Weight Loss MRC Blog

5 Reasons For Your Late Night Cravings

July 27, 2021

Late-night snacking can be a bad habit that prevents us from reaching our health and weight loss goals. But what’s more, those late-night cravings are a sure signal that something is going on inside of our bodies that isn’t quite right. 

If you struggle with late-night snacking, you’re not alone. 97% of women and 68% of men report experiencing some sort of food cravings - including sugar cravings. The problem with eating late at night is right before bed we’re the least active. So our bodies store those extra calories as fat instead of processing them and burning them for energy.

If you’re sick of not achieving your health and fitness goals because of those pesky cravings, we’re here to help. But first, we have to pinpoint exactly what is causing you to have cravings in the first place. Below are 5 reasons you might be experiencing late-night cravings and tips on how to curb them! 

What’s Causing Your Late Night Cravings?

There are numerous reasons you might be having late night cravings. To help you identify what might be causing yours in particular, here are a list of some leading causes:

1. Hormonal Imbalance 

Imbalanced hormones impact your insulin and destabilize your blood sugar. So if you are suffering from obesity, unpredicted weight gain, and acne in addition to your late-night sugar cravings- a hormonal imbalance might be the culprit. 

A few things that might be contributing to your hormonal imbalance are:

  • Lack of sleep
  • Consuming too much-processed food
  • High-stress levels 

To combat your hormonal imbalance, it's important to get your body back on a healthy schedule. Here are a few suggestions to help:

  • Try to get 7 hours of sleep each night 
  • Temporarily cut out fried foods and sugar
  • Drink 1-2 liters of water per day
  • Supplement with Omega 3’s
  • Use clean oils such as coconut, olive oil, and avocado oil when cooking 
  • Eat clean (Try our Metabolic Majic Kit to jump start your clean eating program)

2. Nutrition Deficiency 

One of the most common causes of late-night cravings is the lack of nutritional food throughout the day. This is especially common in people who are overly restrictive in an attempt to lose weight or individuals who simply forget to eat throughout the day. 

To combat this, we suggest implementing healthy snacking throughout your day so that you don’t get those sugar cravings at night. Some healthy snacks that will keep you feel full include:

Be sure to check out the Metabolic Web Store for a huge variety of highly nutritional and healthy snacks and drinks. 

3. Blood Sugar Fluctuations 

Sweet cravings often indicate that your body is experiencing blood sugar fluctuations. When your body blood sugar drops, your brain begins to signal ‘cravings’ to tell you that you need more fuel. This is okay here and there- but if it happens consistently, it may be a sign of hypoglycemia, in which case we suggest seeking medical expertise as soon as possible.  

For less severe cases of blood sugar fluctuations, we suggest increasing the following intake in your diet to stabilize your blood sugar levels:

  • Protein 
  • High-fiber foods (beans, legumes) 
  • Complex carbs (peas, whole grains, vegetables)

4. Dehydration 

Sometimes your body will tell you it's craving sugar when really all it needs is some water. So we always suggest that before you satisfy your cravings, you try drinking a glass of water first. It's extremely common for people to misinterpret our body’s signal for thirst as a signal for hunger. By drinking that glass of water first, you may give your body exactly what it was looking for and eliminate your cravings! 

Drinking enough water throughout your day also helps support weight loss. We always recommend an intake of 64oz of water per day (or half a gallon). We know what you’re thinking- that’s a lot of water! But you’d be surprised. That’s only four 16 oz water bottles per day. Drink one when you wake up, at lunch, before dinner, and before bed. It’s completely achievable! Or if you want to be sustainable, use a shaker bottle to track your water intake! 

Keep in mind, we suggest hydrating with water and water only. Try to reduce your sugary drinks intake if possible. Sugary drinks like soda, juices, lattes, sports drinks, and iced teas will spike your insulin and blood sugar- ultimately causing cravings. 

5. High-Stress Levels 

Stress has the potential to trigger all kinds of bad habits from excessive alcohol intake to binge eating. The reason for this is because when we are stressed our body pumps cortisol (or the ‘stress’ hormone) throughout our bodies. And this hormone can cause us to crave sugar, salt and high-calorie foods because our brains are tricked into thinking they need fuel to fight whatever is causing us stress. 

Of course, the best thing to do is to find ways to reduce your stress. But what do you do if stress creeps up and those cravings come pouring in? Here are our suggestions:

  • Eliminate unhealthy snacks and stock your pantry with nutritious foods and snacks
  • Go to bed early
  • Exercise daily (even if it's just a quick walk!)

Managing Your Cravings for Good 

Managing your sugar cravings starts with identifying the problem. Once you know what’s causing them, it's about taking action to ensure cravings dissipate over time. One hidden gem for fighting cravings is Metabolic Glucose Formula. It’s a unique formula designed to help balance proper sugar levels, insulin sensitivity, control sugar cravings and support healthy weight loss- all in one capsule. Our clients swear by it!

Keith B said Glucose Formula has helped my sugar cravings and keeps me in control… I’ll take it forever.”

And if you need a little more hands-on support, try our Virtual Health Coaching Program. Our coaches will build a customized and sustainable nutrition program for you to support your weight loss goals and ensure your late-night sugar cravings are eliminated for good. Learn more about Virtual Health Coaching here. 

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