Author: Diane Carbonell

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The 20 Weight-Loss Staples You Should Always Have In Your Kitchen

Post author By Diane Carbonell
Post date September 8, 2016

Have you ever stood in your kitchen and realized there was nothing to eat that fits in your weight-loss program? I sure have. I think I had a problem with not only meal planning but also shopping for healthy staples that I could use in different ways for meals, snacks, and desserts.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are 20 weight-loss staples that I always have on hand—and you should, too.

Precut Vegetables

Go ahead and buy those packs of precut vegetables that your grocery store offers. You’ll be more likely to stir-fry them, throw them into soups, or eat them with some hummus if you don’t have to cut them up first.

Pre-washed Organic Salad

I love pre-washed organic salad because I’m a busy mom of seven and I’m all about saving time and eating healthy. I use the greens in smoothies, salads, and wraps.

In-Season Fruits and Vegetables

It’s important to have lots of fruits and vegetables on hand. When they’re in-season, they’re less expensive, taste better, and stay fresh longer.

Low-Sodium Broths

Making your own broth is great, but sometimes you just don’t have time. Buy a low-sodium broth to have on hand for soups, flavoring pasta or rice, or making a low-calorie roux.

Low-Calorie Cheese Sticks

These little cheese sticks aren’t just for kids. Buy some lower-calorie cheese sticks to eat when you want a few calories and sustained energy.

Fruit Popsicles

Dessert doesn’t need to be off-limits when you’re losing weight, but high-calorie desserts should be severely limited. Fruit popsicles often have less than 100 calories.

Dark Chocolate Squares

I’m a chocolate fan, but I knew better than to have M&M’s or other candy in the house when I was trying to lose weight. Having individually packaged dark chocolate squares gave me a treat that was relatively low in calories and good for my health.

Dried Beans

I cook dried beans when I have some down time, then freeze them for later. You can get great prices on dried beans at a local co-op or in the bulk bins at your grocery store.

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Having a supply of fresh or frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts on hand is great for your diet. I use them in stews, soups, casseroles, salads, stir-fries, and wraps.

Lean Beef or Turkey

Unless you’re a vegetarian, lean beef and turkey are good weight-loss staples. Low in calories and versatile, they’re both excellent sources of protein.

Frozen Vegetables

Don’t roll your eyes at frozen vegetables. These are terrific in soups, steamed, or in stir-fries. Make sure to buy vegetables that don’t have any high-calorie sauces added to them.

Eggs

Eggs are high in protein, low in calories, and make a great snack or main dish.

Nut Butter

Be careful with the calories in nut butters (such as peanut butter), but a little bit of your favorite type gives you healthy fats and helps you stave off hunger.

Coconut Oil

Like nut butters, coconut oil is high in calories. Still, it’s great to use while stir-frying vegetables or baking. Remember that 1 tablespoon has about 120 calories.

Yogurt

Yogurt is one of those life staples that also works well for weight loss. Choose plain yogurt and flavor it yourself with fresh fruit or granola.

Rolled Oats

Oats are good for your cholesterol levels, plus they’re super-filling and easy to prepare. I like to use oats for overnight oatmeal, granola bars, and muffins.

Quinoa, Couscous, Whole Wheat Pasta

Whole grains are filling and not your enemy. The right kinds of grains are a staple because they give you fiber, fill you up, and are extremely versatile. Just stay away from processed grains like white flour and regular pasta.

Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices can make even the most boring chicken breast taste delicious. Stock up on your favorites and consider growing some in small pots.

Milk or Milk Substitute

I’m not a fan of milk but if you like it, by all means include it in your diet. If you avoid cow’s milk, try almond or soy milk.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are like candy to me, even without a sprinkle of brown sugar. You can bake them, roast them, or even boil them.

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Here's How Many Calories You Should Actually Eat To Lose Weight

Post author By Diane Carbonell
Post date September 8, 2016

Counting calories is a time-tested method of losing weight. All you have to do is figure out your calorie level, eat at or close to that level most of the time, and you should lose weight, right?

Well, maybe not. What if you aren’t sure what calorie level you should be aiming for or are worried that you won’t be able to continue to eat that few calories once you get to your goal weight? No worries. I’m going to share an easy way to set your weight-loss calorie level that makes losing weight and moving into maintenance simple.

Why Does Calorie-Counting Work?

A lot of studies have supported calorie-counting for weight loss. In one, from “The New England Journal of Medicine,” researchers found that the main factor for successful weight loss wasn’t what type of diet the participants followed, but calorie reduction instead. If you consistently eat fewer calories than you need to maintain your higher weight, you will lose weight. Of course, like anything in weight loss, the key word is “consistently.”

Of course, begs the question: How low should you go? WebMD suggests that the number shouldn’t drop below 1,200 calories for women, and 1,500 for men. That’s my recommendation as well.

But should you go that low? The upsides are that you may lose weight faster, and there’s a strict consistency to your calorie-counting. The downsides? It can be hard to get adequate nutrients on so few calories, and cheating is likely because you feel deprived. So if you’re prone to binge eating or cheating on your diet, or you hate feeling deprived, you might want to consider a different way of deciding your calorie intake.

What’s the Trick?

Here’s what I did when I lost 158 pounds (from 305 to 147). This trick not only helped me lose weight steadily, but it also made moving into weight maintenance painless. Instead of eating as low as I could go (in my case, 1,200 calories), I picked a calorie level that was appropriate for maintenance at the weight I wanted to eventually be.

I used a Basal Metabolic Rate calculator and found out that my BMR at a weight of 147 was 1,366 calories. Then, I multiplied the BMR (the amount of calories I need to survive) by the sedentary activity multiplier of 1.2. Therefore, if I stuck to around 1,600 calories a day, I would lose weight.

And I did.

It takes just a few minutes to plug in your numbers to the calculator and see your results. If you don’t want to use the calculator, multiply your desired weight by 11 (for women) and 12 (for men). That gives you another quick (if not as precise) way to choose a calorie level for weight loss. If you use this method, this is a base number; you can eat a little more depending on your activity level.

Why Does This Work for Maintenance and Weight Loss?

Eating at a calorie level that works for maintenance at the weight you want to be means you don’t have to tweak your calories as you lose weight.

For instance, sometimes weight-loss pros recommend cutting your current calorie intake by 500 to lose about a pound a week. That will work. But as you lose weight, that 500-calorie deficit will put you into maintenance instead of losing weight, because you weigh less and need fewer calories. So you would need to continually tweak your calorie level to continue losing weight.

Another example of this is Weight Watchers. As you lose weight, the number of points you get to eat each week diminishes. If you fail to adjust those points downward, you won’t lose weight.

Like any method, there can be downsides. If you are older, have medical conditions that make losing weight hard, or are on medications, you may have to eat at the lowest recommended calorie levels to successfully lose weight.

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5 Common Diet Pitfalls And How I Learned to Avoid Them

Post author By Diane Carbonell
Post date August 9, 2016

I’ve never counted the myriad of ways you can mess up your diet, but I know firsthand it’s a lot. That’s because dieting is rarely straightforward; it’s often fraught with decisions that can send your diet spiraling down the drain.

Here are five common dieting pitfalls, along with my solutions to keeping yourself heading in the right direction…no matter what life throws your way.

Treats

Food treats are one of the most common diet pitfalls. There’s nothing wrong with having a small dessert after a meal or the occasional sweet treat, but there is something wrong if you look at that treat as a reward for eating well or exercising. Your favorite indulgence should just be part of your overall eating plan. As long as it fits within your calorie and nutrient guidelines, you’re good to go.

Cheats

A cheat is different than a treat. You throw caution to the wind and eat whatever you want for a meal, a day, or even several days. Sometimes you plan the cheat, and sometimes it just happens. I’m not a fan of cheat meals or days; it implies your diet is something that needs cheating on. Don’t look at your diet that way. Instead, see it as a way to lose weight, improve your health, and make you feel better about yourself.

Nighttime Snacking

In dieting, the amount and type of food are more important than the time you eat, but nighttime snacking can be a big pitfall. Have some chips, some dip, and a little bit of ice cream, and you’ve hit 500 calories without even feeling full. My tip: plan for an after-dinner snack. Save some calories for later in the evening, and it won’t matter if you have a midnight snack or not.

Eating Exercise Calories

Exercise is great, but it doesn’t give you free reign to eat whatever you want. After all, exercise calories help your weight loss move along a little quicker, so if you eat them all back, you’ll lose weight more slowly. Even worse, if you overestimate how many calories you burned, you can end up stalling your weight loss.

Potluck Meals and Buffet Lines

A lot of overweight and obese people enjoy potluck meals and buffet lines. And I used to be one of them. It was acceptable to eat as much as I wanted without feeling any judgment. But when you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to move away from feeling enjoyment at overeating. If you must go to a potluck meal or restaurant with a buffet line, limit yourself to one plate. Don’t go back for anything except vegetables. Your waistline will thank you later.

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When Good Weight-Loss Advice is Bad for You

Post author By Diane Carbonell
Post date August 9, 2016

Weight loss isn’t a one-size-fits-all experience.

When I lost 150 pounds, about 50 percent of my diet was from carbohydrates; cutting way back on them was essential for me. But if you want to eat a gluten-free diet or follow a low-carb plan, you might not have the same success I did.

There are plenty of times when seemingly good weight-loss advice won’t work for your specific needs. Here are 5 key factors to consider.

Medications

I’ve had a lot of clients who are on medications that make weight loss difficult and slow, even when they’re doing all the right things. If you’re on meds that make weight loss hard, be sure to take this into account when analyzing your weight-loss progress. For you, losing 2 pounds a month may be a terrific result. Be sure to ask your doctor if your medications are in fact contributing to your difficulty in losing weight, and whether there’s a more weight loss-friendly option.

Physical Abilities

Weight-loss advice that includes exercise is great, unless you can’t exercise per your doctor’s orders. I once had a client whose doctor said she could only exercise sitting down. If I had insisted she get on the treadmill or do aerobics, she could have been injured. I encourage you to exercise within your physical limitations. When I was 300 pounds, I couldn’t run, but I could walk. You might not be able to do Zumba or CrossFit, but perhaps you can do yoga or water aerobics.

Blanket Statements

Have you ever looked at a weight-loss website that says things like “Lose 10 pounds in a week!” or “Guaranteed success or your money back!” These claims are blanket statements. While success stories can be encouraging, make sure you read the fine print and analyze whether the statements are true, or may just be an exaggeration to get you to buy a product or sign up for an email list.

Rigidity

It’s good advice to follow an eating program and not try to lose weight willy nilly. But an overly rigid eating plan can quickly backfire (believe me, I know from personal experience). Be wary of weight-loss advice that gives you exact foods to eat at particular times of day. Usually these very rigid diets are simply fads that may work for a short time but are impossible to stick with.

Promises of steady loss

If anyone implies that you’re failing because your weight loss isn’t steady or quick, tune them out. While the standard recommended weight loss is 0.5 to 2 pounds a week, real-life experience is often different. Take the advice that you need to lose a certain number of pounds each week or month with a grain of salt. The measure of successful weight loss isn’t how long it takes you to lose the weight, but whether you keep it off.

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6 Delicious Summer Treats Perfect For Any Diet

Post author By Diane Carbonell
Post date August 9, 2016

I love the summer. The sunshine, the warmth, the freedom from school, and the food all make me smile (unless it’s 100 degrees outside and the kids are bored!). And if you’re trying to lose weight, summer is also the perfect time to take advantage of the growing season and discover delicious, diet-friendly treats. Here are some of my favorites.

Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes and Basil

I grow cherry tomatoes and basil in my garden, so of course I enjoy them immensely. Did you know that 1/2-cup of cherry tomatoes has about 15 calories? That’s almost like a free food, calorie-wise. A great low-calorie summer treat is to cut the top off the cherry tomatoes and scoop out some of the inside with a small spoon. Fill the tomatoes with a mixture of cottage cheese, finely minced basil, and a dash of pepper.

Spicy Watermelon Salad

I have to confess my kids don’t love this as much as the grownups do, but I think it’s terrific. Simply cube watermelon and toss it in a bowl. Add some dill, diced yellow bell pepper, a few tablespoons of finely minced red onion, and a dash of lime juice. Chill well and eat as a healthy snack.

Blueberries with Fat-Free Homemade Whipped Cream

Blueberries are a favorite food around our house and yes, they’re a treat on their own. But you can make them extra special by adding a dollop of fat-free homemade whipped cream. Put 1 cup of ice-cold skim milk in a mixing bowl. use an immersion blender to whip the milk until it thickens, and add a few drops of liquid stevia and vanilla extract for extra flavor. Spoon some of the whipped cream over the blueberries and enjoy your diet-friendly treat right away.

Honeydew and Strawberry Daiquiris

Ripe honeydew and strawberries make a great fruit salad. But for a treat everyone will love, combine equal parts of both fruits in a blender with ice, the juice of one lemon, and a dash of sugar. Make it an adult beverage by adding a splash of low-calorie rum.

Petite Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Did you know that a single large strawberry has about 6 calories? That’s why I like to make these petite strawberry cheesecake bites during the summer when guests come over. Simply use a small spoon or strawberry huller to remove the top and inside of the strawberries. Then combine an 8-ounce block of fat-free cream cheese with 3/4-cup of skim milk and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Mix thoroughly until the filling is light and fluffy. Gently spoon the mixture into the waiting strawberries and keep in the refrigerator until serving time.

Peach and Blueberry Parfait

Parfaits are a great summer treat that are easy to make and a real diet-friendly treat. In a tall glass, put a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt. Add a layer of freshly sliced peaches, another layer of Greek yogurt, a layer of blueberries, and a final layer of Greek yogurt. Sprinkle the top with ground flax seed or low-calorie granola.

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3 Secrets To Turn Weight-Loss Thoughts Into Action

Post author By Diane Carbonell
Post date August 9, 2016

When I was overweight, I spent many years thinking about how great my life would be when I lost 150 pounds, but not much time actively trying to lose weight.

This is a common rut. A lot of people who say they’re “trying to lose weight” are stuck in the thinking cycle. Now, there’s nothing wrong with thinking about losing weight. It’s important to visualize your success, figure out what you’ll eat that day or week, and imagine what your life will be like when you’re at a healthy weight. But there is something wrong when all you do is think about it and don’t act.

So how do you break the cycle? Ask yourself these five questions to discover if you’re doing more thinking than acting. Be honest with yourself when answering, even if it hurts.

1. Have you been trying/thinking about losing weight but seen very few results?

2. Do you spend a lot of time researching weight loss but don’t put what you learn into practice?

3. Are you frustrated with your lack of progress even though you know all the right things to do?

4. Do people ask you when you’re going to start your diet? (In other words, do they see you working toward your stated goal of weight loss?)

5. Do you try to stick to a diet for a day or two and then go back to just reading about weight loss?

If you honestly answered “Yes,” to more than a few of these questions then you’re probably doing more thinking than trying.

All Is Not Lost

It’s a relatively easy process to start actively losing weight, especially since you probably know a lot about losing weight from all your thinking and research. I know I sure did.

Here are the steps to take:

First, acknowledge that you’ve been doing too much thinking and not enough doing. This is sometimes the hardest part. Who wants to admit they are the problem? It was hard for me, but once I did, I never looked back.

Second, put what you already know into practice. This may include:

Signing up on a weight loss website like MyFitnessPal.
Cleaning out your pantry.
Shopping for healthy foods for the next week.
Tracking your food intake every single day.
Exercising regularly.
Having an accountability group or partner.

Third, ask yourself every night whether you’ve put your weight-loss plan into action or if you’ve just spent time thinking about it.

Once you’ve seen some success from your actions, you can start thinking about weight maintenance, all the great clothes you can buy, and your exciting new fitness goals!

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Wellbeing

The 3 Reasons You're Not Losing The Weight You Want

Post author By Diane Carbonell
Post date July 12, 2016

What do you think holds you back from reaching your full potential when it comes to health and weight loss? If you sometimes feel as though you get stuck in a rut and then find it really tough to keep going, here’s how you can identify what’s holding you back from finally losing weight.
I’ve done a lot of hard things in my life but one of the toughest was finally losing weight. I know strong people who have jumped out of airplanes or dealt with unbelievable tragedies, are incredibly successful at work, or had to relocate their family every 18 months for years on end and still they struggle to lose weight.
Why? It certainly isn’t because they aren’t strong people.

Having difficulty losing weight isn’t because you aren’t strong enough or a capable person. It goes much deeper than having the right skill set or being fearless.
Difficulty losing weight is often due to three factors that are holding you back.

1. Fear

There are two sides of fear when it comes to weight loss. At least there were for me.
First, you might be afraid to succeed, and second, you might be afraid to fail.
Ask yourself these three questions about fear of success:

Are you concerned about what your life will be like when you lose weight?
Do you worry about whether you will be able to maintain your weight?
Are you nervous about how you will look or whether you will have loose skin after you lose weight?

And then ask yourself these three questions about fear of failure:

Are you worried you will have to tell friends you once again quit a diet?
Do you feel as though this is your last chance and there is a lot of pressure to succeed?
Are you are fearful you can’t follow through and stick to your diet plan?

If any of these strike a chord, then you might be afraid to succeed or fail. It’s okay to be worried about what the future holds. It’s not okay to let that fear hold you back.

2. Internal Conflicts

I hate to tell you this, but you can often be your own worst enemy when trying to lose weight. I was usually the one who held myself back by self-sabotaging my efforts or engaging in negative talk about myself. You might be doing the same thing.
You might be like I was and feel as though you aren’t worth putting the effort into losing weight, feel on some level like weight loss is a waste of time, or self-sabotage your own weight loss effort by eating junk food when you know better.

Internal conflicts can be tough to get over. I used an emotions journal that helped me track how I was feeling. For some people, a trained counselor can be a tremendous help in sorting out your true feelings about your self-worth and how weight loss fits into that picture.

3. Outside Influences

Weight loss isn’t just about you. Not unless you live in the jungle or on an island. Your weight loss journey is individual but it is very much influenced by those around you.
For instance, do you have a spouse or friend who offers you food they know isn’t on your weight loss plan? Have you ever been swayed into skipping your workout or eating something you didn’t plan on having because someone in your life talked you into making that decision?
I’d be surprised if something like those scenarios never happened to you.
Although you hope that your friends and family will be helpful when you are losing weight, there are times when they can unintentionally hurt your efforts.
To combat outside influences from holding you back, you’ve got to confront them. Have a serious talk with people who may be standing in your way. Let them know you care for them but you need them to support you.

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Wellbeing

Hate Exercising? Do This Instead

Post author By Diane Carbonell
Post date July 6, 2016

Doctors recommend it. Personal trainers swear by it and fitness buffs love it. What is it? Exercise, of course. What do you do if you know you should exercise but hate everything having to do with exercise? Well, you’ve got several choices. You can keep hating it but exercise anyway. You can learn to tolerate it, or you can learn to enjoy—and even love—working out.

If you hate exercise but know you should incorporate exercise into your daily life, here are some things to think about.

Do you really hate exercise?

So you think you hate exercise. I wonder if you really hate exercise or just the uncomfortable feeling you get when you exercise or the anxiety you feel when thinking about beginning an exercise program?

Think about it. Maybe it’s not so much that you hate exercise itself but you hate:

Being sweaty after working out
Getting out of your comfort zone
The worry that you can’t follow an instructor’s directions
The idea of exercise
Feeling like you don’t fit in

Spend some time analyzing why you hate exercise. You may find that you are just fearful of the unknown, don’t want to be uncomfortable, or are creating barriers in your mind where there are none.

Do you perform activities you hate?

Just because you hate an activity doesn’t mean you never do it. Think about your daily life. Do you sometimes hate going to work, cleaning out your car, or taking out the trash? Probably. But you do those activities anyway.

Now apply the same principle to exercise. Sure you might hate the idea of exercise, but you know it’s good for you, so you just have to do it anyway.

Are you exploring all your options?

Exercise is much more than running a marathon or spending an hour in the gym every day. There are many ways to fulfill your activity quota for the week.

If you are reading this article, you may hate to exercise but know you want to begin an exercise program. Be open to trying a variety of activities in your quest to find one or two that speak to you.

Here’s a list of some common and not-so-common ways to exercise.

Walking
Skating
Cycling
Yoga
Zumba
CrossFit
Rowing
Hiking
Gardening or yard work
Weightlifting
Vigorous house cleaning
Dancing
Shoveling snow or pushing a lawnmower
Swimming
Stair climbing
Kickball
Soccer
Football
Water polo
Tennis

You see, there are a lot of ways to fill your exercise bank without joining a gym or running. You just have to do it.

Are the payoffs worth the pain?

Starting an exercise program can be daunting, especially if you think you hate it. But consider the pain versus payoff ratio for a minute.

Sure exercise can be painful, challenging, and not always fun. But the payoffs you get from regularly exercising for 30 minutes several times a week can last a lifetime. You will be more flexible, be able to walk or run without getting winded, look better, and reap the medical benefits of exercise such as reducing your risk of heart disease and lowering your blood pressure.

And if weight loss is your goal, exercise goes hand in hand with a healthy eating program. For example, I never lost weight on a diet until I committed to exercising. It wasn’t just the exercise that helped me lose weight, but the willingness to change my outlook on exercise and make healthy changes.

As a word of encouragement to you, when I started to exercise at 305 pounds, I too hated exercise. Or I thought I did. But I made myself walk for a few minutes every day. Before long I didn’t hate it quite so much and over time I appreciated the sweat and the uncomfortable feeling of being out of breath and discovered that the temporary pain of exercise was well worth the rewards.

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15 Practical Tips For Travel Weight Loss

Post author By Diane Carbonell
Post date June 30, 2016

Traveling presents a unique challenge for the dieter. You may be successful in finding opportunities to exercise while you are on the road but have a more difficult time staying on track when it comes to food. If you travel a lot, or even just a little, here are 15 practical tips for travel weight loss.

1. If you are traveling by car, I suggest purchasing a high-quality cooler that has a dual power option: one that plugs into the receptacle in your car and one that plugs into a standard wall outlet. Because it has both options, you can keep perishable foods cool in the car and in your hotel room.

2. Take a bag with non-perishable food items and the utensils you’ll need to prepare meals on the go. Include knives, a small cutting board, soap, plastic utensils, reusable containers, seasonings, packets of mustard and salad dressing, and dried fruit.

3. Get to a grocery store as soon as you arrive. Pick up perishable foods you can store in your hotel room refrigerator. Think fruit, low-calorie whole grain bread or wraps, baby carrots, yogurt, pre-boiled eggs, and individual containers of salad or precooked meat.

4. When dining out while traveling, stick to tried and true options. Don’t be like I used to be and choose the highest-calorie option like a fried Monte Cristo sandwich as a vacation treat. Choose a grilled meat, a salad or steamed vegetables, and brown rice or baked potato.

5. Bring several homemade breakfast bars with you. Keep them frozen until you leave and stash them in your cooler.

6. Drink mainly zero-calorie beverages. Don’t throw caution to the wind and live it up on vacation by having a bunch of high-calorie cocktails, milkshakes, or 500-calorie coffee drinks.

7. If not staying with friends, look into staying in a suite-type hotel or renting a condo. For our family, it’s almost always cheaper to rent a condo than get several hotel rooms. The plus is that you have a full kitchen, which makes sticking to your diet much easier.

8. For work travel, don’t be afraid to make suggestions on which restaurants to visit with clients. And when you get to the restaurant, ask the server for your entrée prepared just the way you want it.

9. Be mentally prepared to stick with your diet in the face of relatives, friends, or colleagues offering you foods that you know don’t fit in with your diet plan. I know this can be tricky, but I discovered that at the end of the day, most people really don’t care if you say no.

10. Take advantage of free continental breakfast offerings at your hotel, but be smart in what you pick. Most have fresh fruit, eggs made to order, cereal and skim milk, and of course, donuts and pastries. Skip the donuts and choose the healthier options.

11. Pack some Quest bars, Lärabars, or another type of healthy granola bar you like. They can assuage your hunger in a pinch and keep you out of the candy aisle at the gas station.

12. A good quality thermos can hold hot or cold soup. While this probably wouldn’t be good on a plane trip, it’s a great way to fill yourself up the first day of a road trip. After the first day, use it to hold ice water or unsweetened coffee or tea.

13. Be sure to familiarize yourself with what’s going to be near your final destination. I remember one time traveling to a beach town only to find it would take an expensive taxi ride to get any fresh food. I had to make do with what was available at the hotel.

14. Allow yourself one cheat food every few days. I’m not a fan of cheat meals, but even I know that it can be depressing to watch others eat the best-looking chocolate cake while you look on. Just keep the portion small and savor each bite.

15. Plan your meals as best you can. It’s not always possible to plan every single meal when you are traveling, but do try. The times that my clients are most successful in dieting while traveling is when they take the time to plan ahead.

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Do These 9 Things And You Won't Ever Crave Junk Food Again

Post author By Diane Carbonell
Post date June 23, 2016

Junk food cravings are strong. It is hard to resist the call of warm doughnuts, gooey chocolate bars, nachos, or ice cream crammed with candy and caramel. The cravings for junk are strong, and you need to be stronger than the cravings when you are trying to lose weight. Here are nine ways to ditch the cravings for junk food once and for all.

1. Step away from temptation.

Junk food may seem like it is everywhere but it’s really not. There is no junk food in your car or home unless you put it there or someone you live with brings it.

Step away from the junk food by not buying it, asking family members not to bring it into your house, and avoiding places where you are tempted to purchase junk food.

2. Identify cravings correctly.

You may think you have a craving for chocolate or chips, but there is a good chance your cravings are not for junk but something else.

You may be bored, feel lonely or sad, need to talk to a friend, or be in need of some fresh air.

3. Learn how bad the junk food really is.

It’s one thing to kinda know that junk food is bad for you but another to fully understand how bad that food truly is.

For example, you know that movie popcorn isn’t the best, but would you ever eat it again if you knew it had over 1,000 calories and 60 g of saturated fat in a large container? Perhaps not.

4. Move on after a mess up.

If you give in to junk food cravings one day, just move on the next day.

Don’t dwell on your mistake or just give up and eat more junk. The less junk food you eat the faster the cravings will go away.

5. Know your weak times.

Even at 300 pounds I didn’t crave junk food from morning to night. I had pockets of time where the junk food cravings were the strongest.

I learned what those times were and so should you. Many people crave junk food during the afternoon doldrums or late at night.

6. Have alternatives ready.

If you are craving a candy bar from the vending machine and have your $0.75 in your hand and no healthy alternative, what are you likely to do?

You are likely to plop those quarters in the machine and chow down. Have healthy alternatives ready such as fruit, granola bars, trail mix, or water spiked with a bit of fruit juice.

7. Be prepared to wait.

Cravings come on strong but they typically don’t stay strong for long.

If you can wait out the cravings they will go away or diminish to the point that you don’t feel such a desire for junk food. Give yourself 15 to 30 minutes for the cravings to become manageable.

8. Remove yourself from the situation.

There are times when junk food cravings arise because you are in a situation where junk food is everywhere.

For example, one time I was at a ladies’ night out party and there was an entire table dedicated to chocolate. I became increasingly miserable as I wanted to eat every food item on that table. I knew if I had just a taste I would fall into the chocolate abyss because I wasn’t feeling mentally strong right then. So I thanked the hostess and left.

9. Exercise the cravings away.

If you are craving junk food, try going for a walk or lifting weights for 15 or 20 minutes.

The endorphins from exercise will help offset the junk food cravings and you will likely find the cravings are gone once you have finished your quick workout.

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