Do you find yourself struggling to stay on track with your eating and weight loss goals? Give these 10 simple strategies a try:

1. Forgive Yourself

Get off the “I already blew it so I might as well eat everything in the kitchen” mentality. Let go of judgment. Regardless of how much you ate, eating more is not the solution. Put down the food. Walk away, take a deep breath. Tell yourself, “I always do the best I can. I forgive myself and let go.”

2. Eat small meals every 3-5 hours

Eating regularly helps prevent low blood sugar or severe drops in your energy level. It also decreases temptation to choose quick, “pick me up” foods and keeps your metabolism revved up.

3. Drink Something or Chew Gum First

Sometimes habitual eaters mistake feelings of hunger for the need to drink something or chew something. If you take a pause to drink or chew gum, it could help save you from unnecessary eating and the resulting fat storage.

4. No More Fad Diets or Starvation!

Fad diets and starvation lead to the Deprivation Response which means you want more and more of whatever if is you’re not supposed to have. Take all foods out of jail and allow yourself a wide variety. This will help insure long-term, stress-free success and a healthy, active metabolism.

5. Surrender to Your Cravings from Time to Time

No really, you can do it. It’s not reasonable to expect yourself to NEVER eat sweets or fats. Moderation is the key to long-term success. Occasionally check in with yourself and ask, “what do I REALLY want?” Fully enjoy your favorites. Eat slowly, chew throughly, savor the flavor and the freedom of allowing yourself to eat a variety of foods.

6. Focus on Quality, Not Quantity

Settle for nothing less than the best when possible. A high-quality, fresh, homemade meal is satisfying on more levels than a frozen meal you heat in the microwave. The increased satisfaction you experience will help curb your tendency to want more, more, more.

7. Slow Down …Come Up for Air

Chew slowly, put your utensil down between bites. Swallow completely before taking your next bite. Have a slow contest. . Count to 10. Read something or say the following affirmation between bites: “I love to linger over every bite. I savor the flavor.”

8. Don’t Forget the Rest of Your Physical Needs

Some of us use food as a all-in-one cure for exhaustion, sadness, anger, thirst, boredom and more. Your body needs more than food. It also needs sleep (at least 6-8 hours a day) and exercise. Don’t forget to indulge your other senses besides taste such as sight, sound, smell and touch. Look at art or nature, listen to music, light a scented candle or get a massage. Your craving to eat when you’re not hungry may be related to deprivation in other areas of your life.

9. Reclaim Your “Me” Time

Is there a hobby you left in the garage? Dust off your tools and dig in the dirt. A little time alone or engaged in your favorite pastime can be so fulfilling that you actually forget about food. It’s almost impossible to engage in hobbies like gardening, crocheting, graphic design, sewing or writing and eat at the same time because your hands are too busy and you wouldn’t want to get dirt on your food or put your greasy fingers all over your project…would you?

10. Stay Away From the Scale

The metal monster called the scale has incited many a food frenzy. Be it the celebratory “I lost weight, I’m going to treat myself” or the perfectionistic punishment of “I didn’t lose (or I gained) so what’s the point?” Most of us can rarely remain neutral or objective when it comes to those numbers on the scale. Take your power away from the scale. Throw it out the window or sell it at a garage sale. It’s not your friend!