How To Stop Thinking About Food

So, when you are dieting, or even in general how do you stop thinking about food?

That’s what I am here to answer!

My Journey

I am not just here telling you about fasting or dieting and how challenging it can be, I have lived this experience myself, so I can give you a first-hand account on what it is like.

My 2-Day Fasting Experience

When I told people I tried a two-day fasting experience, they thought I was nuts, and frankly, this is not an uncommon reaction.

But it can be a lot less challenging than you think.

After all the necessary research, I decided to fast for 40 hours. This was not a number that was pulled out of thin air, but instead picked very deliberately.

Why? Because I thought I would try 48 hours but the logistics of my life made me realize that 40 would be more doable.

Now, even though I said this was less challenging than I thought it would be, that doesn’t mean it was without challenges.

I am no stranger to fasting, but after about 20 hours, I was starting to get hunger pains and the thought of just eating anything began to look more attractive.

But thankfully, by employing the tricks outlined in this article, I was able to stop thinking about food, and actually finish the full 40 hours I set out to.

My 1400 Calories per Day Diet

Not only have I tried 2-Day Fasting, but I have also been on a 1400-calorie-per-day diet.

Because that is lower than my usual intake, it was quite challenging, and again I found myself thinking about food.

This diet can be even more frustrating than fasting because there is much more to keep track of.

Not only is calorie restriction stressful, but there are so many ways it can go wrong, which can make it even more upsetting and causes a lot of people to want to give up.

Again, I had to employ the listed tricks to get food off the brain while limiting myself to only a certain amount of food per day.

8 Tips to Stop Thinking About Food

Now that we have talked about my past experiences, we can get to the good stuff.

The tips that will help you succeed!

Here are the top eight tips to stop thinking about food that has worked for me:

1. Water

I am sure this is not news to you, but drinking water is a great way to curb hunger.

While it might not be the most flavorful, water can fill you up and help you not crave food like you were before.

Plus, you can always add lemon juice for a little flavor.

2. Eat Mindfully

One mistake people make while eating is eating while they do other things, such as watching television or multitasking.

This can take your focus away from your eating, and you might not recognize that you are not hungry anymore.

So next time you eat, try to make a meal out of it (pun intended), and don’t do anything else but focus on your food and your hunger level.

3. Healthy Snacking

Another reason some people think about food as often as they do is that they don’t snack between meals, and if they do snack, it is not healthy.

Unhealthy snacks are not often as filling as their healthy alternatives and can leave you hungry much faster than if you were to eat a healthy snack.

4. Don’t Exclude Foods

When you exclude certain foods and label them as “bad,” those are the foods you will likely obsess over.

Instead of falling into this pattern, look at those foods as being ok in moderation, instead of something to be avoided altogether.

Additionally, it has been shown repeatedly that if you cut certain things out while dieting, you are more likely to indulge and risk putting all the weight you lost back on.

5. Journal

It might sound cheesy, but a food journal can be a great help when it comes to fixing your food cravings.

If you write down how you feel before and after each type of food you eat, when you find yourself craving junk food or something unhealthy, you can look back at how that food made you feel the last time you ate it.

Most often, we find it was not worth it, and it made us feel worse about ourselves, and who better to tell you that than past you?

6. Find Distractions

Sometimes you just need to find a distraction when you can’t get food out of your head.

This can mean physically moving away from the tempting food, like those donuts in the breakroom or your snack cupboard in the kitchen.

Once you are clear of the food itself, starting a project or other task can take your mind right off of it, and you won’t be heading back in anytime soon.

7. Exercise

Exercise can also help curb hunger and reduce food cravings.

Working out takes a lot of mental concentration and will stop your brain from fixating on food.

Also, most people find they are less hungry after working out, and if they are hungry, they often are more likely to choose a healthier option.

8. Find The Root Of The Problem

Finally, looking for the root of the problem can be key.

Are you actually hungry or is something deeper happening?

A lot of feelings that humans have that they mistake for hunger can include:

• Boredom
• Stress
• Unhappiness
• Loneliness
• Etc.

By searching for the root cause of why you are thinking about food, tackling that issue will remove the hunger and can benefit you mentally in the long run.