Beat your cravings

Impose a 15-minute cooling off period during which you try the steps below. If you still feel like eating after 15 minutes you are free to do so. The enforced break is enough to stop a pattern of automatic eating.

Brush your teeth. This can get rid of the imagined taste of what you are craving, and drink a large glass of water. You may just be confusing thirst with water.

Analyse your craving. Do you feel fear, anger, tension or shame? Recognising the trigger can relieve the craving.

Do something about the feeling or trigger. Instead of procrastinating and carrying the burden of this problem around with you, think of some way to move toward relief.

Exercise - this can help to boost serotonin levels, improves your mood and suppresses appetite.