11 Ways to Avoid Food Temptations Around the House

Always having food temptations? Your environment is a reason for that.  

Environment evokes food temptation to you, and you end up thinking about food. It means the food environment around you makes it too easy for you to eat too much. 

Spending the day staying at home evokes various emotions and stress, which lead to binge eating. You find yourself eating snacks now and then. It is not a healthy habit, especially when trying to lose weight. Avoiding the urge to eat becomes a difficult task. It requires a certain amount of willpower.

With patience and practice of a few tips, you can fight the food temptations around the house. 

Effective Ways to Avoid Food Temptations

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Keep Healthy Snacks Handy 

Make sure you have snacks available that fit into your healthy eating plan. If you are hungry between meals, it’s natural to want to grab the closest thing to hand. But if that’s a bag of chips or chocolate bar, that won’t do you any favors in losing weight. Keep healthy snacks on hand so they are easily accessible. It means you will be more likely to reach for those instead of something less healthy. It also means there is no excuse for not having a healthier option nearby when hunger strikes. 

Keep fruit, nuts, and other snacks close for a quick snack fix.

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Stock your fridge with fruits and vegetables

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Temptation is around every corner, in the kitchen and the freezer. The refrigerator can be a dangerous place when you get bored or hungry.

To make healthy choices, make sure your fridge is well-stocked with fruits and vegetables, so they are the first thing you see when you open the door. It will help remind you to choose healthy options when hunger strikes. 

Stop waiting to eat till you feel too hungry

The best solution is to make sure you are not too hungry when you enter the kitchen. If you wait too long between lunch and dinner, you may be tempted by snacks that are right in front of you. If you are tired and hungry, food cravings can also get stronger. So make sure you eat according to your schedule. 

Plan your meal ahead of time

One of the best ways to approach food temptations is to prepare them ahead of time. That way, you are not making a spur-of-the-moment decision that could hamper your diet. But it helps you stay strong even after you have been surrounded by high-calorie foods. It is almost impossible without preparation.

Keep unhealthy food out of your house

Get rid of unhealthy food in your house. If there isn’t any unhealthy stuff in your house, then you can’t eat unhealthily! This probably seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people keep junk food around their house just “in case”.

Take time to think before eating

If you are trying to eat healthily but you live with someone who loves to bake (or if you love baking yourself), then set reminders on your phone each time you want to eat something bad for you. Instead of grabbing instantly something into your mouth when temptation hits, tell yourself that you will wait 15 or 30 minutes and then decide whether or not to eat the treat. If you wait one hour, that’s usually enough time for your craving to pass and for your resolve to return.

Drink lots of water

Drink plenty of water during the day. Drinking water between meals helps fill you up, so you don’t feel too hungry and overeat. It also allows you to feel full with fewer calories from food. 

Thirst sometimes leads to food cravings also. So it is good to drink water now and then. It will keep you healthy too. 

Reward yourself

Reward yourself for resisting temptation. If you resist temptation once, reward yourself with something small such as a magazine or CD you have been wanting. Or reward yourself for giving yourself more time before having that next meal or snack by extending the period between meals by 20 minutes or so.

Weigh regularly

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If your goal is to lose weight, start each day knowing exactly how much you weigh. This can help keep you motivated and aware of whether or not your diet is working as planned.

It allows you to see how much weight you have lost, and how far away you are from reaching your goal weight. 

This way you will stay motivated to avoid junk food temptations. 

Avoid visiting tempting places

Avoid alternative places where temptation lurks. If a certain restaurant chain is loaded with temptations such as doughnuts or fried chicken, don’t make it a go-to place when hunger strikes.

Find another way to fight stress

Food cravings and emotional eating are common ways to cope with stress. When you feel stressed, your body releases hormones that make you crave sugar and fat. Avoid mindless eating as it leads to weight gain. 

If you are struggling with weight gain, these desires can be an extra challenge.

You can try chewing gum or ice chips to distract from negative thoughts. Try meditation as well to fight the demon of stress!

Sleep enough

It is the easiest diet tip one can give. When asleep, you are better at ignoring signals. 

Not only is sleep important for your energy level, but also essential for willpower. Sleep deprivation reduces activity in the prefrontal cortex- the part of your brain that helps you suppress impulses. You are more likely to give in to cravings and make poor food choices.

Exercise regularly

Make exercise part of your daily routine. Exercise helps regulate blood sugar levels so that you don’t feel hungry much of the time. If you are active enough during the day, you will take regular meals. It means you will tend to be less hungry at night when you reach home. It avoids mindless snacking before dinner. 

Ignore junk food commercials on TV 

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The more you see these ads, the more they will push your temptation and the harder it will be to avoid junk food. You will end up ordering food. 

If you find yourself craving sugar or carbs after watching commercials, change the channel or turn off the TV so you won’t be tempted by what you see on screen.

Learn and practice mindful eating 

The simple act of practicing mindfulness can help you avoid temptation and lose weight. The hardest part about losing weight is not eating when there is no need to eat.

This is especially true around the house when there are snacks and desserts everywhere. Mindful eating means that you eat only when you are hungry and stop when you are full. It doesn’t mean that you deprive yourself of your favorite foods – it just means that you eat these foods in moderation, savoring each bite instead of eating them mindlessly.

We know it may not be easy to avoid temptation around the house, but it’s possible. With a little willpower and some forethought, you can easily cut most food temptations before they cause any problems for you. Be patient, and keep focusing on your long-term goals.

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