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Hello Fabulous Friends! Listen up- this 1 minute read is about to get tactical!

Snacking isn’t bad—it’s normal. The real issue is when dopamine-driven habits take over. (Dopamine is the brain’s ‘seeking’ chemical—our ancestors depended on it to find food and secure a mate.)

Ultra-processed snacks are engineered with added sugar, salt, and fat to light up the brain’s dopamine reward system, but they do very little to actually satisfy hunger. Over time, our brain learns to expect that hit, and the habit grows stronger.

Case Study Insight:
​In a lab study, rats given chocolate on a fixed schedule developed stronger bingeing habits and brain changes tied to craving. But when the timing was unpredictable, they didn’t binge as much and the “addiction-like” response was weaker.

What this means for us:
​If you always reach for a piece of dark chocolate at 9:00 pm, your brain anticipates it before you even take a bite. That “scheduled craving” becomes a trigger + cue loop: time → craving → snack. The later we stay up, the louder that loop gets.

How to use this today:

• Portion first – serve a small amount, not the bag.
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• Ride the wave – surf the “crave wave” for 2 minutes before going back for seconds.
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• Shift the schedule – have a dark chocolate “reward” earlier in the day so it’s not tied to late nights.
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• Cues to stop – brushing teeth signals “kitchen closed.”
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• Support with sleep – a consistent bedtime narrows the window when cravings hit hardest.
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The Takeaway: Cravings aren’t about weak willpower. They’re about timing, repetition, and a tired brain wired for reward. Change the routine—and protect your sleep—and the snack monster loses its grip.

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Cheers to thriving together,

Alyssa

PharmD, CSCS, Precision Nutrition-L1, GGS Women's Coaching Specialist

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