Every night when I walk in the door from work and the kids are racing around the house, I get this desire to eat a snack. I try to keep busy and not go into the kitchen until I need to start dinner. The longer I try to ignore it, the more I think about it. And, eventually, I end up eating something silly that I didn't need. What else can I do?

To be blunt, you can "ride it out." Alan Marlatt, one of the foremost researchers in relapse prevention, developed the coping strategy called urge surfing. To fully understand this idea, you must first recognize the qualities of an urge.

It often starts as a small nudging desire.

As time progresses, an urge builds in intensity. This is scary for most people because they think that it will not to away unless they eat.

Like a wave, the intensity of the urge will "crest" and drop off suddenly. The time from the beginning of the urge to when it crests may vary from 5 to 20 minutes.

Urge surfing requires lots of practice. Start off by practicing on small urges. Take time to observe the urges, noting their shape, frequency, intensity, and the cues that bring them on. The best way to manage cues is to either eliminate them or avoid it. But when they can't be avoided, try to "ride" the urge wave by reminding yourself that it will go away after it crests.

For more information about Managing Cues, read the module "Managing Cues".

©2001 Novartis Nutrition Corporation.