5 ways you can train your brain to hate junk food

Imagine looking at a huge pile of french fries, fresh out of the fryer and still glistening with oil and salt, and telling yourself, “Ick. I definitely don't want to eat that!”

While french fries might not be your thing, most of us do have a few key comfort foods that aren't very healthy for us but we crave anyway. If you're hoping to cut junk food out of your life, here are some easy ways you can make that happen.

Start with a plan

You have a better chance of following through with a new habit if you plan it out first. This is important not just to help you strategize, but to help your brain switch gears so it is more likely to follow these new habits. 

Your plan should include a complete meal list, including what you want to eat for lunch at work, snacks, desserts, and more. By having a healthy solution for everything, you won't be tempted to run out for ice cream because you told yourself a piece of fruit was fine for dessert.

Attack the root cause of cravings

When we tend to reach for that tub of ice cream, it isn't just because we really want a tasty treat. It's often because we are getting over a break up, we had a bad day at work, or we're stressing over finances. Sometimes, you just need comfort food, but why?

Typically it's because you are under a lot of stress, such as those life events we just mentioned. By finding other, healthier, ways to deal with stress, or avoiding these stressful situations in the first place, you may find you don't love junk quite as much.

Turn healthy food into a special treat 

Try experimenting with different foods to find something that you love just as much. You may discover that you like fruit dipped in dark chocolate more than you like a big slice of cake. By finding healthier options that you love just as much, you can often replace junk much easier than expected.

It's easier to crowd out junk food with other favorites than it is to simply stop cold turkey. When you have a dozen amazing healthy choices vying for your attention, you might find yourself forgetting that you liked the target junk food to begin with.

Pay attention to how you feel after you eat

Maybe you had to stop at a fast food restaurant because it was the only food on your way somewhere else. Instead of paying attention to how you feel while you are eating it, try paying attention to how you feel after it is eaten.

Do you feel bloated and full? Does it make you feel heavy, tired, or slow? Often times these are the after effects of eating junk. 

It's also good to pay attention to how you feel after you have eaten healthy food. Do you feel energetic and good? Did it improve your body image because you feel better about what you ate? By paying sharp attention to how you feel during meals, you can certainly improve your junk habits.

It's okay to cheat

Dipping into restrictive dieting or extreme clean eating is also unhealthy. If you have to cheat, go ahead and do it, and don't feel guilty about it. Food should never make you feel like a criminal. It is what it is.