5 Ways to Break-Up With Junk Food (And Start a Loving Relationship With Your Mirror)

My mother might as well have been a gourmet chef. She loved cooking delicious meals and then gathering around the table with family. Some of my best memories were meals spent laughing, sharing and watching generous portions of food spill from the ladle, onto my plate.

So growing up, I naturally learned to appreciate the tastes and smells of delicious foods. That appreciation has carried on into my early 30s. That is, until I discovered something I did not care for so much— my weight.

I began to long for the days when I could go shopping for clothes and buy something just because it looked good on me. But how could I let go of a relationship I had nurtured so long? It didn’t take me long to realize that I had to let go altogether. It was just time to step back and re-evaluate.

What I discovered were four simple ways to tell the junk food I loved, “I think we should just be friends.”

1. . Cheat With Another Love: Have an MP3 player with your favorite songs close to your pantry. When you get the urge to eat, listen to some music for a few minutes to get a similar euphoric feeling. Have a love for a certain magazine? Shopping for furniture on the internet? Playing with the dogs? Take a moment to enjoy these pleasures. Plus, you can feel guilt free for taking a few minutes to yourself as a healthy alternative to eating.

2. Buy A New Pantry: If the food isn’t there, you can’t eat it. Of course this takes some will-power when you are at the grocery store. But once you’ve made it through the check-out stand, you’re on your way to a breezy break-up.

You don’t need to replace all your food at once. Just make simple changes one at a time. When you run out of white flour, replace it with wheat. Out of mayonnaise? Try the low-fat alternative. Instead of buying cake mix, get some seasonal fruit and whipped cream (eating fruit after a meal also helps in digestion).

3. Try a Hypnotic Approach: It might sound strange, but hypnosis can be an effective and relaxing way to release attachments to food. Purchase some audio recordings and listen as you enjoy a hot bubble-bath and sip sparkling water.

4. Pondering is a Virtue: Remember that night you spent tossing and turning because of overeating? Before you dig in to your favorite snack, think about how you will feel a couple hours later. Whether it’s discomfort, sluggishness or guilt, you may find that thinking ahead is plenty motivation to put that junk food down.

Keeping a journal of what you eat and how it makes you feel is also a great way to keep yourself on the right track. Place it close to the refrigerator so you can refer to it every time you get a sudden craving.

After making these simple changes to my daily routine, I began to feel younger and healthier almost immediately. They aren’t difficult changes, but they can have a dramatic effect on your ability to lose weight.

So go ahead and have the easiest break-up of your life and enjoy many years with the reflection of your dreams.