When meeting with an athlete, one of the first questions I ask them is if they have a late night snack…the answer is almost always yes. Good news – most athletes need a late night snack since their metabolism is so fast they need to keep fueling. The next question is, what are they eating late night….and the answer is almost always cereal. I ask the athlete how many bowls and it is often 1, 2, 3 or sometimes it is easily the whole box!
Any of you known to munch on cereal before going to bed? Or a few too many pieces of fruit? Sweets? What is your favorite late night snack? There is nothing wrong with cereal (it is a wonderful food!), but it is all starch and when someone, an athlete, or anyone really, munches on too much carbohydrates late at night it is usually a sign that they are not eating protein during the day.
Seems odd right…if you need protein, why are you craving carbs? Well, remember carbs are the food of choice when you are starving in the desert….you NEED cabrs to live and thrive…so at the end of the day if the body thinks it is in trouble it will always go to glucose ie carbohydrates.
So…what to do? Plan your day better! And get those small, balanced meals in throughout the day so your body does not over-stress and therefore, does not have insane cravings for sugar late at night.
Here are some protein source ideas that work on the go. REMEMBER – eat a protein AND a carb together. Balanced, small meals every 3-4 hours.
Yogurt – check the grams of protein (get at least 10g) and look at the ingredients. While yogurt has sugar in it since all dairy is made of the sugar lactose, there is no need for added sugar. So yes, I am encouraging you to eat plain yogurt – the horror!
Jerky – I recently started working with KRAVE Jerky. Slightly obsessed with how tasty it is! And not tough like normal jerky….and based out of Sonoma…and uses high quality source ingredients. All jerky will have some sugar – as it would taste pretty terrible without – but the amount is minimal and they use legit ingredients. Great for on the go. And clearly a winner for athletes considering Meb Keflezighi, winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon is one of their athletes!
Salmon and Sardines – You were not expecting that one! I just recently learned about Vital Choice and bought a bunch of their sardines and salmon (in non BPA packaging thank you) and it is great on the go. Just please don’t be that guy that opens up a thing of fish on an airplane…
Quinoa and Lentil Salads – Quinoa and lentils are a fantastic sources of plant protein and I seem to notice salads everywhere these days. Or make one at home filled with veggies and you are good to go.
Leftovers! Never ever doubt the power of leftovers. Throw dinner in a small to go container and you can have it on the go at work the next day.
Eggs – Ah I love eggs. Hard boiled, scrambled, egg sandwich, kale egg cups, baked eggs, microwave eggs – go get em! Great source of protein to balance out a meal.
When you start eating consistently throughout the day and pairing protein with carbohydrates your world is going to be rocked! No more sugar cravings, better energy, fat loss. Sounds like a good place to be!
And you will save money on cereal…