How often do you eat with intention and select food choices based on your goals and values? A craving for a food, candy for instance, is a cue that often triggers a response to react. Recognizing the craving can be the first step to pause, challenge the cue and mindfully choose to allow the craving to pass before acting (eating the candy). When we react too quickly to a cue to eat something that is not aligned with our intentions and goals, we are a lot like zombies, operating on a subconscious level, often making choices that are not in our best interest.
The key to overcoming cravings to eat things that we really don’t want to, is to:
- Pay attention to the urge and recognize when it is triggered by a craving. Avoid eating while watching TV or looking at screens as this feeds zombie eating.
- Stop and pause to allow a gap in time for self-awareness to resurface. Drink a glass of water or take deep breathes.
- Respond in a rational way by making a positive choice that will lead to your desired outcome.
“Cravings are not about food. Cravings are about stress.” Melissa Hartwig