You tell yourself that you’ve changed your diet for good. You feel great and there’s nothing getting in your way now! But as time passes and your favorite foods start seeming like distant memories, something changes. The impetus that led you to make these healthy changes might not be as strong. And the emotional triggers that make you want to break into that emergency stash of potato chips are screaming at you. Once you’re in this situation, how do you overcome cravings and overeating and keep moving forward with your healthy intentions?
Overcoming cravings is the hardest part of changing your diet. It’s inevitable that they’ll come up. The important question is whether you’ll get through them in one piece.
I changed my diet drastically over the years. I used to eat cookies and candy multiple times a day. I used to eat french fries almost every day. I used to start each morning with a chocolate chip muffin. I never ate a vegetable other than iceberg lettuce, potatoes, tomato sauce and green beans. This isn’t an exaggeration. This was really my diet. I’m still the same person. I still have the capacity for the same cravings. So what changed?
I got in control of my cravings. But this only happens when you pay attention to them. You must have a plan for when times get tough. And that’s why this week, I have a little video for you. It is less than 90 seconds to help you get past cravings and leave overeating as part of your history.
5 Ways to Overcome Cravings and Overeating
So starting making a plan today. That way you’ll be prepared when your cravings start to think they’re in control!
The thing that works best for me is to just keep the potato chips out of the house. While I’m surely way behind you I have also changed my diet over the years. There was a time when I started every workday with what is known here as a Jersey Cilassic, a Taylor ham, egg and cheese sandwich.
I’m with Ken on this one. If I don’t bring the junk food home, I do a lot better. Case in point, bought a box of Cheez-its this week and ate all of them in two days. I tend to crave salty much more than sweet. One thing I do eat now is steamed edamame that I toss in sea salt. That’s hits my salty craving every time at a fraction of the calories.
Brahahaha, Jeri! White Cheddar Cheez-its are my downfall. I warded off buying a whole box at Target by instead picking up one of those little cups of the original kind. Yes, I ate it all on the 1.5 mile drive home, but it kept me outta’ the box. Next time we both crave, we should email each other!
Erica, love the video and the spot-on tips!
Yes, keeping junk food out of the house is a good one! I usually do the same thing because it starts calling me once I’m in the house.
Cheese is my downfall! I don’t have a problem with sweets and I’m good at portion control, I crave cheese. Is cheese addictive? Well, whether it is or not, it takes every ounce of strength for me to go a few days without topping everything with it. I’m working on this but I think the solution is to not try and eliminate it altogether but use it as a reward once a week for awhile to at least cut back. Thanks for the advice, and great video!
Actually Marquita, foods truly can be addictive. That is often a sign that your body has created an intolerance to a food. How and why this happens is a long story. Perhaps I’ll blog about it in a future blog. I have cravings for cheese as well.
My girlfriend and I are both overweight, and we need to get this under control. (I am at maybe 40 pounds over while she has much further to go.) We have tried to buy healthy, but guess what we have? You guessed it: KIDS…the kind who will not recognize how we are doing them a FAVOR by not buying sweets and chips. In fact, one of children will actually let himself get dehydrated unless we have Coca Cola in the house for his consumption.
However, I think if we are able to get control of our cravings as you suggest, then it won’t matter if all but one cabinet in the house is full of chips. The dreaded word “willpower” rears its ugly head!
Kids definitely present challenges when it comes to improving the diet. I recommend having a cabinet or a section of the fridge that is just for the junk food for the kids. That way, you’ll feel like you’re going into their stuff when you eat it. Who knows…might work!
Great video, Erica. I like to keep tempting food outside of the house because I know I will not go out and buy it if I am craving it. I also know if I eat something small every few hours, I will not overeat when dinner or lunch comes along. Thanks for sharing, great tips.
Sabrina, eating every few hours is a great idea. Glad it works for you!
Erica — I envy people who can take one bite of the “forbidden fruit” and stop. I’m not one of those people. I can’t bring a box of sweets into the house without eating everyone of them — sometimes in one sitting. I do find that scheduling some kind of treat is helpful. It gives me something to look forward to and I’m less likely to start eating other things that are not good for my waistline.
Jeannette, it is true that eating only one bite is difficult once the food is in the home. I think that one works best when at a party or out to dinner and your more eating out of impulse or habit.
I have a sweet and savoury tooth however I have curbed this over the years. I have lighter meals in order to accommodate my snacking. Health wise it would probably be more beneficial to eat three meals and minimise snacks.
I enjoy food but cannot physically overeat. My body will not allow me to. Buffets are wasted on me. I will eat two platefuls if that.
Phoenicia, I have a sweet tooth too. It’s great that you feel like you’ve somewhat gotten a hold of it. Steps in the right direction are positive steps.
Erica, I like the non-food treats like personal pampering. But then I’m not really a foodie so its probably easier for me. Although I must admit I do not buy licorice because that is my downfall – If I have it, I eat it. Congratulations on making the video – you did a great job.
I typically crave salty foods, but also have a weakness for cheese. The key to picking healthy alternatives is planning to have the foods in the house. I’m with Jeannette – hard to take just one bite of something I crave.
I like the non-nourishment treats like individual spoiling. In any case, then I’m not so much a foodie so its presumably less demanding for me. Despite the fact that I should concede I don’t purchase licorice since that is my destruction – If I have it, I eat it. Congrats on making the video – you made an extraordinary showing with regards to.
That is so funny. Licorice is my undoing is well. Especially the black licorice. If there is an occasion where I get some, I give someone else the bag after a few pieces so it doesn’t taunt me. Thanks for stopping by to comment.