From Diet To Turning To Junk Food - Struggling!

Two techniques I find helpful:

-1- to only ever buy junk food to eat immediately. In other words, I never shop for junk food to have at home. This makes it much more difficult to stress eat junk food. Walking home I might grab a coke or bag of chips.

-2- I like fruit. I always have apples available as a snack. The sugar and fiber helps with any cravings.

Oh, forgot a 3rd thing that helps...

-3- When you feel hungry or have a craving, drink a small glass or bottle of water. Many times this simple act is enough as many cravings are a result of dehydration.

I have the same problems.

So, like Richard said, you make a rule never to buy junk food to be eaten later. Don't have it in your home, If it isn't there, you won't eat it—unless your craving is so strong that you're prepared to go out and get it. That's rarely the case if it isn't genuine hunger.

Secondly, junk food craving is often a sign of dehydration. If you treat the craving with water (I add a dash of lemon juice to mine), very often the craving will go away.

Conversely, if you have lots of dry 'junk' food around, you could eat all of that and still want more, because the anxiety that drove you to junk food was because you were just plain thirsty. Until you fix the thirst, the anxiety and the desire to eat something—anything—will still be there.

We're programmed to feel anxious when we're low on water. It's a good thing.

Thanks, I didn't know junk food cravings could be caused by dehydration... I guess, then, that drinking water could really help.
But when you just really want some chips or a burger, then, it may be worth establishing one "cheat meal" per week: you eat healthily every day, but once a week, you can eat some fast food or another unhealthy but "fun" thing. This way, you know there's going to be something "fun", and you're less tempted to "cheat" on your diet.

soo good