Diversion tactics to keep you from cheating on your diet

3/23/10 Posted in Cover Story Lisa Marie Meltzer  |  0 Comments

Most experts agree that if you are trying to lose weight, adhering to a 80 percent to 20 percent ratio, is an attainable goal. Basically, its sticking to your healthy eating plan 80 percent of the time, and cheating in moderation 20 percent of the time.

But there are times when 20 percent has come and gone and it’s only Tuesday.

Maybe you’ve had a bad day at work, a spat with your significant other or just got a craving while watching the Food Network. So, you decide to throw your hands up and then down, into the cookie jar. Just as you peer down to get the cookie with the most chocolate chips your phone rings. You end up talking for several minutes, hang up and go about your day—without going back to the cookie jar.

What just happened? You were diverted from your temptation! The focus on cookies turned to focusing on a conversation. Unfortunately, we can’t count on a phone ringing or a doorbell chiming to turn our attention away from temptation. However, we can create a go-to-list to conquer our temptations and stay on track. Keep this list handy and give it a try the next time you get the urge to cheat!

1. Brush and floss your teeth. Clean choppers and a minty taste should do the trick.
2. Drink water. Sometimes our bodies are actually craving water not food.
3. Pour it out on paper. Write down what your are feeling right now. Are you tempted because you’re bored? Are you angry or anxious about something? Is this temptation occurring because of an old habit? For example, did you always have a candy bar at 3 o’clock? Once you identify possible triggers for falling off the wagon you take a proactive approach and find a replacement. Maybe a skim latte or green tea could be your new soothing ritual.
4. Get your glam on. Play around with a new look. Upload your photo at instyle.com (click on Hollywood makeover) for a free virtual makeover. Choose from hundreds of hair styles; including color. Once you find the style you want, try the makeup tool too. A new haircut or new shade of lipstick can also be a reward for the next 10 lbs you lose!
5. Pick up a new/old hobby. Working on a craft project will keep your hands busy. Knitting, scrapbooking and woodworking all require clean hands, not ones stained with cheese puffs.
6. Net support. No need to leave your home for a support group. There’s plenty of support in weight loss forums at sparkpeople.com, weight-loss.fitness.com or weightlossbuddy.com. Log on and give a shout-out the next time you face temptation.
7. Brainpower. Take the focus off the food and dive into a sudoku puzzle, crossword or even a jigsaw puzzle. Rather play with more bells and whistles? Log onto to prevention.com/braingames. Loads of fun games to play. Busy Bistro is an entertaining game that teaches you how to cook healthy and improve your short and long term memory.
8. Count the cost. Check out how many calories, fat and sugar your craving has before you shove it in.
9. Flap your jaws. Do you find yourself “sampling” food as you cook dinner? Or maybe you volunteered to make 3 dozen cupcakes for a bake sale and the aroma is really getting to you. Chew a piece of sugar-free gum to keep your mouth busy.
10. If I only had a few minutes... Spend time today making a list of quick chores to tackle when tempted to cheat. Tackle the messy junk drawer in your kitchen. (That’s where I put the spare keys!) Ditch the mysterious leftovers in the fridge. Last month’s smelly meatloaf will turn your stomach off food. Go old school and write a note to any relative that isn’t online.
11. Beat the clock. Set a kitchen timer or other handy timer for 5 minutes and walk away. Chances are you will have forgotten about your craving when the timer goes off. If that doesn’t do the trick, try drinking 2 glasses of water and either 6 walnuts, 12 almonds or 20 peanuts. Within 20 minutes you’ll have the power to resist a calorie laden craving.
12. Sweat it out. OK, so it’s not the most popular item on the list but it works! Even 5 – 10 minutes of will take your focus off food and put you back into the right mindset. Walk down the halls and up the stairs at work, do some stretching, or play your favorite song and start dancing.

Keep this list handy and refer to it the next time you need a diversion.

written by Lisa Marie Metzler