If you want to be successful at losing weight, you need to look at your diet as a long journey. The path is long and there will be bumps in the road, so it is best to prepare yourself wisely by considering what you’ll do when you do run into obstacles. Here are a few tips that will help you get back on track when you hit those bumps in the road.

1. Drink water

If you don’t have time to eat and want help resisting a snack, just drink a glass of water. This will always help you fill up your stomach and keep hunger at bay. You should be drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day anyway, so this is a good way to make sure you drink enough water while not overeating.

2. Out of sight, out of mind

Don’t put tempting foods out in the open. If you don’t have bags of chips and cookies lying around you’re much less likely to have the urge to eat them. Also, don’t stock up on high fat snacks if you can help it. If you know you simply don’t have them, you’ll be far less likely to go all the way to the store to get some when you have the urge.

3. Choose snacks wisely

If you don’t have time to eat before an event, choose some wise snacks to take with you. Hummus is a great choice because a typical serving contains only 6g of fat and 90 calories. You can also bring some sugar free gum. This is a great way to stop yourself from nibbling on foods that you know you should stay away from.

4. Try dried fruits

If you replace a lot of your junk food snacks with dried fruits, you’ll be in a much better position to enjoy some guilt-free snacking. A good handful of these will also count toward your recommended servings of fruit for the day.

5. Be Your Own Chef

If you love dips to go with your breadsticks, why not try making your own low fat varieties? You’ll be surprised what kinds of delicious dips you can come up with if you use a little ingenuity and creativity.

6. Don’t waste calories

You only have a certain number of calories that you can eat each day. You need to be smart in tempering your urges to indulge needlessly. If you really want something, then eat it, but don’t just eat things because they are there. During a meal, pile the veggies high so that your plate looks full and include a few of the things that may be higher in calories but you just have to have.

7. Indulge once a day

One of the best ways to make sure you don’t start binging on junk food is to temper your appetite with a little planned treat each day. Choose something that you love, like chocolate, and make it a small enough piece to curb your appetite while thrilling your sweet tooth. There is a new type of healthy chocolate that comes in bite-sized portions and includes vitamins and added nutrients that are great for your overall health. This is a great way to make sure you stay on track with your diet, and provides that needed boost to keep control of your appetite.