How to Fight Cravings

Nutrisystem Weight Loss Coach Beth has some good advice for you on how to fight cravings, and how to think about slip-ups: The way I describe overeating while on a weight loss plan is to think about a grey area. So many people think there’s only black and white, either off the plan or on the plan. But the grey area is where maintenance and slip ups live. Being on the plan is the same as taking two steps forward; off the plan is taking two steps back; the grey area can be more of a two steps forward, one step back thing. But think of it this way: you still took one step forward! The grey area allows for the occasional slip up but the success comes from hopping right back on it to see slow and reasonable success rather than counting it as a complete loss and binging for a longer period of time.

It’s key on your weight loss journey to keep a positive frame of mind and visualize how you feel about yourself and food. If you think and feel fit, regardless of the number on the scale, you will act and make decisions as a fit person. Make sure to think positive thoughts about yourself and the good decisions you’re making to have a go at living a healthier life. Instead of getting down on yourself about making a mistake, think about slip ups and mistakes as a learning process. Today’s mistake can be a future solution!

One-Minute Ways to Beat Cravings—All Day Long

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Let’s visualize our slip-ups to help us better understand how to get back on track. Imagine holding a frame holding a picture of something or someone you care about. Then you drop it on the ground. There’s a crack on it, so what do you do? Do you pick it up and move on, maybe try to repair it, replace the glass, or do you keep dropping it on the ground until it’s completely smashed? It’s the same thing with weight loss and slip ups. When you have a meal off the plan, it’s better to just brush yourself off and maybe repair it with a lighter meal later in the day, or some exercise, than to throw in the towel and punish yourself by eating more and more until you’ve undone your hard work in previous days. You have to remember: you didn’t fail by having a meal off the plan or having something extra. It’s normal for this to happen occasionally. Remember: you can do that once in a while and still maintain progress. But going all the way down the rabbit hole will cause you to backslide or undo your progress all together.

To stay motivated and fight cravings when they occur, write down a list of the reasons you want to lose weight as well as a list of things you can do before you feel like binging. Now, if you’re truly hungry, we need to address that, because then your body actually needs more food. We just need to help with guiding what type of food to add. If it is just boredom or habit, think of some other ways to fill that void. A hot bath, a nice cup or tea, diet soda, a game on your phone, a big glass of water, even some simple exercises while watching a TV program. Distract yourself, and if it isn’t true hunger, it should pass!