Appetite spikes between 5 to 7 p.m. - help

[garden granny]

I start out in the morning not wanting anything to eat except maybe a green smoothie, or if it's especially cold in the morning, I'll have some warm tea with almond milk. I don't get hungry again until about 1:30 and I'm satisfied with a big salad and/or a green smoothie. But then, when I get off work at 5:00 p.m, as soon as I get home I'm running to the refrigerator, cabinets, etc. grabbing whatever I can find, raw sometimes, or cooked, it doesn't matter, just gotta eat something. Why does my appetite suddenly spike at this time of day? This is ruining my rawness cause when I'm that hungry anything goes!

[goodbeets]

I don't know why your appetite spikes then, mine does too, but that is why I work at having raw treats around like fudges and fruit leather and cookies. If I want salty I usually have some eggplant bac-un or black olives. You just gotta be prepared. Lately, I have been reminding myself to have 1 or 2 glasses of water then as I have been finding sometimes i am just mistaking thirst signals for hunger. Hope this helps. Good luck.

[Revvell]

That's why I always have a smoothie ready. Drink that to stave off the hunger then you can rationally see what else you've got available to eat. As Goodbeets said, have stuff prepared.

Another thing, if you've got stuff frozen such as lasagna, then take it out in the a.m. It'll be ready when you get home. Add a salad and pre-made soup and you are good-to-go!

Revvell

[lore-ah]

My danger zone is late morning/early afternoon. It's AWFUL, I know how you feel! I do what Revvell suggested; I have a smoothie to get some food in me and up my blood sugar (which drops and makes me insane).

Unfortunately sometimes I'm just on a rampage then eat 1/2 a pound of nuts or something ridiculous. It has been getting easier over time but I'll still have the occassional 3 Larabar mornings

[c'estlaviebelle]

Have you considered that maybe the appetite spike is habitual? I know for me, I had to break myself of the habit of eating when I get home from work. I realized I wasn't even really hungry, my eating was emotional and habitual...

I'm not saying you *don't* have a hunger spike, I'm just relaying how what I thought was hunger turned out to be something else. Otherwise, I think suggestion of having smoothies always on hand is a good one.

[garden granny]

Have you considered that maybe the appetite spike is habitual? I know for me, I had to break myself of the habit of eating when I get home from work. I realized I wasn't even really hungry, my eating was emotional and habitual...

I'm not saying you *don't* have a hunger spike, I'm just relaying how what I thought was hunger turned out to be something else. Otherwise, I think suggestion of having smoothies always on hand is a good one.

I'm sure it is partly a habit. I'm definitely gonna try what Revvell said and make a smoothie and have it waiting for me when I get home and see if that helps. I just don't understand what causes this spike though, cause it's definitely for real.

[lore-ah]

There's definitely a HUGE habit component for me. What I do is just play a little game with myself.

What I'm feeling: STARVING
what I'm craving: bread, cheese, etc

I think about fruit, salad or whatever other raw goodies I have. If I'm still hungry I eat that. Often times I'm not hungry at all and I realize I'm just having some sort of craving for junk food. It makes it easier for me

[Revvell]

Are you drinking water between lunch and getting home?

How about a thermos of raw soup on the way home?

*soup is as easy to make as a smoothie... just use veggies instead of fruit and greens*

THEN the smoothie when you get home?

Revvell

[EZ rider]

I find that a starving type hunger signal is preceded by many smaller intensity slight hunger signals. Paying attention and catching the first slight hunger signal and responding to feed your body with a small meal works for me. I keep a variety of raw foods on hand at all times. The first slight hunger signal is so mild that you may not even notice it unless you are paying close attention and watching for it. The response to the first slight hunger signal does not have to be all that prompt as the slight hunger disappears quickly and you have plenty of time to prepare sometime raw before the second slightly stronger hunger signal is sent by your body. Each following hunger is stronger then the last until your body finally gets your attention.

[EZ rider]

I was just thinking about the hunger signals the body sends and anyone who has done an extended water only fast has probably noticed that the body will continue to send signals for the first 3 or 4 days and then they will stop and the body will switch to internal feeding (fat stores) and the faster will not be bothered with hunger signals again for awhile. Then the slight hunger signals will start again, increasing in intensity, as the body exhausts its stored supplies. The body is amazing isn't it.