Staying in control of snacking and eating at home is easy—you get into a routine, and making healthy choices becomes second nature. But what happens when you’re not in your own kitchen? Things can look oh-so-tempting at a restaurant or a friend’s backyard barbecue—especially when everyone else at the table is raving about them. What do you do then? On Facebook, we asked MyFitnessPal users, “What tricks do you use to avoid food temptation, especially when you’re not at home?” Here are 4 ideas that can help you stay on track, too.
1. Drink Water Instead
- “Drink water! More often that not, you’re thirsty not hungry.” —Dana K.
- “A bottle of water fills my stomach and gives my hands something to fiddle with.” —Courtney M. V.
2. Think Before You Eat
- “Read the carb content on the label—it’s normally enough to make you put it down and pick up something that doesn’t have a label.” —Evie M.
- “Log the food in advance, then decide if you still want it. I just logged my main meals for tomorrow, and have some leeway after my morning run!” —Jason D.
3. Chew Something Else
- “Gum! I chew a lot of gum.” —Andria N.
- “Carrots. I snack on lots and lots of carrots.” —Amanda G. N.
4. Indulge a Little
- “If something is tempting, I drink a full glass of water. If, after 15 minutes or so, I still have to have it, I will take one bite. I did this with my son’s slice of pizza—took one bite of it, and I was fine.” —Estella M.
- “Eat it! Just eat less of it. You don’t have to avoid foods, just be smart about it.” —Lisa W.
What’s your trick for avoiding temptation when you’re away from home? Share it in the comments.
