Avoiding temptation - 4 handy tips

1 Out of sight, out of mind

We have all been there – the biscuit jar is staring at you from the work top! Every time you walk past, it's tempting to break off a bit of biscuit, after all half biscuits don't count do they!? Instead of storing your treats in a clear container on the work surface, give yourself a fighting chance by investing in an opaque container or tin and popping them in the cupboard. Out of sight really is out of mind.

2 Always portion out

It's important to remember that no food is banned with Nutracheck. However it can be difficult to stop once you've opened the 'sharing size' bag of crisps. It's all too easy to underestimate how many you've eaten... until you realise you've hit the bottom of the bag! Portion control is damage limitation. Weigh a 40g serving of crisps into a bowl, this way you can still have your treat but also keep track of your calorie target. Better still, buy treats in multipacks. If you're wondering how that can possibly help, you will find that the packs are generally smaller than standard ones and having the food already portion controlled makes you much more aware of how much you are eating.

3 Avoid the supermarket sweep

Don't shop hungry! If you want to avoid a food shopping trip that feels more like a game of supermarket sweep – as you grab just about every tempting treat available on the end of aisle displays and come out with nothing you went in for! Try an online shop instead. Make your list before you log on and stick to it. Shopping online also helps you from being drawn in by impulse buys and offers.

4 Use the avoidance technique

It's so easy to slip into a routine without even realising... for example popping into the newsagents for a bar of chocolate on your way home from work. So change your route to break the habit and avoid temptation.

In pre-covid times, meeting up with a friend for coffee may have meant a calorie blow out. Too many tempting cakes, plus the old line 'Go on, I'll have one if you're having one'. (For coffee shop tips, have a look at this article in our Resources section).

Future tip – skip the cake, order a take out drink and go for a walk together instead. Talking and walking uses calories! Check out how many calories you can burn walking in the app, or link your motion sensor to Nutracheck to track your steps automatically (tap 'More' in the bottom menu bar > iPhone/Andorid Fitness Tracking). Better still, ditch the coffee shop visit completely and sign up for a new exercise class together. You'll still have time to catch up but will be burning calories instead of consuming them!