. Decreased reaction time. Sleeping only 5 hours a night can have a similar effect on judgement and motor reaction time as if you are legally drunk. This can be hazardous when driving or operating machinery. Lets hope your Via driver got a good nights sleep…
10. Change in mental health. Sleep affects our “emotional intelligence” – that is our ability to perceive and respond to others emotional state as well as our own. So make sure your significant other gets adequate sleep! Inadequate sleep can also increase anxiety and even suicidal thoughts
11. Decreased muscle repair and growth. Sleep provides an opportunity for rejuvenation. Many of the critical restorative functions in the body—like tissue repair and muscle growth—occur mostly or only during sleep. Inadequate sleep will also impede your progress if you are weight training to build muscle mass
12. Decreased immunity. Do you feel like you get sick every time you get run down? This isn’t surprising! When you’re tired and even moderately sleep-deprived, your immune function is compromised. This can leave you vulnerable to catching colds, the flu, and other infectious illnesses—and make it harder to recover from infections and heal from wounds.
13. Less relief from chronic pain. During REM sleep, muscles are relaxed, which can help relieve tension and reduce symptoms of certain types of chronic pain. Just like you couldn’t mentally focus for 24-hours straight at your day job, your body needs a break to chill out so it can conquer the next day with gusto.
14. Wrinkled saggy skin. So this one is little superficial and not specifically geared towards PCOS … but no one wants wrinkled skin!  Consistently skimping on sleep can lead to premature wrinkling and sagging of your skin, partly because cortisol (a stress hormone that’s released when you’re sleep-deprived) can break down collagen, which keeps your skin smooth.

Bottom line

Sleep plays a crucial role in helping you control your symptoms of PCOS and overall health. Stay tuned for an upcoming blog post on how to get more sleep!

Question for my readers – do you get enough sleep? If you don’t, how do you feel the next day? I’d love your comments!

If you have PCOS, you know how confusing it can be to know what to eat! Not only is the internet is loaded with conflicting information, but who has time to plan meals and find recipes? My patients with PCOS always ask “what should I eat”?  While there no one-size-fits-all diet for women with PCOS, there are general guidelines that will decrease symptoms and health risks. So I decided to put together some resources to help clear the confusion on what to eat as well as take the stress out of meal planning. Read on to get access to my FREE 4 day PCOS Meal Plans and Recipes Guide along with a Bonus Guide on 30 Nutrition Tips for PCOS.

If you have already subscribed to my PCOS blog, you’ll get a link with the FREE downloads in my email to you.  If you’re not a subscriber, sign up HERE  to get the goodies!

PCOS meal planning considerations

A healthy diet is the first step in treating your PCOS.  But it can be confusing to know what to eat. You may be focusing on cutting carbs drastically or omitting gluten or dairy or even going keto. While this may work for some people, it doesn’t mean you have to. When helping my clients with PCOS plan meals, I like to focus more on what they SHOULD include in their diet more that what they should omit. Certain foods can help heal your PCOS by lowering insulin levels, decreasing inflammation, improving gut health, promoting a healthy weight, and decreasing risk of diabetes and heart disease. increased risk of heart disease, and carb cravings. 

There are no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to diet for PCOS. However I do have a few general recommendations to keep in mind when meal planning:

1. Select low glycemic carbs and limit added sugars to decrease insulin & inflammation
2. Add protein (plant & animal) to meals to stay full longer & aid in wt loss. Your body best utilizes protein when it’s spaced out into 3 meals. In addition, if you are on a lower calorie diet in attempts of losing weight, your body actually needs more protein!
3. Add fat to meals to stay full longer & slow rise of blood sugar. Select heart healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil, nuts/seeds and nut butters, olives, and avocado. 
4. Fill up on fiber. Fiber helps prevent blood sugar and insulin spikes, lowers cholesterol, helps prevent constipation that often occurs with low carb diets, lowers risk of some cancers and feeds the “good” bacteria in the gut (thereby keeping your gut microbiome healthy). You can add fiber with veggies, flax or chia seeds, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and fruits. 
5. Increase anti-inflammatory foods including fatty fish, dark green leafy greens, orange vegetables, garlic, tea, berries, shitake mushrooms, ginger, turmeric, nuts, EVOO, beans. 
6. Limit inflammatory foods including including added sugars, processed refined carbohydrates, trans fats, red meat, and vegetable oils rich in omega 6 fats including soybean, corn, safflower  and specific foods you may be sensitive to
7. Eat for gut health (pre/probiotic rich foods). See my BONUS guide for the full list. 
8. Avoid highly processed foods and higher glycemic index, more sodium/sugar/additives
9. Choose hormone free, organic meats, poultry dairy when possible.You’ll get a lot more details in the BONUS Guide 30 Nutrition Tips for PCOS

What’s in the Free PCOS Meal Plans Guide?

I hand-picked the meal plans and recipes included in this 4 day guide to align with my nutrition recommendations for PCOS.  The recipes are rich in anti-inflammatory foods, vegetables, and fiber.

1. 3 meals a day and one snack
2. Calories: 1300-1500 calories. Most of my patients with PCOS follow a range of 1200-1700 calories – so I picked an average. You may need to adjust portions and add/omit snacks if you want to decrease or increase the calories. I don’t recommend going below 1200 calories for most women … unless you are doing some kind of intermittent fasting 2 days a week.
3. Carbs. There is no one recommendation for how many carbs you should eat a day. However I choose to create meal plans that contained 30-40% of calories from low glycemic carbs (or a max of 40 grams per meal and 15-20 grams per snack). Curious to know how many carbs a day might be good for YOU? Read my blog post for more details: How Many Carbs Should You Eat a Day with PCOS?
4. Protein: Each meal includes a protein source
5. Veggies: I’ve included at least 3 servings a day of vegetables a day. A good rule of thumb is to make at least ½ your plate vegetables at lunch and dinner (and breakfast if you can). I included veggies into every lunch and dinner as well as some breakfasts and snacks.
6. Fiber: Most of my plans have at least 25 grams of fiber a day.
7. A plant-based day. I realize some women with PCOS choose to follow plant-based diets, so you’ll get one day that is plant-based.  If this isn’t for you, feel free to add some chicken/fish/meat to the meal!
   
8. Full nutritional breakdown of all the meals and snacks for those you who are interested. 
9. The plans are gluten and dairy free. I’m not opposed to gluten and dairy for PCOS – unless they worsen your symptoms. However I choose to keep the plans dairy and gluten free as many women choose to eat this way. You can always substitute in a gluten containing grain or a yogurt if you like!

What are the best beverages for PCOS?

Beverages are not included in the Guide. My favorite beverages for PCOS include water, seltzer, unsweetened almond milk (or any nut milk), tea – especially spearmint (may help lower androgens) and green tea (high in antioxidants), and coffee in moderation. If you drink alcohol, keep it to 1-2 drinks a week and avoid drinks with sweet mixers.

What if I don’t want to follow them exactly?

No worries! They can be followed exactly or just used as a guide. If you don’t want to cook every day, make extras for leftovers.  Feel free to swap out other veggies, protein, or grains if you don’t like the ones I choose. Or just pick the recipes you like to add to your recipe file. Please don’t feel that meal plans need to followed exactly as that can create stress in itself! The goal of meal plans is to help take the stress out of meal planning … not to add to it.

Get your two FREE Guides HERE
-PCOS Meal Plans and Recipes
-BONUS GUIDE: 30 Nutrition Tips for PCOS

More FREE PCOS meal plans!

I hope you find the meal plans helpful and enjoy the recipes. I’d like to invite you to sign up for a FREE 3 day trial of customizable PCOS meal plans and recipes here.  No credit card needed.  Your menu will include a planner with recipes for breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner as well as a grocery list to make shopping a snap. 

After the 3 day trial, you can continue with the customizable PCOS Meal Plans and Recipes service for a small fee of $19.95/month. Each week you will receive a delicious weekly menu in your inbox, created by registered dietitians and chefs, to help you meet your health goals. Each recipe is extensively tested and features whole food ingredients with easy-to-follow directions for people of all cooking levels.

Keep in mind that these plans are customizable which meals you’ll be picking your own meals with your favorite foods using my PCOS meal planning guidelines.  The customizable plans also allow flexibility in adjusting the macronutrient content (i.e. carbs, fat, protein) and calories. You will receive a meal plan template. You’ll then sort through the recipes, select the ones that appeal to you, and drag them into your template (you’ll get a video to watch to learn how).

Personalized Nutrition Coaching for PCOS

Meal plans and recipes are great, but nothing takes the place of individual coaching by a PCOS nutrition expert. I’m a registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator and certified health and wellness coach who has been specializing in PCOS for over 15 years. My coaching sessions provide in-depth education on nutrition for PCOS and helps separate fact from fiction. You’ll receive a personalized plan for you based on your medical issues, lifestyle, and food prefs. We’ll discuss meal planning, eating out, carb carvings, exercise, supplements and more.  You’ll get the individual attention and coaching you need to meet your goals. Contact me at 212 879-5167 or Martha@MarthaMcKittrickNutrition.com to learn more.

Want more info on Nutrition & Lifestyle for PCOS?

Follow my PCOS facebook page
Follow me on instagram

It’s that time of the year! If your office is anything like mine, the holiday treats are piling up everywhere. My nutrition office is in a large medical practice and patients send in tempting gifts of food every holiday season. It’s like navigating a land mine of sugar. Boxes of chocolate near the fax machine, homemade holiday cookies near the copy machine, every kind of sugary treat you can imagine is sitting right down the hall from my nutrition office.  And this lasts until end of January! I am a definite chocoholic and once I start, it can be hard to stop. You might find this surprising to hear from a nutritionist. While there is nothing wrong with enjoying a holiday sweet, many of my clients (and myself) can experience trouble controlling their intake. If you are a sugar-craver and feel that eating one sweet sets off major carb cravings, you’ll need to come up with a strategy to help you feel more in control. Read on to find out my tips on how to handle holiday sweets in the office. Let’s see if I can practice my own tips.

14 tips to control your intake of holiday sweets in the office

1. Get in the right mindset. Holidays are not the time for a strict diet. Depriving yourself will only set yourself up for overindulging later. So give yourself permission to enjoy a small portion of a favorite holiday treat. But on the other hand, don’t have the “jolly holiday mentality” where you feel you can eat every treat in sight because “it’s the holidays”. Calories do count over the holidays.
2. Think about how eating the sweet will make you feel. We all have food histories. If you know you can eat one cookie and be satisfied (and REALLY want it), then go ahead and enjoy it. However if you feel eating one sweet opens the floodgates to sugar cravings,  then it’s probably best to not even start.
3. Be mindful. Before you grab that cookie, think about it. Do you REALLY want it? Does it look that good? Why do you want it? Be discriminating.  If you can honestly say you REALLY want it, go ahead and take one. Eat it slow and enjoy each bite.
4. Delay the urge. Often times if you can delay the urge, it will go away. Leave the room. Make a phone call. If you still really want it, go for it.
5. Avoid the all or nothing mentality. Just because you had one (or even 5!), it doesn’t mean you “ruined” the day so you might as well keep eating. Stop it there and get back on track for the rest of the day. Read my previous post on Tips to Avoid the All or Nothing Syndrome.
6. Moderation. If you are watching your weight (or cholesterol or blood sugar) and would like to enjoy some  holiday sweets, set limits for yourself. I might suggest you allow yourself 100-200 calories of sweets a day a few days a week (until the holidays are over). Examples: An individual chocolate, truffle or  holiday cookie has ~ 100 calories. Dark chocolate is preferable to milk chocolate as it contains antioxidants
7.  Avoid the room where the goodies are kept. If they are kept within reach or sight (and it is in your control), try to change the location where they are kept! Otherwise, do your best to avoid the room.
8. Keep reminding yourself how much exercise it takes to burn off the calories in a small treat: 40 minutes of brisk walking to burn off 200 calories and a spin class to burn off 350-400 calories. Is it worth it?  I would have to jump rope for 30 minutes to burn off 3 chocolates! Yikes.
9. Make sure you have a good lunch that contains adequate protein and volume. This will help keep your blood sugar levels up and give you more willpower to fight off the urge to indulge later in the afternoon.
10. Plan a healthy afternoon snack – ideally one that includes protein and/or fat. This can help to control sugar cravings.
11. Try chewing gum. While this is obviously not comparable to a chocolate, studies have shown it can help to reduce food cravings.
12. If you do end up overindulging, don’t beat yourself up. Just learn from it – how can you prevent it from happening again? Did someone give you a box of chocolates that set you off? Next time – give it away to your colleague or “re-gift”  before opening it.  Leftover holiday dessert from your dinner party? Next time, give it to your doorman, freeze it or throw it out.
13. Get support from others. Ask your significant other not to bring sweets or trigger foods into the house – or at least hide them. Ask your co-worker to move the holiday cookies to a not-so-obvious spot. Buddy up with a friend and send each other your food logs during the holiday week.
14. Try an unorthodox method of controlling your intake of sweets like I did ….

How are you controlling your intake of sweets? 

If you have PCOS and are having difficulty losing weight, you aren’t alone! This is the most common complaint I hear from my patients with PCOS.  It can be so frustrating to try diet after diet, along with exercise, and get minimal results while you see others around you losing weight on the same program. It can take forever to lose a few pounds. And it seems that you can regain it in a week! It’s even worse when your doctor says “you really should lose some weight”.  It’s not like you don’t know that or aren’t already trying. Having a weight problem and PCOS often go hand and hand. But it doesn’t mean it’s your fault or that you are doing something wrong. Your weight is based on many factors, including genes, your unique metabolism, gut microbiome, endocrine disruptors in food and the environment and just having PCOS. PCOS in itself can actually be contributing to weight gain and/or difficultly losing weight. There are several possible reasons why it can be more difficult to lose weight with PCOS, some research-based and others are theories.

7 Reasons why it can be so hard to lose weight with PCOS

1. Slower metabolism

   Women with PCOS may have slower metabolisms than women without PCOS. Your metabolism is based on your basal metabolic rate, physical activity and everyday movement as well as the calories you burn digesting food (thermogenesis). Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is how many calories your body needs just to function. Compare this to laying on a couch all day! This includes breathing, circulating blood, keeping your heart beating, etc.  On average, your BMR represents 60%–70% of energy and plays the greatest role in your metabolism. This study showed that women with PCOS, particularly those with IR, had a significantly decreased BMR. Women without PCOS were found to have an average BMR of 1,868 calories. Women with PCOS who were not insulin resistant had a BMR of 1590 calories. And women with PCOS who were insulin resistant had a BMR of 1116 calories. This is huge difference. The good news is that exercise, especially weight training, can help increase metabolism. (pic: canva)  (Georgopoulos et al, 2009)
   

2. Reduced postprandial thermogenesis
   

   Thermogenesis usually makes up 5-15% of how many calories you burn in a day.(Westerterp KR  2004) Postprandial thermogenesis has been shown to be reduced in PCOS. This study showed the greater the insulin resistance, the greater the reduction in thermogenesis.(Robinson et al, 1992)
   

3. Effects of insulin

   We know that obesity worsens insulin resistance, but it’s also believed that insulin resistance can contribute towards obesity. Insulin is a storage hormone and wants to store carbs, protein and fat. The more insulin your body secrets, the more likely it is that you will store excess body fat. And since the majority of women with PCOS are insulin resistant, this means that you are secreting more insulin. This in turn can contribute to greater fat storage.  (Erion  et al, 2017)
   

4. Problems with appetite regulation

   Have you have been told, “just eat when you are hungry?” Well this doesn’t work so well for many people – including those with PCOS – because you may always feel hungry. Our appetites are controlled by a complex system of hormones, including those that make us feel hungry (ghrelin) and those that make us feel satiated (leptin and CCK).  Research is suggesting women with PCOS may have an impairment with appetite regulation hormones.- One study showed that women with PCOS have a reduced secretion of CCK, a satiety hormone, after meals. Impaired CCK secretion may play a role in the greater frequency of binge eating and weight gain/difficulty losing weight in women with PCOS. (Hirschberg et al, 2009)
   – This older study down on women with PCOS suggests a disturbance in the appetite regulating feedback system in the interaction between leptin and NPY (neuropeptide Y). (Baranowska et al, 1999)
   – This study concluded that women with PCOS have reduced postprandial CCK secretion and deranged appetite regulation associated with increased levels of testosterone. Impaired CCK secretion may play a role in the greater frequency of binge eating and overweight in women with PCOS. (Hirschberg et al,  2004)

5. Increased carb cravings

   The majority of my patients with PCOS report carb cravings, usually for sugary or white carbs. Not only do these foods pack in calories, but they can worsen insulin resistance, which can lead to weight gain in itself.  Women with high androgen levels independent of PCOS status were found to have greater cravings for high-fat foods and carbohydrate-rich foods and possibly a greater intake of these foods (Lim et al, 2012).Higher rates of anxiety, eating disorders and mood disorders may lead to more emotional eating. This isn’t “proven” but in my experience, it’s an issue for some women.

6. Inadequate sleep

   Women with PCOS, especially if obese, have been found to have increased incidence of sleep disorders. Inadequate sleep has been linked to weight gain. Researchers believe that a lack of sleep alters the release of two hormones that help your body to regulate feelings of hunger. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, and release less leptin, which suppresses appetite. In addition, fatigue produced by limiting sleep may reduce physical activity and thus energy expenditure (Pate  et al, 2006) and (The Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research)

Bottom line

I didn’t write this blog post to depress you, but rather to show that it can be more difficult for some women to lose weight with PCOS. It doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. But that being said, it’s NOT IMPOSSIBLE by any means! I’ve been specializing in nutrition for PCOS for over 15 years and majority of my patients have been able to lose weight. The trick will to find what works for you and make the plan be realistic and something you can live with. Stay tuned for more blog posts on tips to help you lose weight with PCOS.

It’s that time of the year! If your office is anything like mine, the holiday sweet are piling up everywhere. My nutrition office is in a large medical practice and patients send in tempting gifts of food every holiday season. It’s like navigating a land mine of sugar! Boxes of chocolate near the fax machine, homemade holiday cookies near the copy machine, every kind of sugary treat you an imagine is sitting right down the hall from my nutrition office.  And this lasts until end of January. For a self-proclaimed chocoholic like myself, this can spell trouble. And of course, stress and lack of sleep can make cravings even worse.

While there is nothing wrong with enjoying a holiday sweet, many of my clients (and myself) can experience trouble controlling their intake. If you are a sugar-craver and feel that eating one sweet sets off major carb cravings, you’ll need to come up with a strategy to help you feel more in control.

Tips to control your intake of holiday sweets:

• Get in the right mindset. Holidays are not the time for a strict diet. Depriving yourself will only set yourself up for overindulging later. So give yourself permission to enjoy a small portion of a favorite holiday treat. But on the other hand, don’t have the “jolly holiday mentality” where you feel you can eat every treat in sight because “it’s the holidays”. Calories do count over the holidays.
• Think about how eating the sweet will make you feel. We all have food histories. If you know you can eat one cookie and be satisfied (and REALLY want it), then go ahead and enjoy it. However if you feel eating one sweet opens the floodgates to sugar cravings,  then it’s probably best to not even start.
• Be mindful. Before you grab that cookie, think about it. Do you REALLY want it? Does it look that good? Why do you want it? Be discriminating.  If you can honestly say you REALLY want it, go ahead and take one. Eat it slow and enjoy each bite.
• Delay the urge. Often times if you can delay the urge, it will go away. Leave the room. Make a phone call. If you still really want it, go for it.
• Avoid the all or nothing mentality. Just because you had one (or even 5!), it doesn’t mean you “ruined” the day so you might as well keep eating. Stop it there and get back on track for the rest of the day. Read my previous post on Tips to Avoid the All or Nothing Syndrome.
• Moderation. If you are watching your weight (or cholesterol or blood sugar) and would like to enjoy some  holiday sweets, set limits for yourself. I might suggest you allow yourself 100-200 calories of sweets a day a few days a week (until the holidays are over). Examples: An individual chocolate, truffle or  holiday cookie has ~ 100 calories. Dark chocolate is preferable to milk chocolate as it contains antioxidants.
• Avoid the room where the goodies are kept. If they are kept within reach or sight (and it is in your control), try to change the location where they are kept! Otherwise, do your best to avoid the room.
• Keep reminding yourself how much exercise it takes to burn off the calories in a small treat: 40 minutes of brisk walking to burn off 200 calories and a spin class to burn off 350-400 calories. Is it worth it?  I would have to jump rope for 30 minutes to burn off 3 chocolates! Yikes.
• Make sure you have a good lunch that contains adequate protein and volume. This will help keep
  your blood sugar levels up and give you more willpower to fight off the urge to indulge later in the afternoon.
• Plan a healthy afternoon snack – ideally one that includes protein and/or fat. This can help to control sugar cravings.
• Try chewing gum. While this is obviously not comparable to a chocolate, studies have shown it can help to reduce food cravings.
• If you do end up overindulging, don’t beat yourself up. Just learn from it – how can you prevent it from happening again? Did someone give you a box of chocolates that set you off? Next time – give it away to your colleague or “re-gift”  before opening it.  Leftover holiday dessert from your dinner party? Next time, give it to your doorman, freeze it or throw it out.
• Get support from others. Ask your significant other not to bring sweets or trigger foods into the house – or at least hide them. Ask your co-worker to move the holiday cookies to a not-so-obvious spot. Buddy up with a friend and send each other your food logs during the holiday week.
• Try an unorthodox method of controlling your intake of sweets like I did ….

How are you controlling your intake of sweets? 

If bread, pasta or chocolate calls your name, you’re not alone. Carb cravings are one of most common complaints I hear from my patients.. There are many reasons for these cravings. Some studies are suggesting certain foods, often carbs, light up hedonic centers in your brain, causing more cravings. And there are a host of other potential causes. The good news is that there are ways to outsmart these carb cravings!

Here are some common scenarios that may lead to carb cravings and tips to control them:

1. Having sweets in your environment can give you “sugar brain”. I call foods that set off more cravings  “trigger” foods.  It’s been shown that in certain people, high sugar, high fat foods activate a center in your brain what will cause you to want more of them. Trying to fight this by “being more disciplined” often doesn’t work. You’ll only end up beating yourself up … which can lead to even more eating.    Reference
   Tip: Rather than trying to “improve your self-control”,  focus more on “reengineering your food environment.” Avoid keeping these tempting foods in your home or office.  Ask your family or significant(s) other to keep them out of the house or buy a flavor you don’t like. If they must be in the house, at least hide them. Avoid the candy on your co-workers desk …. don’t even start!
2. Going too long without eating. This will lead to low blood sugar which will increase the urge to eat carbs. I doubt many of you crave broccoli when you haven’t eaten for 8 hours! My guess is that you would be looking for something starchy or sugary.
   Tip: Eat meals at regular intervals. Plan a healthy snack for in between meals. Carry this snack with you if you’ll be on the road.
3. Consuming too many processed low fiber carbs. Foods such as white rice, white bread, sweets and other sugary food are low in fiber and have a high glycemic index. Eating high glycemic foods (especially larger portions) can cause a quick spike in blood sugar, followed by a quick drop. This stimulates  a spike of insulin, followed by increased hunger and can cause the urge to eat more carbohydrates.Tip: Stick to whole grains and high fiber foods as much as possible
4. Not eating adequate protein at meals. Eating meals that contain only carbohydrate (i.e. a jumbo bagel, big bowl of pasta or frozen yogurt with granola) will cause a rapid rise of blood sugar, followed by a spike of insulin, then a crash of blood sugar. This can exacerbate cravings. Protein helps to slow digestion a bit and keep you feeling full long.Tip: Try to include a protein source at meals and snacks. Protein sources include: meat, fish, poultry,  eggs, nut and nut butters, and dairy products. Note: not all women  with PCOS choose to consume dairy – but if you do, the best choices would be organic and fermented like yogurt – especially plain Greek yogurt)
5. Not eating adequate fat at meals. Many of my clients are still fat phobic (maybe leftover from the Food
   Pyramid?) and will go out of their way to avoid eating fat. But this isn’t a great idea as following a diet too low in fat can exacerbate cravings. Fat takes a long time to digest, helps to prevent rapid peaks and drops of blood sugar and helps keep you full longer. Of course, the key is not to overindulge in fat as loaded with calories if you.Tip: Add a little olive oil to your salad, peanut butter to your morning toast and avocado to your salad.
6. Taking your caloric intake too low. When your consume too few calories, your hypothalmus produces extraNPY (neuropeptide Y),  a chemical messenger that encourages you to eat more carbohydrates. In addition, the hypothalmus secretes another chemical called galanin which increases cravings for foods rich in fat and carbs. Take home message: eating too few calories = cravings for high carb foods.Tip: Don’t go below 1200 calories (and even higher for most people).
7. Getting inadequate sleep. Sleep affects hormones that regulate satiety, hunger and how efficiently you burn calories. Too little sleep can lower levels of leptin and raise levels of ghrelin, which can increases hunger for sweet and/or starchy foods.Tip: Get adequate sleep! Turn off the computer and tv at least an hour before bed. Ideally try to read before going to sleep. This helps to “shut you down”. Stay tuned for more sleep tips in an upcoming post.
8. Consuming inadequate carbs, especially if you are an active person. Low carb diets are mainstream these days. While they may work for some people, others  feel exhausted. Exercising on a regular basis and not consuming adequate carbs can cause you to have powerful carb cravings as well as low energy levels. This is because carbs are the major fuel used by exercising muscles. Your body likes to keep your energy stores full of energy (called glycogen). If you exercise on a regular basis and don’t eat enough carbs, your body may go into “carb seeking mode” as it tries to replete its glycogen stores. In addition, you will likely find your energy levels plummet.
   Tip: My carb recommendations very widely depending on the person, however aim for at least 4 servings of carb rich foods a day (includes fruit and grains). Very active people may need significantly more than this.
9. Having high stress levels. High levels of stress can cause chemical imbalances in your body. Cortisol is
   produced by the adrenal glands in your body when you are under stress. Cortisol will increase production of a neurotransmitter called neuropeptide Y, which as I previously discussed, can increase cravings for sweet or starchy foods.
   Tip: Find an activity to do that relaxes you or at least takes your mind off stressful thoughts. Try getting a massage, taking a bath, reading a book, taking a walk or going to the gym, taking a yoga class, practicing meditation – or any other pleasurable activity that doesn’t have anything to do with food.

Bottom line

If you experience frequent carb cravings, I’d recommend you play detective! Keep a food journal for at least a week. Record what you eat, the time, how much sleep you got, what you did for exercise along with any emotion you felt before you had the craving. You’ll likely be able to figure out what caused the craving and come up with a solution!

Read my previous posts on Eating Triggers and How to Control Them

I’d love to hear about your carb cravings and help you brainstorm ways to beat them!

“I’m so good during day … but at night I can’t stay out of the kitchen”.  Sound familiar? I frequently hear this from my clients. It happens to me as well.  So why is it that we are able to watch what we eat during the day but night time brings out the food demons? The exact causes are unknown and likely differ for each individual. When we have control in other areas in our lives, it can feel frustrating not to have control in this area. But there are some tips and tricks that can help you reign in the evening munchies.

Possible causes of nighttime eating

The causes likely differ from person to person. Stress, anxiety, boredom, sleep deprivation,
inadequate calories or protein during the day, habit, and likely chemical imbalances can all contribute to night time eating.  Keep in mind that there is a difference between night time snacking and binge eating. And there is even a syndrome called Night Eating Syndrome (see below).

What kind of night eater are you?

Before moving on to my tips, it’s important to distinguish what kind of night eater you are because the treatment will vary widely.
Snackers: Most of us just get “snacky” at night. Many of my tips below can help you

Binge Eating Disorder.  People with binge eating disorders often eat an unusually large amount of food and feel out of control during the binges. About 2% of all adults in the U.S. may have binge eating disorder. Treatment involves working with a therapist and registered dietitian who specializes in eating disorders.

Night Eating Syndrome.  NES is characterized by a lack of appetite in the morning, overeating at night, and waking to eat throughout the night. Seen as a delay in the circadian rhythm of food intake while retaining a normal sleep-wake cycle, it is defined by two core criteria: the ingestion of at least 25% of daily calories after dinner and/or awakening to eat at least three times per week. Source: Today’s Dietitian: Night Eating Syndrome 

Sleep-Related Eating Disorder (SRED). People with SRED eat while sleepwalking, or while in a twilight state between sleep and being awake. People with SRED are not aware of what they’re doing, and often they may wake up to discover dishes or food in their bed, and have no memory of eating at all. Source: Forbes: Night Eating Syndrome: a Warning Sign   pic credit

Strategies to control night-time eating

I will admit that there are no easy answers to stop night eating in its tracks. But there are some strategies that may help. My patients have found some of these strategies helpful. We’ll start with the simple ones first.

          FOOD

1. Don’t take your calories too low during the day. Eating too few calories during the day can backfire and lead to more hunger … and the urge to snack … later on in the evening.
2. Eat adequate protein at meals. This includes dinner, lunch and even breakfast. Studies  have shown that eating protein at breakfast can help control cravings and overall food intake later on in the day. Good sources of protein include: Greek yogurt, eggs, cheese, fish, soy, cottage cheese, meat, poultry, fish, beans, nuts and seeds.
3. Don’t be a fat phob. Fat provides satiety and keeps you feeling full longer. Healthy fats include nuts and nut butters like almond butter, seeds, avocados, coconut, olive oil, grass- fed butter, etc.
4. Pay special attention to dinner. Make sure it is satisfying physically and mentally. Eating a plate of steamed spinach and broiled fish may not be that appealing to you … and the kitchen will soon be calling your name.
5. Don’t skimp in fiber. Fiber adds bulk to our meals and keeps us feeling full longer. Good fiber sources include vegetables, whole grains, legumes and lentils, chia and flaxseeds, fruit
6. Build a night snack into your eating plan if needed. Vowing not eat after dinner may not be realistic, especially if your dinner is on the early side. So plan a portion controlled evening snack – but something that won’t “set you off”
   BEHAVIORS
7. Plan ahead. If evening snacking is a problem for you, acknowledge it and come up with plan.
8. Get it out of the house. Keep trigger foods out of the house. If your hubby wants his ice cream around, ask him to buy a flavor you don’t love. If you have trouble with portion control of nuts, buy the mini bags instead.
9. Ask for support. Ask a spouse or significant other for help. While no one wants to be the “police” in a relationship, some gentle support can help. For example, I ask my boyfriend not to keep his goodies in my apartment. He can take them home with him! But I acknowledge evening snacking is a problem time for me
10. Break your snacking behavior chain. Break up your routine.  We get stuck into ruts. Instead of watching tv after dinner  which triggers thoughts of snacks – try something different. Read a book. Put in an exercise DVD. Clean your closet. Take a walk after dinner.
11. Prioritize sleep: If you don’t get enough sleep, you will be hungry, especially for carbs and sugar. Why? Because when you deprive yourself of sleep, ghrelin, the hormone that drives hunger goes up and PYY, the hormone that makes you feel full, goes down. So, if you want to control snacking,  get those zzz’s.
12. Keep healthy snacks in view, hide the others. Brian Wansink, PhD, has done some fascinating research on how arranging your kitchen can slim you down. More on this in a future blog post. But a hint: hide the “trigger” snacks in cabinets or in the back of the refrigerator. Keep the healthy snacks in full view. And keep your kitchen clutter free!
13. Indulge in an activity you really like or that relaxes you. Many of us snack as a way to unwind after a long day at work.  This was my behavior chain – after a long stressful day/week (especially on a Friday), I  would find myself continually looking for food in the evening. I guess I thought it relaxed me. But I found a substitution (kind of embarrassing!)  What totally relaxes me or numbs out my stressed brain is watching absurd tv. I rarely have time (or let myself) watch tv as I always have too much work to do. But I found that watching The Bachelor (or a Housewife show) is SO mindless that it totally relaxes me. I would rather lay on the couch and watch this than eat. Kind of pathetic … but it totally works for me! Pic credit
14. Stall the urge to eat. You’ve probably heard this before. But it really can work. Trick yourself by saying you can have the snack 30 minutes later. Quite often if you ride out the urge, it will go away. Try to distract yourself in the meantime. Call a friend, read a book, etc.
15. Lock it up. This one is radical and is obviously not for everyone. But it can work. I’ve had clients who will discretely lock problems foods in a cabinet so their spouse can’t get into it – at the spouse’s request of course. Stay tuned on a blog post on a gadget that help you work on self control.
    THOUGHTS
16. Think about why you want to control night time snacking. Changing habits isn’t easy. In order to make a change, it’s important to identify why it’s important to you. “I want to snack less to help control my morning blood sugars”  “I want to snack less to help me lost weight as my spring clothes won’t fit” “I want to snack less because it makes me feel out of control and in a bad mood the next day”
17. Visualize and set goals. Visualize how your night will unfold and then set a goal. For example, I will eat a dinner that I really enjoy then will have only one fruit or yogurt after dinner tonight. Keep a chart of how often you have success with your goals. Think positively (I met my goal 3 times this week) versus negatively (I didn’t do it 4 nights)
18. Journal what you eat and how you feel. This can be the first step in tackling evening emotional eating. Become aware of what emotions you are feeling when you get the urge to eat.
19. Don’t beat yourself up after a night time snack frenzy. Negative thoughts will only worsen the downward spiral. Let it go and move on to how you will handle tonight.
20. Try meditation. Many people eat in response to stress or to calm their frenzied minds. Meditation has helped relax millions of people for thousands of years. It can also help with insomnia and medical conditions such as IBS. For guidance, check out some of these meditation apps:  Relax Melodies, Buddhify, Meditation Timer Pro, Omvana, Take a Break!, The Mindfulness App, Headspace, Smiling Mind  photo credit
21. Is something else contributing to your eating? I have clients who take sleeping pills then get the urge to eat. Other clients find that alcohol or smoking pot can trigger the munchies.
22. Cognitive behavior therapy (CPT) can help you restructure your thoughts around night time eating.
23. Consider working with an intuitive eating specialist. Learn more about intuitive eating.

Do you have any tips that have helped you control your nighttime eating? Share them with us!

Whether you’re a mother or not, most of the women I know have hectic schedules and don’t take enough time for themselves. Family and work obligations often come first. Who has time to plan healthy meals and snacks, fit in exercise or get enough sleep? This takes a toll on our energy levels, weight and overall health. In honor of Mother’s Day, I wanted to share the top 5 diet/lifestyle pitfalls of women and give some quick solutions.

women

Top 5 nutritional pitfalls of women and quick solutions

Problem #1: Inadequate sleep. The majority of women I know (myself included!), don’t get enough sleep. Inadequate sleep contributes towards carb cravings, weight problems, low energy levels and increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.

Solution: I know that getting more sleep is easier said than done! Set small goals. Start by going to bed 30 minutes earlier. Turn off the computers and tv at least one hour prior to getting into bed. Ideally, try to read in bed.  Um … this doesn’t mean getting in bed with your smart phone.

Problem #2: Inadequate protein at breakfast and/or lunch. Many of my female clients have smoothie made with almond milk and fruit or a bowl of cereal for breakfast and a soup or salad with just veggies for lunch. Could be problematic! Not eating enough protein early in the day can set you up for an afternoon of carb cravings and low energy levels.  Studies have also shown that eating a protein rich breakfast can help you lose weight. Lastly, consuming adequate protein can help prevent/slow the loss of muscle mass that occurs with aging or when you are dieting.

Solution: Try to include a protein rich food at breakfast and lunch. Examples: Greek yogurt, eggs and egg whites (BTW – nothing wrong with the whole egg!), cheese and cottage cheese, poultry, fish or  lean meat. Vegetarian sources of protein include legumes, quinoa, nuts, nut butters, seeds, soy including edemame.

Problem #3: Keeping tempting food in your environment. Gone are the days when you keep only salad in your fridge. Now that you have family or significant other around, your home has turned into a minefield. How many times have you found yourself digging into your husband’s pint of ice cream or kids bags of cookies?

Solution: This is a huge problem for many of my clients and it doesn’t mean you are “weak” if you can’t resist these foods. But you will need to learn how to deal with this trigger or you will end up gaining a lot of weight! Don’t keep problem foods in your environment. This doesn’t mean you have to totally deprive your family of their favorite treats, but start buying less of them. Buy a flavor you don’t like, buy individual sized bags, keep less variety around, stock up on healthy snacks for you and keep any tempting snacks out of sight. Get your whole family eating healthier and start to buy less of the processed “stuff”. Be pro-active and come up with a plan. *My bf has been warned not to bring any tempting goodies into my apartment … or else.

Problem #4:  Carb cravings. The majority of women I counsel report carb cravings usually in afternoon or evening.

Solution: Try to eat meals at regular intervals, include protein at meals, don’t keep “problem” foods in your environment, don’t start with a food that triggers more cravings and limited processed carbs.

Problem #5:  No time to plan meals. How many times have you ended up getting not-so-healthy take out for dinner, grabbing a slice of pizza for lunch or a snack from the vending machine? Most of us are so busy that we really don’t take the time to plan healthy meals and snacks.  (pic credit)

Solution: Go grocery shopping once a week and stock up on healthy snacks and easy to prepare meals. If you don’t even have time to go to the store, try placing an order with Fresh Direct. I would also suggest you find 4-5 healthy take-out places in your neighborhood. So you don’t have time to cook, at least your “dial-for-dinner” will be a healthy option.

Here are healthy (at least somewhat!) takeout dinner choices:

–Chinese: steamed chicken, shrimp, tofu or scallops and veggies with sauce on the side and brown rice
-Rotisserie chicken, ½ baked potato or piece of pita bread and steamed veggies
-Japanese: 2 rolls and soup or salad or one roll and 5 sashimi and soup or salad
– Middle Eastern: chicken kabobs and salad, piece of pita bread
-Frozen dinner under 350 calories. Add a salad or cooked veggies
-Fresh Direct under 500 calorie meals
-Salad with grilled chicken (dressing on the side and use sparingly)

Give  a HEALTHY Mother’s Day gift to a woman in your life – a NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING SESSION with me! One session can get her started on the road to better health, decreased carb cravings, increased energy, decreased health risks and support with losing weight. I also provide counseling for medical conditions including IBS, PCOS, diabetes and pre-diabetes and heart health. Check out my website for more information. Contact me at mmckittnyc@gmail.com for details.

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But what if eating breakfast makes you HUNGRIER than if you ate nothing? You try to do the right thing and pour yourself a bowl of healthy cereal topped with a banana but an hour later you are ravenous! Why does eating breakfast make you hungry and what can you do about it?

I frequently hear my clients tell me that the reason why they avoid breakfast is that once they eat something, they are hungry for the rest of the day. Obviously this is a problem if you are trying to watch your weight. I’ve blogged in the past about the benefits of breakfast (increased energy, speeding metabolism, lowering body fat, improving mental concentration, etc).

Why does eating breakfast make you hungry?

What you eat for breakfast can determine how it affects your hunger. For many people, eating processed carbs for breakfast will increase hunger. This is because these foods rapidly break down into sugar, which cause insulin levels to shoot up and then plummet … leading to more hunger. Examples: bagels, jumbo muffins, refined or sugary cereals. The problem is that most breakfast foods are full of carbs! Even a healthy breakfast of a whole grain cereal, fruit and milk may be too carb heavy for some people. The result: increased hunger.

Hunger taming breakfast ideas

Your best bet is to add protein, fat and fiber to breakfast as they won’t trigger the insulin response like processed carbs and will keep you feeling full longer. If you feel having the bread triggers you, find another carb that doesn’t increase hunger (i.e. high fiber cracker or low glycemic fruit) Or some people may find that all carbs in the morning trigger more hunger. In that case, just have the protein/fat – but don’t load up on saturated fat “Atkins style!” Suggestions:

1. 2 Eggs with a slice of whole grain toast (protein/fat in eggs, fiber in bread)
   
2. Egg white omelet with veggies a sprinkle of cheese or a few avocado slices and some fruit (protein in egg whites, fat in cheese or avocado, fiber in berries) pic credit: momlogic.com
3. 2% Greek yogurt, with 1 tablespoon of chia seeds or flaxseeds and berries (protein/fat in yogurt, fat in seeds, fiber in fruit
4. 2% Greek yogurt with ½ cup whole grain cereal and berries (protein/fat in yogurt, fiber in cereal and fruit
5.  Egg in a mug from Hungry Girl. Fun recipes and you don’t even have to dirty a pan! (protein and little fat)
6. 2 tablespoons nut butter on a whole wheat English muffin or an apple (protein/fat in nut butter, fiber in bread or apple)
7. 1 oz cheese, 1 slice of avocado and a slice tomato on a Flatout wrap – melted (protein/fat in the cheese and avocado and fiber in the bread
8. 8 oz Container of 1% cottage cheese with berries added in (protein in the cottage cheese and fiber in the berries)You will need to pay attention to how various breakfast foods make you feel as some foods may trigger hunger while other food do not.

What kind of breakfast helps keep you feeling full?