5 Ways To Disarm Cravings.

My friend, Kathy, shared this and I LOVED it.  I took her “D’s” and expanded on them myself for my own use and to share here on my blog.

5 Ways to Disarm Cravings:

Delay – Wait 10 minutes.  Think of the saying “This too shall pass.”  Give it time and it will!  Think about how you will feel if you don’t give in to your cravings.  You’ll feel proud of yourself, strong and turbo-charged to continue your momentum to reach your weight loss goals.  Reflect on how you’ll feel if you succumb to the cravings.  You’ll feel that sense of regret, feeling bad about yourself and commitment to your weight loss.  Cravings are fleeting and will pass.  Outlast the craving and you’ll be very glad you did.

Distract – Concentrate on something else.  Distractions are so helpful and a regular strategy that I use.  I will do anything and everything I can think of instead of emotionally eating or making an unhealthy choice.  Some of my favorites are calling a friend, go outside and swing on my back porch swing, watch the birds in my backyard, take a walk, listen to my favorite music, or write posts on my blog.

Distance – Do not keep trigger foods on hand.  Change your environment to change your perspective and attention to something non-food related.  Go in your bathroom and take a shower or bubble bath – whichever is your favorite.  Go outside.  Distance yourself physically, mentally  and emotionally from the situation, emotion and kitchen!

Determine – Think about how much you want it?  A very important question to ask yourself is:  Will it move you forward closer to your weight loss and being on track goals or further away?  Is this food choice going to allow me to lose weight and wear my favorite clothes or feel badly about myself and that I’ve done it again in letting myself down.

Decide – How much and what to eat.  Planning is such a useful strategy.  If you start your day (or week) with a food plan, you are more than half-way to having a successful day of food choices.  It will discourage you to make spur of the moment, impulsive decisions to eat something if you already have a plan.  Better yet, write it down in a food journal.  Commit it to a food journal or a software program on your computer, like I do, with FitDay.

Arm yourself with the 5 ways to disarm your cravings.  They can be used as strategies to combat emotional eating and making food choices you’ll regret later.  Arm yourself with the healthy, positive “D’s.”

Believe In Yourself,
Cathy, CLC
Certified Life Coach, Weight Loss Surgery Coach
Certified Back On Track Facilitator