While smoking is known to be relaxing, one side effects can be stressful: getting hungry.
How come smoking weed makes you want to eat?
While cannabis can cause you to feel hungry when you’re actually full, most healthy people don’t want to smoke marijuana just because they want to lose weight.
Munchies aren’t funny when they turn into a constant post-session habit that messes up your lifestyle goals. Too many extra calories can cause unwanted pounds, and, if you raid the kitchen late at night, they can lead to heartburn, stomach ache, and interrupted sleeping patterns.
So, how to deal with them? Here are some tips for avoiding the munchie effect when consuming marijuana.
1. Eat small frequent meals throughout the day
Even if you don’t smoke weed before bedtime, you’ll probably feel hungry at some point during the evening. Just add a bit of cannabis on the side, and you’ll be good to go!
Create a schedule for yourself including breakfast, lunches, and dinners, as well as snacks throughout the day to help satisfy hunger pangs. If you feel satiated at the end of each meal and snack, then you’ll be far less likely to indulge in junk food.
If you’re eating infused edibles, be careful not to go overboard. Try replacing the dessert or sweet treat with an alternative option that doesn’t contain any added sugar. You may even want to consider trying some cannabis coconut oil or another cooking oil in place of regular butter for baking. There are many delicious recipes available online that don’t use any added sugars.
2. Keep yourself busy
Don’t worry too much about having thoughts about snacks during a session; just focus on whatever you’re doing instead. Try to train yourself to switch from one task to another when the idea of a snack pops into your head.
Whatever activities you enjoy doing when you’re not high, whether they involve playing games, watching TV shows, listening to music, or just relaxing, these activities will help you get through the day without feeling too impaired.
3. Clear the cannabis taste out of your mouth
When you’re high you might appreciate toothpaste and oral hygiene products for more reasons than one: not only will you enjoy the refreshing flavor, but you’ll be able
Luckily, toothbrushes fall under the “safe activities” umbrella.
Switch up the strain
It really depends on the kind of marijuana you consume whether you experience the “munchy” effect. If you find yourself having trouble controlling your appetite after smoking, try different strains until you find one that works for you.
For example, strains high in CBD (cannabidiol) and THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin) are great for this.
5. Don’t give into temptations.
Binge eaters often say they don’t really want to lose weight because they enjoy their binges so much. So if you’re one of them, here’s some advice: Get ready for a long journey. You might not be able to control your cravings completely, but at least you won’t be tempted by anything when you’re sober. And if you do end up having a binge, don’t worry about it. Just remember that you’ll never be satisfied after a binge, so you’ll probably want to go back for another one later.
6. …and think about what to eat if you get hungry.
If you want to make this a success, stock up on healthy snack options so you don’t have to raid the fridge and pantry. There are lots of delicious, healthy options out there!
You may not even miss yesterday’s Chinese takeout or microwavable popcorn once you try a tropical milk shake, for example.
7. Exercise before eating so you don’t feel too hungry afterwards
If you’re going to indulge in some edibles after working out, go ahead and do so but don’t eat too much. Get yourself into shape first by exercising.
8. If you’re hungry, use it to your advantage!
If you don’t enjoy eating leafy greens, then eat something else instead. Maybe you don’t like broccoli, cauliflower, or cabbage.
Wait until after you’ve smoked some weed before whipping up a sautéed green vegetable frittata. It will taste better and you’ll feel healthier afterward.
Ultimately, it’s all about understanding yourself and your preferences, and trying them all out to see which one works best for you. So, if you’re able, go ahead and experiment with different methods. Don’t worry too much about it though; just keep an open mind and be willing to learn something new.