Muffin Top-Less

“I often have really strong cravings, especially for sugar! It always comes in the afternoon, especially after dinner. I try to ignore it but eventually I find myself bingeing. I workout everyday but my diet struggles are holding me back! Any suggestions on how to combat them or even get rid of them?”

Awesome question! I have the same problem… in fact… a lot of us do. The reason we crave sugar in the afternoon/at night is because our brain and body are looking for energy… and they want that energy NOW. Sugar creates a spike in insulin which raises blood sugar and gives us a burst of energy. However as most of us know from some intense candy binge sessions as kids (and even sometimes now), that burst of energy is usually followed by a hard crash. If you find yourself craving these things at night, it’s a sign that your body is slowing down for the evening. If you are going to eat anything at this point, make it something healthy like nonfat cottage cheese. If you have already eaten your allotted calories for the day, make a big cup of hot tea with a little Stevia to kill the sweet craving.. and stay OUT of the kitchen!!!

p.s… this is a picture of me from a shoot a while back that I did for a recipe segment. The segment was for a digital bodybuilding mag… specifically.. DESSERT recipes using protein powder =)