The easiest way to get your mind off that hot fudge sundae is to picture this instead: a white sandy beach in Tahiti.

Or a scene from your favorite movie. Or a slow dance with your honey under a starry sky. Just picture something — anything — delightfully pleasant that isn't food related. Research suggests that doing so can help stop a craving, fast.

Just Imagine . . .

In a recent study, college students were asked to vividly picture themselves engaged in a well-loved activity every time a food craving came up and to maintain the alternate image until the craving faded.  And compared with control groups using other craving-quelling techniques like distraction or mentally challenging tasks, the daydreamers experienced a much more dramatic nosedive in both the strength and vividness of their food cravings.

Researchers suspect that because the students employed their senses — like sight, sound, and smell — when imaging the enjoyable activity, it took the edge off their food urges and made the craved item seem less real. 

Give It Time

Interestingly, despite a weakening of their cravings, the college kids practicing the visualization technique didn't eat less of their yearned-for foods during the short 4-day study.  But the study authors suspect that would be the next logical result or step in a longer study if the students practiced the visualization habit for a longer period of time.  And even if daydreaming only diminishes the intensity of food cravings, that's a great start to getting a handle on them.