Monday 12 October 2015

How to Not Be Tempted to Eat Junk Food

Most people experience junk food cravings. The good news is that you don't have to succumb to your cravings. You can take charge of your diet and overcome your cravings. Deciding how you will deal with future cravings can give you the willpower to turn down a candy bar or cookie that's calling your name.


Remind Yourself You're Not Hungry

Sometimes people crave junk food simply because they are exposed to it. For example, Carole Carson, author of "From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction," explains that she once found herself craving cookies in a food court, simply because she smelled the fresh baked pastries. Only moments before she wasn't hungry. If you find yourself in a similar situation, she suggests reminding yourself that you aren't hungry. This can help you ignore your cravings and continue about your day.

Clean Out Your Pantry

Go through your pantry and get rid of all of the junk food. You can't eat it if it's not there. If you feel like you can't throw away perfectly good food, donate any unopened packages of food to your local food bank. Destroy opened packages of junk food. Crush it, jump on it until it's as flat as a pancake, or run it over with your car. Caroline Apovian, MD says you'll feel a sense of accomplishment by ruining the junk food and overcoming your temptations.

Stick Strictly to a Healthy Diet

People tend to crave what they eat, so if you indulge in even a small amount of junk food, you may find yourself craving it again later, according to Marcia Pelchat, PhD. She conducted a study during which volunteers consumed only bland meal replacement drinks. Throughout the study the volunteers reported fewer junk food cravings and many of them reported actually craving the meal replacements by the conclusion of the study. Stick strictly to your healthy diet and you might just find yourself craving a salad instead of a candy bar.


Keep Yourself Distracted

Cravings only last about ten minutes, according to John Foreyt, PhD., of Baylor College of Medicine. That means that if you can keep yourself distracted for ten short minutes, there's a good chance that your junk food craving will pass. Try calling a friend, going for a walk, playing with your dog, taking a relaxing bath, or tackling something from your To Do List. By the time you're finished with your activity there's a good chance that you won't want junk food anymore.


Source
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/not-tempted-eat-junk-food-3730.html

References (3) 

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