Do you often say to yourself, “I know what I need to do. I
just can’t avoid temptations that stop me from being healthy!”
We all know that good nutrition and regular exercise is
what’s good for our well-being. But, knowing what to do and actually doing it
are two very different things. Things like motivation level, mood swings,
schedules, temptations, and surprises among other things can easily take over
your well-thought out plan of good intention.
Your consistent behavior will determine your ultimate
outcome. So, if you can consistently act on things that lead you to your goals,
you’ll get there. The good news is, consistency doesn’t require you to act on
your goals ALL of the time. This leaves you flexibility to give into those
temptations occasionally.
If you’re struggling with giving into temptations, you don’t
have to quit giving in to them. But, do you think you can reduce the number
times you give in to them? Remember, it’s not you that’s tempted. It’s your
brain. So, it’s just a matter of re-wiring your action that’s blamed on your
brain!
Let’s say your craving is soda. Each time you give into
drinking a soda, your cravings get stronger and stronger. In turn, your brain’s
ability to break the habit gets weaker and weaker. Soon, it will be automatic
for you to drink a soda at a certain time (or times) of day because you’re used
to it. So, if you want to reduce your craving, you simply have to reprogram
your brain – like this!
1) Recognize – When you get your craving for a soda,
just acknowledge it. You may even want to say it out loud to yourself! “There’s
my brain again – telling me that I’m craving a soda.”
2)Remind – You’re in a habit of reacting to what
your brain is telling you in a certain way – picking up that soda without
really thinking about why. Try intentionally thinking about why you’re doing
it.
3)Re-evaluate–
a. Are you really hungry/thirsty? If your answer is yes,
try to choose something healthier, yet still satisfying like carbonated
water.
b. Are you bored, tired, happy, sad, etc? If your
answer is yes, do something else. Try waiting 10 minutes to see if the craving
is still there – or still as bad. Go for a walk, text a wellness buddy about your craving, work on
a hobby or journal about a healthy action you took today.
It doesn’t have to work 100% of the time, but even if this
works for you once a day this week, twice a day next week, and so on, you’ll
start turning the tide on taking over your temptations!
