STOP Food Cravings in... 5 Easy Steps with EFT!

It is reported by the EFT community at large, that there is an 80% + success rate using EFT for cravings, emotional eating and comfort eating. I have used this method many times to tap away nagging food or beverage cravings with EFT.

Cravings for snacks, sugary treats, sweet beverages or carbs can be frustrating, distracting, lead to weight gain and cause illness. It is a wonderful feeling to watch a T.V program after dinner knowing there is a rich, yummy chocolate cake in kitchen... and not care ONE BIT! :)

Note: This EFT for cravings script is NOT meant to be used to reduce legitimate food cravings i.e. real hunger pangs. It isn't wise or healthy to tap away natural cravings for food (nourishment) and/or water (hydration) *and*... it is a very hard thing to do! EFT is not meant to be used to ignore or suppress basic survival instincts like hunger and thirst!

Before tapping on cravings, we need to make sure we are properly nourished and hydrated. Check that we are taking a multi-vitamin/mineral, eating 3 healthy balanced meals plus one or two healthy snacks per day. And that we are getting enough hydration through beneficial liquids like; filtered water, natural sparkling mineral water, homemade broth, herbal tea (hot or iced) etc.

If we are not eating healthfully or keeping our self properly hydrated, then there are likely to be other issues i.e. stress, depression or anxiety that we need to use EFT tapping techniques on before attempting to tap away cravings. As I mentioned, it is very hard (if not impossible) to tap away a craving when our body is trying to tell us it needs something i.e. nutritious food and/or water.

However, it's okay to tap on cravings, even if we know we are not eating as healthfully as we could be... *if* we redirect the energy freed up from the cravings, towards improving our self-care i.e. eating better, drinking fluids, fuel/energy management, 'rest and renew', intimacy (with others and self = 'in-to-me-see'), creative endeavors, enjoyable fitness (play), addressing emotional needs or clearing old emotional issues or traumas.

Also, tapping on cravings will generally pay off, even when we are not aware of any physical or emotional imbalances. Doing EFT for cravings consistently and persistently usually exposes the emotional drivers behind the cravings or binge eating i.e. anxiety, feelings of abandonment, loneness, anger, blame, resentment, guilt, shame, sadness etc. -- then, we can tap on these things!

Using EFT on food cravings can lead to some very powerful and rewarding tapping. It's like the EFT clears the fog or static caused by the cravings. Which in turn, helps to reveal the real problem or core issue hidden by the cravings in the first place!

So a craving is our body's way of telling us we need something i.e. nutrition, rest, energy, exercise, creativity, play and especially emotional and/or mental soothing. What smart bodies we have!

EFT Cravings Method. REMEMBER... tap when you are experiencing a craving or when you feel a craving coming on.

EFT founder, Gary Craig says... "It's *way* too late to tap when you're in line at the Krispy Kreme donut shop!" :)

1. Rate your urge or the intensity of the craving, on a scale of 0 to 10. Example: I feel like having a piece of cake at an intensity of 8 (0 = I do not crave having a piece of cake at all…could care less about it! And 10 = I REALLY, REALLY want to have a piece of cake!)

Make sure you fully associate with the food, snack item or beverage. Locate the feeling or sensation in your body associated with this craving. Think about the item you are craving, get a mental picture and imagine it in detail, think about its aroma, its texture i.e. how it would feel in your mouth. Really fire up your taste buds etc!

2. Start with the 'Set-up' (3 times – karate chop)
KC - Even though I have this # X craving (insert intensity of the craving) in my ____ (area in body where you feel the craving i.e. mouth, stomach etc)… I deeply and completely accept myself. (Repeat 2 more times) Note: Sometimes it is more effective if you do not say the food/beverage item and just refer to the craving sensation itself.

3. Now do the 'Sequence' or reminder statements (each body point) as you focus on the feeling in your body. TH - This craving EB - This craving SE - This craving UN - This craving CH - This craving CB - This craving UA - This craving (take a deep breath, gently move your neck around and roll your shoulders a few times)

4. Rate your craving intensity again (i.e. check the sensation in your body associated with the craving). If it is greater than a 2 (i.e. 3 to 10) do another round of tapping with the following changes:

Do the set-up 3 times: KC - Even though I *still* have this craving… I deeply and completely accept myself. (Repeat 2 more times) Then do the body points sequence again using the reminder statement... "this remaining craving".

5. Continue doing EFT rounds (set-up and sequence) until the urge or craving subsides to 0 or at least to a 1 or 2.

Note: If you find yourself struggling with this and the cravings are not going down or are coming back very quickly (and you are eating healthfully and drinking enough quality liquids) then there may be something else behind the cravings like i.e. lack of sleep/rest, anxiety, depression, being overly stressed, feeling deprived, a creative block, using food as a reward, emotional or comfort eating etc.

These underlying issues are called 'root causes' or 'drivers' and they are all great subjects to use EFT on. Remember to be very specific about what you tap on and try to cover all the related aspects and limiting beliefs that you can come up with.

This is a simple but effective guide to using EFT for cravings. If you have any questions about this EFT technique to reduce cravings or about something else related to EFT... please feel free to send me a message by using the form below.

Here's a cute graphic I came across on the internet. :)

Happy tapping! Karen

P.S. EFT is a very powerful self-help tool, and we can do it all by our self. However, to reach a goal faster, with more complex problems or with multiple issues, working with an experienced EFT tapping buddy or a trained EFT Practitioner can be very helpful. To learn more about this, click here: EFT Coaching.