You’ve decided to “diet” and temptation just seems to be EVERYWHERE. Does this sound familiar? So how do you resist the urge to undo all your hard work? How do you look temptation in the face and then turn away? Here’s a few little things to try.
1: Be Prepared
A little obvious you might say but by always having a “healthier” alternative to hand you are more likely to stay on track. We had my nephew’s 1st birthday party this weekend and with that of course came sugary drinks, cakes, sweets, sandwiches and fried foods. I made sure to stock up with a pre bought salad plate and a quest bar so that when the party food was doing the rounds – I wasn’t tempted to leap in. It might sound a little “nerdy” but lets face it – if it helps you reach your long term goal and feel better about your choices – it’s MORE than worth it.
2: Understand your cravings
Sometimes we tend to give in to temptation because we are “craving” certain things. A good way to tackle this is to try to understand your cravings.
Craving Chocolate?
This could be a sign that you are lacking magnesium. Try sesame or pumpkin seeds, a magnesium supplement (we use a powdered drink and mix hot water before bed), or some dark leafy greens. A big bowl of kale crisps might just do the trick.
Craving Salty Foods?
This could be caused by a lack of minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc which can be helped with a good multivitamin. It could also be a sign of stress. A stressed out lifestyle leads to adrenal gland fatigue and can leave us craving salty foods. Food that can help with this are oily fish, mineral dense foods like nori and kelp, unsalted nuts and olives.
Craving Something Sweet?
Can be caused by spikes and falls in your blood sugar levels. This can be avoided by eating little and often so that the blood sugar levels stabilise. Eating something as simple as a few grapes can help beat this craving. I love to pop a few grapes in the freezer and grab a handful whenever I fancy something sweet.
3: Find A Healthy Treat:
I always have “treats” to hand that I know won’t throw a spanner in the works. Some of my favourites are:
Options Hot Chocolate
Quest or Maxi Nutrition Bars
Low Fat Popcorn (My fave is Manhattan popcorn)
Snack A Jacks
By having a few of these with you you are definitely less likely to tick into anything that might undo your hard work.
4: Keep Your Goal In Sight
Having a visual reminder of your future goal can be all the willpower you need to avoid temptation. If it’s a picture of a “dream body” or an inspirational quote – make it your phone screen saver, print it up and stick it on the fridge or some place where it will serve to remind you why you are putting in all this hard work. SEE the end result always and you will work harder to get there.
Temptations will always be there. We have to learn to control them. Give in from time to time, allow your treat but understand a treat is only a treat when it’s earned and deserved! By using these little tricks – you might find it a little easier to overcome temptations. Hopefully you’ll take something from this little post.
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