How To Stop The Munchies When High

by Travis Crane

Oh, the munchies. How sweet and yet salty they are. There’s nothing like eating everything in the fridge after ripping a fat bowl to the point that you become a vegetable (even though you probably didn’t eat any of those in your raid of all the snack foods in your kitchen). If this sounds like you, it might be time to look into how to stop the munchies.

The only issue with the munchies is that we tend to get them almost every time we consume cannabis, which for some people, is a lot. Cannabis is a complex plant that interacts with the human body in a way unlike any other, with our bodies having specific cannabinoid receptors specifically for the chemicals within the cannabis plant.

But what exactly happens when we consume cannabis that makes us so hungry? And is there any way how to stop the munchies? To put it plainly, when we consume cannabis the various chemicals within the plant interact with the receptors in the olfactory bulb of the brain, which impact smell and taste. This means that after consuming cannabis we can smell and taste food more efficiently, and in a way, our brain is convinced that it is starving.

Whereas normally our body’s hunger receptors shut off after consuming a normal amount of food, cannabis inhibits these receptors so we can eat much more without feeling full. As we all know, this can cause some issues in the weight department. While it may not be possible to eradicate the munchies altogether, we have some tips for fighting off the urge and how to stop the munchies yourself — or at least try.

Junk-Proof Your Snack Stash

You might be sitting there thinking how to stop the munchies, and that there’s literally no way you can smoke without eating. After all, your brain is telling you, “EAT! EAT! EAT!”. While there’s nothing wrong with munching a little bit after consuming cannabis, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t aim to be healthy.

Stock up on vegetables and fruits prior to your smoke sesh so you have healthy snacks for when hunger strikes. If you don’t want the same old boring veggie trays or an apple, check out some more creative options you can make at home and utilize the boost in creativity from your cannabis.

When asked how she deals with the munchies, Heather from My 420 Tours said that she “loves Hot Tamales (the candy) and grapefruit juice together, but will go for a La Croix carbonated water to help curb sugar cravings.” While candy and juice might seem like an odd yet tasty combination, drinking something like flavored water can help fight off the craving for something bigger while still leaving you refreshed.

Exercise While High

While it may seem like the last thing you’d want to do after consuming cannabis, combining weed and exercise can actually be beneficial to your workout and make it a little more enjoyable. The main purpose of exercise is distraction when it comes to how to stop the munchies – although it has the added benefit of better health.

What’s the one thing you probably won’t be doing while you exercise? Eating. Sure, you could munch on a protein bar while you jog, but it’s still healthier than sitting on the couch with an entire box of Pop Tarts.

My 420 Tours tour guide Patrick uses his hobbies which include working out and playing with his kids to keep him out of the snack cupboard. He also suggests, “training yourself to do something else when you get the munchies so you start to crave that activity instead of food.”

Leave the House

One of the best ways how to stop the munchies is to put as much space between yourself and the snacks. There’s plenty of awesome things to do in Denver when your stoned, like date night activities around the city and a ton of other fun things to do while high.

Going out for a hike or just a walk around town can also help take your mind off the hunger while staying active and exploring your environment. One of the perks of cannabis is that it helps you notice more details in your everyday life you might otherwise overlook. Seeing the same things you ignore regularly while stoned can help grow your appreciation for the mundane objects you interact with all the time. That’s pretty cool, but more importantly, distracting!

Try New and Different Strains

Most cannabis strains you find on the shelves of dispensaries nowadays are hybrids of some form, whether indica-dominant or sativa-dominant. Finding out the right balance you need between the two plays a major role in how to stop the munchies.

Always remember that indica might as well be pronounced “in-da-couch”, because that’s where you’ll most likely be after smoking a pure indica strain like Granddaddy Purple or Northern Lights. We all know when you end up sitting on the couch for hours on end, food is bound to come into the mix soon enough. Unless you are actively trying to munch, avoid pure indica strains.

Sativa strains are more likely to curb your hunger as they provide more of a mental high as opposed to the full-body, sedative-like feeling one would get from an indica. Strains like Sour Diesel and Green Crack are pure sativa, so you can count on these strains providing a headier high without the ravaging hunger

Don’t be afraid to test out the hybrid strains like Blue Dream or Girl Scout Cookies to get the best of both worlds. Testing out different varieties of hybrids to find the right balance of indica to sativa in a strain can help you find the perfect strain for relaxing and maybe munching just a little if you know you won’t go overboard.

Surrender (Just a Little)

Let’s be real here. One of the greatest aspects of cannabis is the enhanced smells and flavors you get from food. It makes food taste so much better it could be considered self-deprivation to take away the enjoyment of munching on your favorite snack after taking a couple puffs.

This is not to say you cannot easily go overboard and eat the whole house, but enjoying your favorite snack here and there won’t pop the button off your jeans. As easy as it is to space out with a bag of chips in your lap until your scraping the bottom of the bag, try to remind yourself what you’re eating and how much you have eaten. Don’t trust yourself with the task? You can always assign a “designated denier” – someone nearby who has permission to take the Doritos away from you and hide the bag.

How to stop the munchies is a universal stoner dilemma. Sadly, there is no cure for the munchies. Finding the right redirection can take a while but it’s worth it — both your wallet and your waistline will thank you.