If I decide not to eat something, say a dessert, I often can’t stop thinking about that thing.

My brain sounds like:

“I won’t have dessert! I won’t have dessert! I WON”T have dessert!”

My brain becomes caught up in a loop of “no dessert” and all I can think of is THAT DESSERT!

On the other hand, I can work to change the focus of my thoughts. I can think things like:

“I will drink this cool glass of water, I love nurturing myself in non-food ways, I will go talk to a friend, I will do something else that my brain can think about.

It only takes 5 to 10 minutes of discomfort, but as you give the brain something else to do, it settles down and leaves the subject of that dessert alone.

Stop giving attention to the temper tantrum your brain is throwing.

As you bring your mind away from the food, your attention will melt away from that desire.

Learn to turn your attention toward what you want, instead of what you don’t want.

This takes practice.

You can do it!