GEORGIE - The evening hunger monster

As we know we are all made differently... thank god for that! That means some of us are disposed to being tall, some of us have cellulite, some curly hair... I could go on. It also means we are all different about what we eat too, and the times we want to eat. I personally am a hormonal and evening eater (and a pig too!) Besides the time of the month, it's what the Argie and I nicknamed 'the witching hour' that I really struggle. For some reason I get hungrier throughout the day. I would LOVE to be someone who wakes up ravenous and finds their hunger is satisfied by 3pm but no, of course, the other way round it is, and that means I am disposed to pigging out in the evening. I have never been a late night eater or a midnight snacker, but over the years I have learnt that from about 5 'til about 8, I get mega hungry and I am NOT good at having to wait for eating time. In the case of having a function to go to, or waiting to meet someone for dinner I am a little bit crap. When food does come along, I wolf it down without it even hitting the sides, and if I can't eat when I am really evening hungry, then I get very bad tempered indeed and often make crappy food choices. So I have developed a few little tricks that help me beat the hunger temporarily until I can eat properly or the food arrives.


Snack healthy
Just be sensible - you'll be having a meal soon! I normally eat 10 almonds (counted out or I will eat a 'handful' or 40) but also just a big old stick of celery or a whole carrot will do. Just try not to eat something stodgy or carb based that will ruin your appetite later when the meal comes around. If you KNOW you might be out and not able to pick up a healthy snack then take an apple in your handbag!



Fizzy drink
I don't mean the fattening, coca-cola/Fanta type - but I have found that the bubbles of a carbonated drink help stave off hunger a bit. I always have bottles of club soda (american) or soda water (fizzy water in UK speak) in the fridge at all times. For some reason, soda really helps. Occasionally I will have a diet tonic or sometimes a small diet coke but that gives me another half an hour before I get unreasonable... (don't I sound like fun to live with!). I also find that if I have quite a few as I am waiting hours until I eat then they fill me up and i don't pig so much when the food actually comes around.


Take a bath
This is a bit of Rosie Bingham - 20-40 minutes spent drawing and taking a bath really helps and when you relax a little you forget about hunger. It's also a great way to de-stress of course.


Take a walk
A little weather dependent this one but it isn't hard to step out for 20 minutes, I have also been known to hit the cross trainer just for something to do to stop me thinking about attacking the fridge!


Call/Skype your mum/friend/anyone
Talking will take your mind off it - there's nothing better then watching my nephew clap on demand on skype to distract me, but don't wander around the kitchen with the chord-less phone as that will just make you hungrier!


Learn something new!
I took up a learning spanish course which involved listen, learn and repeat - and that is a great way to distract yourself from the hunger of food (note - try to avoid the section where you learn to say "I am really hungry" or order food in a restaurant as that doesn't help AT ALL!)




FINALLY


DON'T BOOZE - Hitting the wine when you are hungry or alone and waiting for your eating companion is a disaster for me - before I know it, half a bottle is gone and them I am too tipsy to taste or appreciate the food and that's a big old waste of a good meal (and the calories I took up with said vino).


And of course as we have ALWAYS been told, try to eat a few hours before you turn in for bed. It goes without saying that giving your body time to digest your food often means a better night's sleep!