Excerpt from 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food

Count on Your Senses 5-4-3-2-1

When you have trouble clearing your mind of thoughts of food, try focusing on your senses.

1. State one scent you can smell.
2. Name two sounds you can hear.
3. Describe three sensations your body is feeling, such as temperature, the texture of your sweater, your feet against the ground.
4. Identify four colors that you see.
5. To yourself, begin by naming five things you see in front of you.
   

When you finish doing this, it's likely that you will be thinking about nothing, not even food—unless there's food directly in front of you. If you are still thinking about food, repeat each step until you notice that your thoughts are less clouded by food cravings.