Fatigue. Cravings. Mood swings.
These are three common complaints that can be avoided by building healthy balanced meals. One of the most important strategies to improve your nutritional and overall health is to learn how to create meals that stabilize your blood sugar.
When Your Blood Sugar is Stable
- You will feel stable
- You will feel more energized
- You will feel mentally grounded
- And your cravings will diminish
Many of us gravitate towards meals that are carbohydrate and sugar dense with minimal protein and healthy fat, especially at breakfast. When we start our days with this type of meal, we put ourselves on the blood sugar roller coaster of energy, mood and craving highs and lows.
Let me explain how protein, fats and carbohydrates work in the body to create a steady fuel source throughout the day. Making stabilizing meals is like building a campfire:
PROTEIN
Quality protein provides the structure of your meal. It’s like the teepee at your campfire. Each meal should include enough protein to create satiety, that feeling of fullness. To learn more about protein timing and to calculate your individual needs per a meal, read my blog post, All About Protein.
FATS
Quality healthy fats provide sustainable energy. It’s the log on your campfire. How do logs burn? Slowly and for long periods of time.
CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates provide quick energy. Quick energy is perfect for when you need it but it burns out quickly, like kindling on the fire. It gets your energy revved up, but doesn’t last long. If you eat a breakfast that’s mostly carbohydrates and sugars, you may find yourself craving more food within a few hours because your blood sugar has crashed and along with it your energy and mood.
Building campfire meals is one of many steps you can take if you struggle with cravings for carbs, sugars. Here’s what else you can do:
- Join my community to receive my free weekly newsletter, Redefining Wellness, sent directly to your inbox.
- Grab my free guide: 5 Steps to Stop Feeling Crappy in Your Body and Make Eating Easy.
- Check out my upcoming Intuitive Eating and Be Body Positive groups as well as private individualized coaching if you want to learn much faster and easier with expert support.
- Tanya