The best part of the Four Steps is that you can use it for all kinds of temptations - not just food. In fact, any behavior that is pleasurable, decreases anxiety, dissolves stress, alleviates boredom or has simply been wired in by rote repetition can be tackled with the Four Steps,

DISCLAIMER:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.How do I use the Four Steps with chocolate or other desirable snacks? I start by being more aware of my cravings, urges and thoughts. I use Step 1: Relabel to make mental notes. I literally say to myself, "Oh, there's that craving for chocolate again." I notice and investigate the craving, but do not give into it. I just let it be there, taunting me, but don't give it the time of day. Then, I Reframe (Step 2) the experience by reminding myself that my brain is generating this desire for chocolate, not me. Sure, I started the process by responding to fatigue, boredom or stress by eating chocolate a few days in a row, but now my brain has taken over. My goal at this point is to change my perception of the importance of this unhelpful brain urge and move on.

Rather than giving in, I use Step 3: Refocus and choose to do something that is healthier for me. If I truly am hungry and have not eaten, I will eat something less desirable, but filling and healthy. If I am not hungry, I will go take a walk, call a friend, work on a project or do something else that's fun. As the craving continues trying to tempt me, I use Step 4: Revalue to remind myself that this is just the feeling of craving. I need to realize thatthis craving does not define me - it is not something I have to pay attention to or prioritize. In fact, I can let it be there and move on with my day without giving in.

Other ways I deal with cravings include:

• Limit Access: Whenever possible, I keep the foods I crave out of the house! I've learned from experience that if chocolate or other seemingly irresistable snacks are not easily accessible, I likely will not go to great lengths to procure them.
• Use the 15-Minute Rule: Commit to not giving in for 15 minutes. See if the craving is still there 15 minutes later. If it is, I try to wait another 15 minutes. I remind myself that the craving will pass.
• Stop and Reflect Before Responding: I ask myself, what am I about to do and why? Is eating this right now really going to serve some purpose and help me, or will I regret it later?
• Remember the Biology: I remind myself that each time I eat chocolate, I just make the brain circuitry stronger and more intense... thereby ensuring that future cravings will be harder to resist.

Increasing my awareness of my urges and cravings and refusing to give into them is the key to changing my behavior - and ultimately my brain. What I've found is that using the Four Steps for a few days often breaks the cycle and decreases my cravings. (Note: This is because the behavior is not strongly engrained in my brain yet. If I had been eating chocolate for a longer period of time or it was strongly associated with specific stressors, then the behavior would be more powerfully wired into my brain and take more time to change).

The best part of the Four Steps is that you can use it for all kinds of temptations - not just food. In fact, any behavior that is pleasurable, decreases anxiety, dissolves stress, alleviates boredom or has simply been wired in by rote repetition can be tackled with the Four Steps, if you see it as a problem and want to change how you automatically act. The bigger challenge, once you have mastered the Four Steps, is keeping it up - to diligently use the Four Steps even when you don't need to so that you keep your brain wired and trained the way you want it to be.