I'm a nutrition expert, these are my three clever psychological tricks to help you stop your cravings for ultra-processed foods in just 30 days: Part three of NICHOLA LUDLAM-RAINE's must-read guide

Ultra-processed nutrient tin beryllium difficult to resist. Not only is it designed to beryllium speedy and convenient to eat, investigation shows that definite additives and flavour combinations tin lead to addictive eating behaviours.

Today, successful nan last portion of my bid to wean you disconnected UPFs successful conscionable 30 days, we will look astatine — and tackle — nan psychology down these cravings.

Humans are analyzable creatures and we eat for galore reasons, not conscionable for energy.

So knowing why we are eating UPFs, moreover though we cognize they are bad for us, is conscionable arsenic important arsenic knowing what we are eating.

In my clinic, I usually disagreement nan reasons we eat into 3 different types of hunger: head, bosom and tummy hunger.

Head hunger: Those random nutrient cravings

Food trading is clever, and our 'food environment' tin propulsion america into reasoning astir and wanting peculiar foods. What I described arsenic 'head' hunger is nan random nutrient cravings you whitethorn get that are often triggered by ocular cues — for illustration erstwhile you spot cakes being iced connected nan confectionary antagonistic aliases erstwhile you spot enticing pictures of nutrient while scrolling societal media.

Head hunger tin besides beryllium triggered by proceeding foods being opened, for illustration erstwhile a friend opens up a crisp packet and dives successful for that first crunchy bite, aliases by smelling foods (this is why immoderate supermarkets person been known to pump bakery smells into nan aerial towards unsuspecting shoppers).

This type of hunger tends to originate abruptly and demands to beryllium satisfied almost instantly, making it tempting to drawback an ultra-processed snack. But you are improbable to consciousness wholly satiated afterwards. Many of our favourite treats, from sweets and cocoa bars to crisps and pastries, deficiency basal nutrients arsenic good arsenic macromolecule and fibre.

This intends that though they whitethorn sensation good, they don't do overmuch for our wellness and eating them tin lead to further nutrient cravings conscionable a short clip aft because they don't proviso nan nutrients that our bodies really need.

Identify triggers successful your environment

One of nan keys to managing cravings for little nutritious UPFs is to modify your environment.

Start by unfollowing societal media pages that tin spark caput hunger and rethink different day-to-day triggers — do you request to locomotion a different measurement location from work, for example, to debar nan smell of sausage rolls from nan section bakery, aliases should you possibly do nan play shop online aliases spell equipped pinch a shopping database to defy temptingly packaged UPFs?

Encourage healthier cravings by placing much consequence and vegetables successful your eyeline — nan purpose present is to make patient nan easy choice.

It whitethorn beryllium adjuvant to break down your caput hunger and cravings for UPFs into a five-step process.

Recognise your triggers for UPFs: is it being successful a peculiar environment? Is it astatine a circumstantial time, for illustration astatine nan commencement of your favourite TV show? Make a statement of erstwhile and wherever your cravings for UPFs look to occur.

Make a plan: erstwhile you've identified your triggers, make an replacement scheme to break nan wont pinch a affirmative (not negative!) intention.

For example, 'At 3pm I will person a balanced snack' (such arsenic a plain yoghurt pinch fruit, nuts and a small honey) alternatively of reasoning 'I'm not going to person biscuits this afternoon' and past caving successful erstwhile caput hunger strikes.

Distraction will help: changing your scenery and situation tin thief to squash unhelpful nutrient cravings. Whether it's going for a walk, having a bubble bath aliases doing crafts — focusing your mind elsewhere tin beryllium a useful distraction.

Remove ocular triggers: effort placing little nutritious UPFs retired of show — for example, successful opaque containers towards nan backmost of cupboards/fridges, aliases moving nan biscuit tin truthful it is not adjacent to nan kettle.

Place foods that you would for illustration to beryllium eating astatine nan beforehand of your cupboards/fridge and make them easy accessible astir your kitchen.

Savour your food: When we savour nutrient that we see to beryllium a treat, we create long-lasting pleasurable experiences.

By eating meals, arsenic good arsenic snacks and 'treats', mindfully, you will summation nan pleasurable acquisition for each foods and not conscionable UPFs that are higher successful sweetener and fat.

Heart hunger: Emotional eating

Heart hunger is triggered aliases caused by emotions (both antagonistic and positive). You mightiness beryllium eating for ceremony aliases commiseration. But either way, affectional eating tin distract america temporarily from uncomfortable feelings, and supply an instant emotion of comfort.

Although utilizing nutrient arsenic a reward aliases pick-me-up from clip to clip isn't needfully a bad thing, it tin beryllium if it becomes nan only aliases superior coping mechanism. We are besides much apt to beryllium drawn to sweet, high-fat, highly processed foods aliases salty snacks astatine moments for illustration this because they correspond a 'reward' aliases a 'treat' and often person connotations from childhood.

If affectional eating happens connected a regular basis, it tin beryllium easy to autumn into an unhealthy rhythm wherever nan existent feelings aliases issues are not being addressed.

Emotional eating tin besides lead to further emotions, for illustration if a packet of biscuits is eaten retired of boredom, anger aliases upset, it could lead to feelings of vexation aliases moreover guilt afterwards.*

If you are experiencing difficulties pinch cycles of affectional eating, please speak to your GP arsenic good arsenic nan eating upset kindness BEAT.

Tune into feelings pinch mindfulness

Mindfulness tin beryllium truthful adjuvant erstwhile it comes to tackling bosom hunger. It makes you much alert of your emotions and nan effect they are having connected your appetite.

When you acquisition nan beardown feelings that tin substance affectional eating, mobility what you really request successful that infinitesimal by brainstorming 'if… then' strategies. This intends sitting down pinch a pen and insubstantial and penning down imaginable emotions on pinch imaginable coping strategies different than food.

For example, 'If I americium emotion lonely, past I will telephone a friend for a chat'; or, 'If I americium emotion angry, past I will return myself extracurricular for a walk'.

If you still consciousness hungry, return clip to respire earlier making decisions astir what to eat. Shorter inhales and longer exhales tin stimulate nan parasympathetic tense system, helping america to consciousness calmer.

You whitethorn find that your caput hunger and bosom hunger slice distant aft astir 15 to 20 minutes, whereas tummy hunger would only build successful strength during this time.

If you do eat something, return time, earlier and during eating, to admit nan sensation and texture of nan nutrient – and this applies to each foods, whether they are ultra-processed aliases not.

Try to eat without distractions specified arsenic nan tv aliases your phone, and slow down your eating, keeping a cheque of your emotions arsenic good arsenic your hunger and fullness levels.

If you eat quickly, you are apt to eat more.

Stomach hunger: Eat astatine nan correct time

Stomach hunger is erstwhile we whitethorn acquisition nan much beingness feelings of hunger that travel from nan body, which tin see a rumbling tummy, a emotion of being 'hangry', impatient aliases moreover fatigued aliases light-headed.

In comparison to caput hunger, tummy hunger comes connected gradually and builds until we eat again and, successful comparison to bosom hunger, eating to fulfill tummy hunger is not a measurement of seeking affectional solace.

We request nutrient for some power and nutrients, truthful it's important to fulfill this hunger by eating nan correct kinds of foods and not to put it disconnected until it's 'too late'.

If we're ravenous, it tin beryllium easy to eat excessively quickly aliases beryllium drawn to precocious fat, precocious sweetener foods which connection a speedy deed but won't time off you emotion afloat for long. Eating erstwhile we are very quiet tin besides perchance lead america to overeat until we're astatine nan different extremity of nan hunger scale, emotion uncomfortably aliases painfully full.

Structure and regular meals 

Our bodies for illustration regular and regularity, truthful effort to instrumentality to an eating authorities that useful for you.

For immoderate that's 3 meals a day. Others require snacks successful betwixt and that's good if you make patient choices.

Whatever your approach, instrumentality to your shape and effort not to miss meals arsenic this tin lead to excessive tummy hunger, which tin thrust unplanned UPF consumption. Balanced meals containing wholegrains, macromolecule and vegetables will support you satiated and full, and staying adequately hydrated passim nan time will besides help.

We should beryllium aiming for six to 8 glasses aliases cups of fluid a day, astatine least.

Snacks should beryllium based astir consequence aliases vegetables mixed pinch a root of satiating macromolecule (so possibly an pome pinch a portion of food aliases crudites pinch hummus).

A nutritious luncheon is peculiarly important to forestall your power dipping successful nan afternoon. A midday repast precocious successful UPFs, peculiarly nan less-nutritious kind, tin lead to an power rollercoaster, and make food-seeking behaviours overmuch much apt successful nan afternoon. Say you eat a highly processed ham sandwich connected achromatic breadstuff pinch a packet of crisps and a cola for lunch.

This will not supply you pinch sustained energy, frankincense leaving you susceptible to 'head hunger' successful nan afternoon, resulting successful you picking disconnected 1 of those agency buns you resisted successful nan morning.

A packed luncheon based astir wholegrains, thin proteins, patient fats and plentifulness of consequence and vegetables will supply a dependable root of energy, keeping humor sweetener levels unchangeable and those cravings astatine bay.

Adapted by Libby Galvin from How Not To Eat Ultra-Processed by Nichola Ludlam-Raine (Ebury, £16.99). © Nichola Ludlam-Raine 2024. To bid a transcript for £15.29 (offer valid to 04/08/24; UK P&P free connected orders complete £25), spell to mailshop.co.uk/books aliases telephone 020 3176 2937.

Tidy kitchen, tidy mind: benignant your abstraction for success

Properly organising nan abstraction successful which you eat is simply a cardinal measurement successful 'nudging' you on nan correct dietary path.

Make nan healthier prime nan easier choice: 

It's easy to drawback a portion of consequence if it's already washed and successful a consequence vessel connected nan counter. You're much apt to eat carrots and hummus if nan carrots person been pre-chopped and are placed adjacent to nan hummus successful nan fridge.

Create 'pause points': 

These are moments that let you to bespeak connected your nutrient decisions to trim nan times you mindlessly scope for ultra-processed food. Creating a region constituent is arsenic elemental arsenic moving nan biscuit tin to a support that's conscionable retired of easy reach.

Organise your fridge:

The cardinal is nan eyeline. You want immoderate less-nutritious UPF foods beneath nan oculus line, and much nutritious nutrient astatine eyeline level.

Rearrange your cupboards: 

Move your meal cereals truthful that healthier options for illustration oats and wheat biscuits are beforehand and centre. Make judge immoderate less-nutritious UPF snacks, specified arsenic sweets and crisps, are successful a much inconvenient to entree drawer aliases cupboard.

Switch up your activity surface: 

Like nan eyeline extremity for your fridge, put a consequence vessel retired connected nan side, together pinch a blender for smoothies. Make judge each different foods are retired of show successful a cupboard aliases drawer.