Say No Once

You’re trying hard. You’ve eaten great all day, bringing your brown bag lunch to work, having your fruit for a snack, skipping dessert at dinner. But it’s 9 pm, Ryan Seacrest is on the background, you’re snuggled up in your jammies…relaxing…. When all of a sudden it hits you: that craving for a little something something. Sweet or salty, creamy or crunchy, hot or cold… each person’s craving is different.

Like the tractor beam on the Starship Enterprise pulling you, you find yourself drawn to the pantry or freezer. Despite the “you shouldn’t do this” warning in your head, you find your hand reaching forward to grab….

Nothing.

Nothing? Wait a second, that’s not how this scene played out for the last few years. There was always something there – some chips, some ice cream, maybe that secret stash of chocolate you don’t think your spouse knows about. Why is there nothing now?

There’s nothing there now because you set yourself up for success. How did you do that? By saying no at the grocery store. By saying no at the grocery store, and not bringing your tempting foods into your house, you set up an environment that makes you successful in times that you would have otherwise struggled: when you’re tired, bored, relaxing, anxious, worried…. You reach for your comfort food only to find it’s not there.

You’re not really hungry. (If you were, you’d be reaching for a quick salad or a piece of fruit, not the jar of cashews.) There’s something else at play here, and until you deal with the root of the cravings, the quickest course to success is to Say No Once and make your environment a no-fail zone.

Like taking away a child’s security blanket, the absence of food will help you become more aware of what you’re using that food for. This may mean you have to feel those emotions – boredom, fatigue, worry – but allowing yourself to feel and endure those emotions is the first step in healing emotional eating. Say No Once, and succeed many times.

Tags: cravings, emotional eating, strategies