One of the biggest problems dieters today face is getting past cravings before giving in to cravings. Of course it is a huge hurdle to jump, but it can be done and you can do it. We live in an instant gratification world. You can get just about anything you want right now. To big business this is great; people make a decision in a split second and get instant gratification.



Cravings are extremely powerful desires that are completely natural. We are wired to enjoy our cravings as our own little reward system. You get a craving when you smell, see, or think about something you enjoy eating. To give you an example, I had a friend who lived in a small town in Washington State. There was this great little teriyaki place that each time I would visit I would find myself there, hungry or not. My friend moved from that city, but that didn't stop me from going for my favorite teriyaki bowl. I moved to another state, so I can only eat it when I visit, but I went there in November and it didn't even cross my mind to go.

Now, everyone has cravings, they start outside the conscious awareness. You really can't stop a craving, you need to manage them. Learning to manage your cravings is imperative to weight loss success. Some people can manage this quite well while others give in right away. Giving in right away can lead to other destructive behavior that could put a halt to your weight loss.

Here are a few tips on how to manage your cravings:

View the craving for exactly what it is: a craving. It doesn't mean you are not motivated to lose weight. It doesn't mean you are a failure and can't get past food, it doesn't mean you are going to relapse. A craving simply means a trigger went off in your brain that told you to crave something, nothing more, and nothing less.

Learn about your triggers. Start to record the information about your cravings, such as, the time of day, smell in the air, what you see, and of course what you're craving. Learning them can really help you get through them.

Most of the time cravings are short lived. We just decided too fast sometimes to give in with our instant gratification thinking minds. Set up an agreement with yourself not to act on any craving until it lasts over 10 minutes. You can change the time frame but keep it realistic. 10 minutes is more than enough time. Train yourself to immediately engage in some sort of activity to distract yourself from the craving. Take a walk, wash dishes, vacuum, call a friend there are many things you can do to distract yourself.

In conclusion you can't stop cravings from happening but you can stop yourself from giving in to them. Know that cravings are just cravings, learn your triggers, set a time frame, and engage in another activity. Good luck!