Have you ever had a craving, an urge to eat a food, or to have a drink? I don’t think I know anyone who hasn’t. Its a common experience, especially in a world where we are surrounded by foods that are manufactured to make us crave them. There are food scientists whose job it is to make a food “hyper palatable” which is a fancy way to say “super tasty”.

Some influencers think that we should all be able to eat intuitively. I think that would be a lot easier of foods weren’t made in a lab to be more delicious than we are meant to be able to deal with. I’ve never seen a cheeto tree or pulled a cookie out of the ground. It is SO much work to make those things that you wouldn’t be willing to make them from scratch very often, but in today’s society its easier to grab a bag of chips than it is to make even something as simple as a fried egg.

So we need extra tools if we want to fight big food, lose weight, and maintain it. There are many, many tools that we can use, from focusing on eating more fruits and veggies and protein, joining a gym or group class like Orangetheory, to hiring a coach for accountability. But today, I'm going to go in a more psychology direction with a something called Urge Surfing

Urge surfing is a technique that can help you change impulsive behaviors. Rather than giving into an urge to eat the cookie, you will ride it out like a surfer riding a wave. After a short time, the urge will pass on its own.

We are going to focus on food and drink, but this can be applied to any impulsive reaction. When urges go unfed, future urges gradually become weaker. The first waves are some of the most difficult to ride. Often after a period away from our usual habits and routines (like when we go on vacation) the urge wave can rise higher than it did before. That’s ok, its normal, as long as we know to expect it and are prepared for it.

How to Practice Urge Surfing

1. Acknowledge you are having an urge.

2. Notice your thoughts and feelings without trying to change or suppress them. I like to visualize a wave in my head, and imagine where I am on it.

3. Repeat the following phrases, out loud if possible

“It is okay to have urges. They are natural reactions to habits and tempting foods.”

“Some discomfort is okay. I don’t have to change it.“

“This urge is a feeling, not a “must.” I can have this feeling and choose not to act.”

“This urge is temporary. Like any other feeling, it will pass on its own.”

Delay & Distract

Do something to take your mind off the urge. Every minute you delay is another minute riding out the wave.

Examples: go for a walk, listen to music, call a friend, read a book, play a video game

Managing Triggers

After the wave, see if you can identify what the trigger was. When you know your triggers ahead of time, you can have a plan for it.

Examples: deep breathing, leaving the room, snuggling a pet

Save this, and try it next time you face temptation or impulsive eating. Remember that you are in control of your eating and drinking. You control what you eat, and how much. It is within your power. There is immense strength in knowing that, but you need to practice and build up this skill.

And you also might like my thoughts on stress eating and “saying no” boundary setting