Over the past few months I’ve found myself intermittently relying on a highly effective means of ensuring I don’t succumb to temptation when eyeing a particularly appetising snack.
It’s not a strategy I’ve deliberately employed, but it has been no less effective for that fact. Perhaps it can be effective for you too.
All you’ll need is a willing helper (such as a partner, friend, or relative). Then, if you find yourself craving a particular item of food that you know you don’t really need (say a chocolate bar), simply instruct your helper to tell you that it’s theirs, and that you can’t have it. In my case, I literally say to my girlfriend, “Tell me that it’s yours, and that I can’t have it.”
It may sound absurd in its simplicity, but this has stopped me from devouring a sinful snack on more than one occasion.
My guess is that if you’re openminded enough, your brain will allow itself to be fooled into thinking that your willing helper does in fact have ownership of the food item in question, at which point your sense of human decency should (hopefully!) prevent you from succumbing to temptation and nicking off with it.
The most effective part of this process (and thus the step that must not be skipped) is to actually hear your helper utter the words: “You can’t have that, it’s mine.”
For this strategy to work, you’re likely to need to take your helper seriously enough to the point that you won’t actually be happy to steal ‘their’ food regardless. You’ll also need to ensure that your helper isn’t the kind of person to cave in and allow you to snaffle the snack in question.
This is just another weapon for your armoury. Give it a go when you (a) next feel tempted by something you know you shouldn’t eat, and (b) have someone who can act as a willing helper, and see if it works for you!