Nutritionist shares 5 tools to curb cravings: Food is not the enemy, but we need to be behind the wheel

Casey Weiss believes it is best not to forcibly subdue cravings, but rather to deflect our mind toward something else.

The Yuletide is here, and so are the feasts. While it is the perfect time to give in to our cravings, in some cases, the intensity of the craving might feel overwhelming.

For fitness enthusiasts and those who are counting their calories, this is what throws them off their daily goals. However, Casey Weiss, nutritionist and health mindset coach, has a solution.

Taking to Instagram on 20 December, Casey shared five tools that would help us get back in charge of our cravings.

“You have full permission to eat whatever you want. Food isn’t the enemy,” she wrote in the caption. “But when food feels magnetic… that’s not your appetite. That’s your nervous system, your reward pathways, and your blood sugar pulling the steering wheel.”

And there are ways in which we can get back behind the wheel, she shared.

1. The Finger Tapping Pattern

• Tap fingers 1–2–3–4 on the thigh, then reverse 4–3–2–1.
• This bilateral stimulation calms the urge loop fast.

2. The Scent Swap

• Smell essential oil, lotion, a candle, or even your shirt.
• Scent interrupts the reward pathway and instantly weakens cravings.

3. Name 5 Things You See

• Look around and name five things out loud.
• Helps exit “urge tunnel vision” and re-enter the thinking brain.

4, The Body Shift Moment

• Unclench your jaw, drop your shoulders, and lengthen your exhale.
• Cravings often fade when the body exits bracing mode.

5. The ‘Thank You, Brain’ Acknowledgement

• Say: “Thanks, brain, I know you’re trying to help.”
• Gratitude shuts down the internal fight, which makes the craving lose power.

According to Casey, it is difficult to beat cravings with force. The right way forward is “by changing the conditions that created them.”

These include dips in blood sugar levels, overstimulation, nervous system loops, and old dieting patterns that have taught the brain to panic. Changing these conditions stops cravings from feeling like emergencies.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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