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We've all been there - that moment when you have to decide if you will give in to your food cravings or stay strong and fight the urge.

You know what I'm talking about.

You think to yourself, "Adding just a little sugar to my coffee won't hurt me, right?"

Or, "I'm running late for work, so I'll just swing through the drive-thru for breakfast this one time."

Or, "This it too hard. I can't do it and I feel so discouraged. Hand me that bowl of candy!"

Well, I am here to tell you that you CAN do it and be successful with Beyond Diet. But even I get down in the dumps sometimes, and I understand how people's thoughts can occasionally turn to unhealthy food as an emotional pick-me-up.

Here's what I do when that happens to ensure that I stay on the right track.

Keep an index card with positive affirmations or mantras written on it with you at all times. Put one in your car, one in your wallet, and one in your desk at work. And definitely put one up on the fridge at home!

There are so many great positive affirmations available to choose from, or you can make up some of your own. The only rules are that they must be positive and they must be written in first person.

Here are the 5 mantras I always use in a moment of weakness:

1. My body is getting stronger, slimmer, and healthier every day. This affirmation is true! Try visualizing the actual changes taking place in your body when you say this. Also, try and visualize how your body will feel and look when you reach your goal.



2. I treat my body with love and kindness. This may be uncomfortable at first, since many people who struggle with their weight or who have an unhealthy relationship with food view their bodies as the enemy. But it's vital that you begin to shift your thinking and treat your body with love. Try standing in front of the mirror and say only nice comments about your entire body.


3. I believe in my ability to lose weight and keep it off. This is so important. You are the master of your thoughts, and you have to believe that you can lose weight, keep it off, and live a healthy life. If you don't believe this, explore the reasons why. The truth is that we all have this ability; you just have to believe in yourself.


4. I love eating healthy food and nurturing my body. Chances are this hasn't always been the case, but that's okay! Leave the past in the past and focus on what you can do (and are doing!). You CAN become that person who loves to eat healthy food and who nurtures their body. It won't happen overnight, but saying this affirmation can help you transform yourself. Again, visualize yourself eating your favorite Beyond Diet foods or the endorphin high you get from your favorite workout as you say this.


5. I deserve healthy food and a healthy body. This can be a tough one for some people as well. No matter what your circumstances are, the truth is that you do deserve to nourish your body with healthy food. It's not always easy to put yourself first (trust me, I get it!), but you have to believe that you are worth taking care of.

Here are a few practical techniques to use to be more proactive when it comes to temptations instead of reactive:

• Breathe and count. I often tell my clients, "Count to 10 slowly, then take 10 deep breaths. Then decide whether or not you are still going to go for that unhealthy food item." Many times, by the time you get to breath number five, the urge has passed and you feel so proud of yourself that you made the right choice.


• Keep a picture as a reminder of why you want to be healthy. I carry around a picture of myself and my husband and our two boys. This picture reminds me that I not only want to take care of myself for me, but also so I can be a better wife and mom to my family. If I eat unhealthy food, it robs me of my energy, and I am not at my very best for them.



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• Find some motivational quotes and hang them where you can see them. One I love is, "Every choice you make either gets you closer to your goal or further away from your goal. Which way do you want to go today?" Ask yourself this question each time you are tempted to eat food that isn't good for you.


• Snack on healthy protein. If you really need an after dinner snack, chose raw nuts or a few slices of turkey. Don’t opt for cookies or popcorn – carbohydrate-heavy snacks raise blood sugar levels, taking you on a downward spiral of snacking, crashing, and even more cravings.


• Make your workouts fun and make sure to schedule them. You don’t have to do workouts you hate – remember that! If you actually enjoy a particular workout, you are more likely to look forward to it instead of dread it. It also helps to put workouts on your calendar so you have designated a block of time to exercise instead of waiting until the end of the day when you’re too tired and busy.


• Batch cook. You are more likely to stay on track if you have food readily available to you in your fridge or freezer at all times. Triple your favorite meatball or chili recipe and freeze single portions in mason jars. It makes it much easier to avoid take-out and frozen pizza if you have healthy options that just need a few minutes to re-heat.


• Always make a shopping list when you go to the store . If you have a shopping list that consists of all healthy meats and produce, you won’t even end up trickling into the middle of the grocery store where the processed foods live. More importantly, never go food shopping hungry. Make sure you eat a full meal before grocery shopping so you don’t end up shopping with your stomach.


• Eat a healthy breakfast every morning. Knowing you started the day with healthy foods will give you the momentum to keep making healthy choices all day long. If you start your day eating a doughnut, it doesn’t mean you’ll completely fall off of the wagon, but it does give you an excuse to eat poorly for the rest of the day. (Trust me, I know).

And finally, know how to beat cravings before they start. Most cravings are a result of nutrient deficiencies. You could have all of the right intentions, but sometimes it comes down to needing additional vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, superfoods, probiotics, digestive enzymes, and liver support supplements to help you be your best self. Stick with me, here, because I don't want you to run off and purchase a bundle of 10 different vitamin supplements in order for you to stay on track with your health goals, and I know you can be successful on Beyond Diet either way.

But the truth is, I love having my "nutritional insurance" as extra support. So, every day I drink Daily Energy greens drink - it gives me the energy I need to focus and stay on track all day long, in just one scoop a day. I can always rely on it for that extra push I need when life happens. We're human after all, but temptation does not have to get the best of us.

»Fight Cravings and Gain Willpower with Daily Energy