If that big bag of crisps or packet of chocolate biscuits is too hard to resist don’t feel guilty or tell yourself off. If you do, you’re likely to think ‘I’ve blown it now’ and really start bingeing, or worse still give up altogether. Instead follow these steps to keep you on track:

• Stop what you are doing and walk away from the food or the situation
• Don’t panic! Acknowledge that you have done well by stopping eating 
• A lapse is normal and doesn’t mean you’ve failed or gained weight. Tell yourself this.
• If necessary, do something else to distract yourself
• Think about what triggers led you into this situation and how you might deal with a similar situation next time

Have your next meal as planned. If you skip it, you’ll get hungry later and want to overeat again, throwing you back into the diet-binge cycle.