Sometimes the situations we find ourselves in that are less than desirable are there because of how we think.  Our perspective has to shift.  As we consciously alter our thinking patterns, we begin to see the results we want externally.  Our thoughts are not who we are.  They are the sum of the belief systems and perspectives we’ve picked up along the path of our experience, and they may or may not always be true.  Examine some of your thoughts and choose to keep the ones that serve you, and delete the ones that don’t.

Food cravings are like little monsters in the mind.  Cravings are basically thoughts.  What we have to become aware of is where the thoughts came from.  The desire to eat that comes from the body’s genuine need for nutrients is what we need to learn to recognize and respond to.  Unfortunately, our society practices overindulgence in foods that are detrimental to our health.  As a result, our ability to recognize the body’s true needs becomes skewed.  Eliminating animal products and processed foods from the diet gives us a new opportunity to reconnect with our own bodies.  Yay!  That’s a great thing, right?

Right.  But at times the mind will trail behind, kicking and screaming, like a toddler in time out.

Here are some ways that I’ve found very helpful to bypass the circuitry in my mind when I feel cravings coming on and I want to eat things that I know aren’t good for me.  Try them and see which ones work for you!

1. Keep an abundance of your favorite fruits and veggies available.  This is great for times when temptations arise, or when we’re out in the world and nothing available that aligns with your eating plan.  Always have something on hand.
2.  Use the breath.  The breath is a powerful tool to help you balance your emotional state.  Use it often.  I frequently take a deep cleansing breath at various times throughout the day and immediately feel a sense of greater calm.  Much of our eating impulses arise out of anxiety.  Train yourself to notice your anxiety when it starts, and breathe first.   Along with the calm will come the power to move through and make a better choice.
3. Raise your vibration.  You may have heard discussions about the internal vibrational frequency.  Everyone has an energetic vibration, and it fluctuates based on our thoughts and emotions.  A high vibration is associated with love, joy, peace, happiness, excitement and fun.  Lower vibrations are the opposite.  When we are feeling “low,” we tend to choose foods that match the vibration we’re in:  junk food, processed foods, and other things that take us away from the optimal health we desire.  Raise your vibration by doing things that light you up.  Make a list of things that make you feel good.  Play with a puppy!  Call a friend!  Share a laugh!  Give a hug!  As your vibration climbs, you may find that your food choices will elevate, too.
4. Think about your goals.  Then ask yourself, “Are you willing to say goodbye to _______ in order to have that ice cream?”  I have openly confessed that I am a recovering food addict.  I know for me, if I decide to have just one whatever, pulling back will be 10X harder.  I will have to mentally face not meeting my weight loss goal, feeling disappointed in myself, and feeling like I made myself stop at a red light on my journey.  Not worth it!
5. Seek truth.  See the foods you are trying to eliminate for what they really are.  See where the meat really comes from.  Look at videos that show the inside of factory farms.  Take a look at what fat really looks like inside the body.  We’re so used to the bad things being sugar-coated and remodeled into what we’ve been conditioned to believe are good things.  Guide your own perception with truth.

I hope this helps!  The ones I found most effective for me along my journey are 2 and 5.  Which ones will you try?  Leave a comment and let me know!

See you in the next post!

~Angie

*I fumbled for years, unable to get my weight loss journey off the ground.  Now, I’m finally losing weight consistently and regaining my health!  Subscribe to my email newsletter here  for the exact dietary tips and mind tricks I use daily that changed my life and can change yours.