You can almost everywhere be faced with temptations. You can buy food around the corner from your house, at the station, in your canteen and even on some trains. As a result, you are constantly confronted with food temptations.
This can increase the chance that you impulsively buy food that is not in line with your health goal. In this article, I explain how you can deal with food temptations.

Food temptations in your home

You have more influence at home than outside your home. By not buying something, you avoid all food temptations. However, this approach is not always possible.
When you want to buy something delicious now and then, it is almost impossible to always say “no”. Perhaps you buy food that falls under your food temptations for your children or visitors.
You can then make your home healthier in various ways. By having your food temptations at home, you learn to deal with these temptations better. This can make it easier to resist food temptations outdoors.

The separation between your kitchen and living room

Food Temptations1If you do not have a good separation between your kitchen and living room, this increases the chance that you are often present in the kitchen. The more often you are in the kitchen, the more you come into contact with food temptations.

Therefore, only use the kitchen when you are going to prepare a meal, take a snack or grab a drink. Don't look in the fridge for no reason. As a result, you come into contact with food temptations less.

Don't put unhealthy food insight

You are probably familiar with the saying ‘seeing eat, makes eating'. If you store unhealthy food properly, you are likely to suffer less from food temptations. Store the unhealthy food in closed cupboards.
You can nudge yourself by putting healthy food in sight. ‘Nudge' is a motivational technique to subtly stimulate yourself to behave in the desired way.
If you come into contact with healthy food and healthy snacks sooner, you will choose these responsible products faster. Make the choice as easy as possible for yourself.
For example, cut pieces of fruit in advance and put them in the refrigerator. If you are hungry then you can easily eat it. At such a moment, cutting can sound like too much effort, so that you can quickly grab an easy bar with a lot of sugar, for example.

Table habits and food temptations

You can better deal with food temptations by adjusting your table habits. I will tell you more about that below.

Opt for smaller crockery

By choosing a smaller plate, your portion will appear larger. Do not choose a deep plate. This makes your portion appear smaller.

Take into account the energy in your food

A portion of fries and wok dishes can be the same size. However, it differs a lot in terms of calories, because vegetables contain much less energy than fries.
Keep this in mind. For example, you can take a small portion of fries with a salad as an addition. Aim for a plate half-filled with vegetables. A quarter may consist of meat, fish, beans, or a healthy meat substitute. You can fill the remaining quarter of the plate with potatoes or grain products if you wish.
Food temptations often contain a lot of energy. If you eat something, limit the portion.

Serve your food in the kitchen

This reduces the chance that you will be tempted to scoop up more food. Another solution is to make the portions exactly for the number of people you eat with. You can also put the remaining portions in containers and store them in advance.

Eating with others

Food Temptations2It can be difficult to eat healthy if your family or friends don't.

It can help to inform your family or friends about your health goals. Then they understand you better and can take it into account.
Also, be aware that people often eat more in the company. The distraction makes you less likely to notice that you are full. In addition, we often adjust our choice of food to our table companion. This makes you more likely to come into contact with food temptations.
By being aware of that, you can change this. Take a break between meals and try to listen to your body. Full is full.

Reducing food temptations with ‘if-then plan'

You can better deal with food temptations by considering in advance in which situations you will be bothered by this. Then you can make an ‘ if-then plan ‘ for this.
This means that you think about how you will deal with food temptations. An example is, for example, ‘if the oliebollen stall in the shopping center is there, I walk around the block'. This example is one way to avoid food temptation.
Other ways are, for example, seeking distraction or going for a healthy alternative instead of choosing the unhealthy product.

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