Use A New Phone App To Kill Junk Food Cravings

Kill Junk Food Cravings With Technology

It’s a little over 3 weeks into the New Year, how’s your “this is the year I get back in shape” resolution going? Everyone loves their cell phone. Studies show people check their cell phone between 110 and 150 times per day. Now you might be able to kill junk food cravings by playing a new app.

Wait, what? A phone app to kill junk food cravings? According to the University of Exeter, a new app they’ve created called Food Trainer will do just that.

Studies Have Shown

I’m sure you’ve read your share of diet books and all the studies on why this one will kill junk food cravings this time. But this isn’t a book. It’s a simple computer game that lets you target up to three foods you are trying to stop or reduce eating. You then play the game which will put an emphasis on doing just that. Psychologists at the University found that the app slows impulses for the unhealthy snacks as well as lower calorie intake.

Does It Work?

A study of 83 adults showed that people who played the game online just four times in one week lost weight and ate an average of 220 kcal less per day – roughly equivalent to a chocolate-iced doughnut. The apps creator, Professor Natalia Lawrence, says “It’s a tool to help people make healthier choices. In an age where unhealthy food is so abundant and easily available and obesity is a growing health crisis, we need to design innovative ways to support people to live more healthily. We are optimistic that the way this app is devised will actually encourage people to opt for healthy food such as fruit and vegetables rather than junk food.”

Should You Give It A Try?

Absolutely. First of all, it’s free. Even if it doesn’t kill junk food cravings, it may help control them. Plus it’s a game and like I said before, people love being on their cell phones. You can download for Android here.

Sources

1. Weight Loss Emotional Eating Control – helps explain why cravings hit and how to manage emotional eating.
   https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047342 Mayo Clinic

2. Why Do We Crave Junk Food – science-backed explanation of brain reward pathways and cravings.
   https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/09/why-do-we-crave-junk-food-diet-psychology/ Harvard Gazette

3. 7 Tips to Control Food Cravings – practical strategies including hydration and shifting focus.
   https://www.scripps.org/news_items/6147-7-tips-to-control-your-food-cravings Scripps.org

4. How to Stop Food Cravings – evidence-based tactics like distancing yourself and planned meals.
   https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-ways-to-stop-food-cravings Healthline

5. Craving Management and Triggers – details emotional and psychological triggers and coping strategies.
   https://chear.ucsd.edu/blog/craving-management-understanding-control-food-cravings-guide Healthy Eating Research

FAQs

1. Why do I crave junk food even when not physically hungry?
   Cravings often come from learned habits and emotional triggers, not actual hunger.

2. Can cravings actually be retrained?
   Yes, studies show that cravings can be reduced with cognitive strategies and repetition.

3. What role does hydration play in cravings?
   Sometimes thirst is misinterpreted as hunger, so drinking water can reduce false cravings.

4. How can I immediately reduce a sudden craving?
   Techniques like chewing gum, distraction, or brushing your teeth can interrupt the craving impulse.

5. Does eating protein help with cravings?
   Protein helps keep you full longer and can stabilize appetite, reducing junk food urges.

6. Are cravings emotional or physical?
   They can be both, but many cravings are linked to emotional or habitual triggers rather than physical need.