Top 11 'Cravings-Crushing' Wellness Routines to try for Winning the Mental Game of Weight Loss This Year - Goh Ling Yong
Let’s be honest. You’ve been there. You started the week with incredible motivation. You prepped your meals, hit the gym, and felt like you were finally on track. Then, Wednesday afternoon rolls around. A stressful meeting, a flicker of boredom, or just that familiar 3 PM slump hits, and suddenly, a siren song for chocolate, chips, or a sugary latte starts playing in your head. Before you know it, you’re derailing your progress, feeling guilty, and wondering why willpower alone is never enough.
Here’s a secret the diet industry doesn't often talk about: successful, sustainable weight loss is rarely about having superhuman willpower. It’s not a battle of brute force against your own biology. It’s a mental game, a game of strategy. Winning this game means understanding your mind, your triggers, and your body’s signals. It's about building a toolkit of simple, effective routines that address the why behind your cravings, not just the what.
This year, let's shift the focus from restriction to empowerment. Instead of fighting a constant war against cravings, what if you could learn to understand, manage, and even dissolve them before they take hold? We’re going to explore 11 powerful wellness routines designed to do just that. These aren't quick fixes; they are foundational habits for building a healthier relationship with food and, more importantly, with yourself.
1. Master the Art of Mindful Eating
We live in a world of distraction. We eat while scrolling through our phones, answering emails, or watching TV. This mindless consumption disconnects us from our body's natural hunger and satiety cues, making it incredibly easy to overeat and leaving us feeling unsatisfied.
Mindful eating brings your full attention to the experience of eating. It’s about savoring each bite, noticing the textures, smells, and flavors. This simple shift can be revolutionary. When you eat mindfully, you’re more likely to recognize when you’re truly full, and you derive more pleasure from smaller amounts of food, which can significantly reduce the urge to seek out more "exciting" junk food later.
Try This: Start with one meal a day. Put your phone away and turn off the TV. Before you take your first bite, take a deep breath and notice the colors and smells of your food. Chew slowly. Try putting your fork down between each bite. You’ll be amazed at what you notice and how much more satisfied you feel.
2. The Pre-emptive Hydration Habit
Did you know that the signals for thirst and hunger are sent from the same part of your brain? This means it’s incredibly common to mistake mild dehydration for a food craving. Before you reach for a snack, your first line of defense should always be a tall glass of water.
Making hydration a non-negotiable routine is a simple but profound way to manage phantom cravings. It keeps your body running optimally, aids digestion, and helps you feel fuller throughout the day. Instead of waiting until you’re parched, aim for consistent hydration from morning to night.
Try This: Start your day with a large glass of water before your coffee or tea. Keep a reusable water bottle on your desk or with you at all times. If plain water feels boring, infuse it with lemon, cucumber, mint, or berries. Set a reminder on your phone to drink a glass of water 20 minutes before each meal.
3. "Surf the Urge" Like a Pro
Cravings can feel like an overwhelming tidal wave, demanding immediate action. The "Surf the Urge" technique, rooted in mindfulness, teaches you to ride that wave instead of being swept away by it. The core idea is that cravings, like emotions, are temporary. They rise, peak, and, if you don't feed them, they will eventually fall.
When a craving hits, don’t try to fight it or ignore it. Instead, acknowledge it without judgment. Say to yourself, "I am noticing a strong urge to eat cookies." Then, get curious about the physical sensations. Where do you feel it in your body? Is your stomach rumbling, or is it a feeling in your mouth or chest? By observing it, you create a space between the feeling and your reaction.
Try This: The next time a non-hunger-based craving strikes, set a timer for 15 minutes. Tell yourself you can have the food after the timer goes off if you still want it. During those 15 minutes, do something to engage your mind or hands—make a cup of tea, stretch, reply to an email, or call a friend. More often than not, you’ll find the intensity of the craving has passed by the time the alarm rings.
4. Strategize with Protein Pacing
Unstable blood sugar is one of the biggest physical drivers of intense cravings, especially for sugar and refined carbs. When your blood sugar crashes, your brain sends out an emergency signal for quick energy, and that donut in the breakroom suddenly looks irresistible. The best way to prevent these crashes is with protein.
Protein digests slowly, providing a steady release of energy and promoting a powerful sense of satiety. "Protein pacing" involves strategically distributing your protein intake throughout the day, starting with breakfast. A protein-rich breakfast sets the tone for the entire day, stabilizing blood sugar and keeping you full and focused for hours.
Try This: Ditch the sugary cereal or plain toast. Start your day with eggs, Greek yogurt, a tofu scramble, or a quality protein smoothie. Aim to include a source of lean protein (like chicken, fish, beans, or lentils) with every meal and snack to keep your energy levels stable and cravings at bay.
5. Prioritize Sleep to Regulate Hunger Hormones
You can have the perfect diet and exercise plan, but if you’re not getting enough quality sleep, you’re fighting an uphill battle. Sleep deprivation does a number on your hunger hormones. It causes levels of ghrelin (the "I'm hungry" hormone) to skyrocket while suppressing leptin (the "I'm full" hormone).
This hormonal cocktail creates a perfect storm for intense cravings, particularly for high-calorie, high-sugar foods. Your sleep-deprived brain is also less equipped to make rational decisions, making it even harder to resist temptation. Making sleep a top priority is not a luxury; it's a foundational pillar of weight management.
Try This: Create a relaxing "wind-down" routine. For an hour before bed, turn off screens (the blue light disrupts melatonin production). Read a book, take a warm bath, listen to calming music, or do some gentle stretching. Aim for a consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends, to regulate your body's internal clock.
6. Use Movement as a Stress-Buster
For many of us, stress is the number one trigger for emotional eating. When we're stressed, our bodies release cortisol, a hormone that can increase appetite and drive cravings for "comfort" foods. We often think of exercise as a tool for burning calories, but its most powerful benefit might be its ability to manage stress.
Reframe your relationship with movement. Instead of seeing it as a punishment for what you ate, view it as a gift to your mental state. A short burst of activity can release endorphins, lower cortisol levels, and interrupt the stress-craving cycle in its tracks.
Try This: You don't need a grueling hour-long workout. When you feel stress levels rising, take a brisk 10-minute walk outside. Put on your favorite song and have a 3-minute dance party in your living room. Try a 15-minute gentle yoga flow on YouTube. Find forms of movement you genuinely enjoy, and sprinkle them throughout your day as mental resets.
7. Engineer Your Environment for Success
Willpower is a finite resource. If you rely on it to make dozens of healthy choices every single day, you’re bound to run out. A far more effective strategy is to create an environment where the healthy choice is the easy choice. This means removing temptation and making nutritious options highly visible and accessible.
This concept, which my mentor Goh Ling Yong often emphasizes, is about being the architect of your own surroundings. If your pantry is stocked with chips, cookies, and candy, you will eventually eat them during a moment of weakness. If it’s stocked with fruit, nuts, and healthy snacks, you’ll reach for those instead. It’s that simple.
Try This: Do a "pantry purge." Get rid of (or at least hide) the trigger foods that you know you can't resist. Then, restock with better options. Keep a beautiful bowl of fresh fruit on your counter. Pre-chop veggies like carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers and keep them in a clear container at eye-level in your fridge.
8. The 5-Minute Emotional Check-In Journal
Emotional eating happens when we use food to soothe, numb, or distract ourselves from uncomfortable feelings like stress, boredom, loneliness, or anxiety. The first step to breaking this pattern is building awareness. A quick journaling practice can help you connect the dots between your feelings and your food choices.
You don't need to write pages and pages. A simple, structured 5-minute check-in can provide powerful insights over time. By noticing your patterns, you can begin to find healthier, non-food-related ways to cope with those emotions.
Try This: Keep a small notebook or a note on your phone. Each evening, take five minutes to answer these prompts: 1) "When did I feel a strong food craving today?" 2) "What was I doing or thinking right before it started?" 3) "What was I feeling (bored, stressed, happy, tired)?" Over time, you'll see your primary emotional triggers emerge.
9. Build Your "Healthy Indulgence" Menu
One of the biggest mistakes people make is adopting an all-or-nothing mindset. They declare certain foods "off-limits" forever. This deprivation inevitably leads to feelings of resentment and, eventually, a massive binge that undoes their progress. A sustainable approach includes planned, healthy, and genuinely satisfying treats.
The key is to have an arsenal of go-to indulgences that you truly enjoy and that don't completely derail your goals. This isn't about eating a sad-looking rice cake when you want a brownie. It's about finding high-quality, delicious alternatives that scratch the itch without the subsequent guilt and sugar crash.
Try This: Create a list of your go-to "healthy indulgences." This could be a few squares of high-quality dark chocolate (70% cacao or more), a bowl of frozen berries with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a decadent-tasting herbal tea like chai or peppermint-chocolate, or a homemade "nice cream" made by blending frozen bananas.
10. The "Pause and Breathe" Pocket Practice
When a craving hits hard, it often comes with a sense of urgency and panic. This is your sympathetic nervous system (your "fight-or-flight" response) kicking in. One of the fastest ways to calm this response is through conscious breathing. Deep, slow breathing activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which promotes a state of rest and calm.
This is a tool you can use anywhere, anytime, without anyone even knowing you’re doing it. It’s a powerful pattern interrupt that gives you a moment of clarity and control before you act on impulse.
Try This: Learn "box breathing." Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four. Gently hold your breath for a count of four. Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of four. Pause for a count of four. Repeat this cycle 4-5 times. Use it when you're stuck in traffic, before a stressful meeting, or the moment you feel a craving taking hold.
11. Reconnect with Your Deeper "Why"
On the toughest days, a desire to "lose 10 pounds" won't be enough to keep you going. You need a more powerful, emotionally resonant reason. Your "why" is the deep, intrinsic motivation that fuels your journey. Is it to have more energy to play with your kids? Is it to feel more confident and vibrant in your own skin? Is it to manage a health condition and be around for your loved ones for years to come?
When a craving feels all-consuming, reconnecting with your "why" can provide the perspective you need. It reminds you that choosing not to eat the cookie isn't about deprivation; it's an act of self-care and a vote for the future you want to create.
Try This: Take some time to write down your "why." Be specific and emotional. Don't just write "to be healthier." Write "to be able to hike my favorite trail without getting winded" or "to feel energetic and present for my family every day." Keep this "why" somewhere you'll see it often—on a sticky note on your mirror, as the wallpaper on your phone, or on the first page of your journal. Read it every single morning.
Your Mind is Your Greatest Ally
Winning the mental game of weight loss isn't about being perfect; it's about being prepared. It's about trading a reliance on willpower for a toolkit of intentional wellness routines. Each of these 11 strategies is a tool you can use to build resilience, understand your body, and finally break free from the craving-guilt cycle.
Don't try to implement all of them at once. That's a recipe for overwhelm. Instead, pick just one or two that resonate with you the most and commit to practicing them this week. Maybe it's starting your day with a glass of water or trying the "Surf the Urge" technique the next time a craving hits.
Small, consistent actions are what build lasting change. You have the power to transform your relationship with food and achieve your goals in a way that feels empowering, not punishing.
What's your biggest craving-crushing challenge? Share in the comments below! And for more insights and strategies from Goh Ling Yong on building a healthy mind and body, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter.
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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