Urge Surfing

I first heard this term, "urge surfing," the first weekend in December when we were at the resort in West Virginia. There was a lady using a patch to quit smoking. She was on her fifth day and feeling good about it. She was also in a behavioral therapy type program to learn how to substitute healthier behaviors for the smoking. For instance, she had to learn a new behavior to replace smoking when she first got up in the morning. She said that the therapy talked about the concept of urge surfing. This is acknowledging the urge to have a cigarette and then moving on to something else. The ability to say, "Wow, I'd really like a cigarette right now, but I won't have one," and move on to something else is a good skill. After five days on the patch and in the therapy, she was just starting to be able to do that.

This resonated with me completely because I think the idea totally applies to weight loss. I often want some food; today it was M and M's. With food it's referred to as a craving, and people are often told it's ok to indulge the craving a little bit to satisfy it and make it go away. I'm not sure that works for me, or anyone who is truly food-addicted. Satisfying the craving just makes me eat more. I'm never satisfied with a little bit; it would just trigger eating greater and greater amounts of something, either the originally craved food or whatever was at hand. A binge-eating episode would ensue, for sure! However, urge surfing might work. I can acknowledge the desire, the craving, the urge for a specific food, and then move on without having it.

I did it today at the gas station. Before I left to go pump gas, I was craving chocolate, specifically M and M's. My daughter also said how much she would like to have some. When I was at the gas station, I thought about M and M's the entire time I pumped the gas. I wanted them; I planned to go in and buy them for me and my daughter as soon as the gas was pumped. I held my wallet in my hand just waiting to go in and get them. I was only going to buy two small bags, one for each of us, to satisfy this urge, but I didn't do it. Instead when the gas pump clicked off, I acknowledged the urge and moved on. I told myself that I did not need them. I got back in the car and drove home. Was it satisfying? Not really! I still want them. I made a cup of hot choclate, 60 calories, as soon as I got home and tried to savor that chocolately goodness. It wasn't the same, but it was a better idea. It's a start. I'm proud of myself for surfing that urge!