In Element 16 of Your LifeBook, Co-founder and independent OPTAVIA Coach, Dr. Wayne Scott Andersen explains why it’s important to be prepared when confronted with unhealthy food choices. Food cravings impact a majority of humans and can potentially result in making unhealthy choices off of an impulse. 

These uncomfortable feelings can often leave us turning to food as a quick fix. However, it does not have to be like this. We may not be able to control when these impulses come, but we can control how we handle them.

Check out these tips on how to deal with addictive food:

• Pause. Before reaching into the cabinet and making an unhealthy choice, take a moment to pause and ask yourself why. Are you eating because you are hungry? If so, reach for a healthier option. Are you eating because you are bored? Remind yourself that eating will only temporarily occupy you, and opt for a different activity that will be more fulfilling. It is also the perfect time to implement Stop. Challenge. Choose! Addictive foods can seem like the best solution to many situations on first thought, so taking a moment to pause, and practice Stop. Challenge. Choose, is beneficial to stopping impulse eating.
• Wait it out. Cravings for addictive foods may feel intense in the moment, but are typically brief. Rather than immediately acting on your craving for an unhealthy choice, give it a moment to pass. During this moment, remember your personal health goals and remind yourself that unhealthy choices are obstacles in between you and achieving these goals.
• Remove the temptations. The simplest yet most challenging solution to giving up addictive foods, is to remove them. When the impulse to make an unhealthy decision comes, you will not be able to act on it. Rather than having a cabinet full of unhealthy options, fill your cabinet with Fuelings so that healthier choices will be available. Although it can be difficult not to pick up your favorite unhealthy snack at the store, remember that they are an obstacle between you and your personal health goals.
• Use your support system. In a moment of weakness, a quick text or phone call to a family member or a member of the OPTAVIA Community could serve as a distraction while the moment passes as well as remind you of your personal health goals.

Practice makes perfect. The more conscious you are about what you put into your body, the easier it will be to make healthy choices.

Connect with me, your independent OPTAVIA Coach, for more tips and suggestions on how to deal with addictive food.

Mindfulness is the energy that helps us recognize the conditions of happiness that are already present in our lives. It is a state when you are truly there, mind and body, together.

Incorporating practices of mindfulness into your daily routine will likely bring about improvement in your sense of well-being, relationships with family and friends, and your ability to focus. Exercising mindfulness has the ability to lessen stressors in your daily life so you can enjoy it more.

Follow these tips to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life:

• Practice deep breathing. It is not necessary to meditate for an hour. Instead, take five minutes each day to focus on your breathing. Concentrate on the flow of your breath and the rise and fall of your belly.
• Tune into your senses. Be present in what you are doing and tune into your feelings. For example, pay careful attention to what you are eating. Notice the color, texture, and taste of the food.
• Simply be. Leave some time in your daily routine to be aware of what you’re doing. Take a step back from hectic times and take time to simply be in the moment. When your mind wanders to thinking, bring it back to your breathing.
• Always forgive yourself. Be kind and forgiving to yourself when you build in a new practice like mindfulness. If you skip meditation for the day, don't beat yourself up. Instead, go easy on yourself as you gradually build this exercise into your daily routine.

Ask me, your independent OPTAVIA Coach, about other ways to practice mindfulness on your journey to Lifelong Transformation, One Healthy Habit at a Time^®.

Meant to be

Amber found OPTAVIA after trying many weight-loss methods and having no success. Important aspects of her life were less enjoyable due to her weight, and she found herself turning to food to help her cope.

“Before I said yes to my health over a year ago, I was at my wit's end. I had tried so many 'quick fix' diets, counted my calories, and worked out.”

While nothing seemed to work for Amber, she watched a friend, who later became her independent OPTAVIA Coach, transform physically and mentally through OPTAVIA, and knew that she had to give it a try.

“I watched my OPTAVIA Coach transform before my eyes. I had seen her struggle with her weight prior to starting program, and the person I was watching was someone completely new. She radiated confidence, and I could tell she just felt amazing. I had to get in on this."

Amber started on plan and began to notice a dramatic change in her physical health. She even made the decision to introduce others to OPTAVIA by becoming an independent OPTAVIA Coach herself!

"I was beginning to see how impactful this program was for me, and I wanted to give this gift to others."

Coaching allowed Amber to set goals for herself that exceeded just weight loss*. She wanted to gain positivity and cultivate a better relationship with food overall. Through OPTAVIA, she has been able to accomplish these goals and introduce others to the program that helped her discover who she is meant to be!

“I have a healthier relationship with food, I have energy and a desire to play with my kids, and I feel like I am finally able to discover who I was meant to be.”