4 Ways to Avoid Temptation at the Grocery Store

Don't let your stomach dictate your shopping trip.
Don't let your stomach dictate your shopping trip.

You might have heard it before, but it is important advice: If you're trying to lose weight, never go to the supermarket on an empty stomach; no matter how focused you try to be, you'll feel like a kid in a toy store. There's no reason to make things so hard on yourself.

"I actually write out my grocery list in the order in which I encounter items in my supermarket," says Porscha Burke, a book editor who lost seven pounds on our 7 Years Younger Diet. "It helps me get in and out of the store quickly and avoid the cookie, candy, and cracker aisles."

Related: Why You Should Have a Daily Dose of Cinnamon

Research shows that these tactics also work:

1. Make a list.
Arm yourself with a list, and stick to it. Not only will this keep you from straying, but it will also keep you from spending too much.

Related: This Meal Plan Shaves Off Years and Pounds

2. Eat a snack first.
If you have to squeeze in food shopping when your tank is a little low, pick up a small snack when you get to the store -- an energy bar, some string cheese, or another low-calorie snack -- and eat it first. Just include the empty wrapper with your goods for checkout.

3. Go it alone.
Not only will it speed up your trip, but you'll also avoid the temptation to cave in to your kids' or spouse's demands.

Related: The Best Tested (and Tasting!) Low-Calorie Snacks

4. Shop virtually.
Depending on where you live, you might be able to try this strategy: Place your grocery order online and have it delivered. Virtual shopping makes you stick to your list, a diet strategy proven to work. When researchers followed a group of virtual shoppers and compared them to dieters who shopped in the traditional way for eight weeks, the virtual shoppers ended up with fewer fattening products and less total food in their cupboards.

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