Thinking about the future can banish the urge to “emotionally eat”

New research might provide insight into a simple way you can fight the urge to eat something fatty or sugary:

Think about the future.

Researchers at the University of Delaware looked at how people’s emotions affect their food choices. In the first study, researchers found people rated healthy foods as being more favorable than indulgent foods when they were in a good mood (as opposed to a neutral one).

In a second study, researchers found people are more likely to prefer indulgent foods when they’re in a bad mood.

In the final two studies, researchers found that asking participants to focus on the future resulted in them choosing healthier food options while thinking only about the present caused participants to pick the less-healthy choice. This held true regardless of what mood participants were in when the study was conducted.

When you’re thinking long-term, you’re more likely to consider future health and overall quality of life benefits (better chances for finding a partner, better job options, expanded wardrobe options). But when you’re thinking now, it’s easier to get caught up in how tasty your food is—and forget about the consequences down the road.

The next time you’re ready to head to Wawa and get the mega Icy with a side of Wing Dings, make yourself stop ─ dead in your tracks ─ and think about how you’ll feel tomorrow about the decision you made. Will you feel empowered because you overcame the need to eat, or proud that you kept your “eye on the prize” and focused on losing weight?

Like every decision you make in your weight-loss journey, it’s your call.