Urge surfing means riding out a food craving like a wave: you notice it build, peak and fade, without acting on it right away and without fighting it. It is a learnable skill, and the plan below builds it over four weeks, starting with 10-second pauses and ending with your hardest situations, such as stress, evenings and social events. You do not need to resist every craving; the goal is to have a real choice.
What urge surfing is, and what the evidence says
The term comes from psychologist G. Alan Marlatt’s work on relapse prevention. In a study of 123 college smokers exposed to smoking cues, those given brief urge-surfing instructions did not report weaker urges, but they smoked significantly fewer cigarettes over the following week than a control group (Bowen and Marlatt, 2009). The researchers suggested the technique may change how people respond to urges rather than make the urges disappear.
That is the key idea for food too. Urge surfing does not promise cravings will stop. It teaches you that a craving is an uncomfortable feeling you can sit with for a few minutes, and that you get to decide what happens next. Mayo Clinic gives similar advice for emotional eating: if you are not physically hungry, give the craving time to pass.
Before you start
- Eat regular meals. Surfing works on cravings, not on real hunger. If you are hungry, eat.
- Get a small notebook or notes app for a simple craving log: time, place, what you craved, strength (1–10) at start and end, and what you did.
- Pick one “practice food” to focus on first, such as evening chips or afternoon sweets.
Week 1: Awareness and micro-pauses
This week is about noticing, not changing.
- Log every craving you notice, even ones you act on straight away.
- Practise a 10-second pause before eating anything unplanned. Take one slow breath and say silently, “I’m noticing a craving.”
- Observe without judgment. Where do you feel it? Mouth, stomach, chest, hands? Is it restless, tight, warm?
By the end of the week, look at your log. Most people spot clear triggers: certain times of day, places, moods or people.
Week 2: Ride the wave
Now stretch the pause and practise the core technique.
- Notice: “Here’s a craving for something sweet.” Rate it 1–10.
- Breathe: take slow breaths, in through the nose and out through the mouth. Use the breath as your surfboard.
- Locate: scan your body and describe the sensations as if you were reporting them to a friend.
- Watch it change: notice the craving rise, peak and begin to shift. Re-rate it every minute or two.
- Choose: when the wave has passed or softened, decide what to do.
Start with 3 minutes and work up to 10. Write down your before-and-after ratings. Seeing the numbers drop, even a little, builds confidence that cravings are temporary.
Week 3: Add planning, distraction and reframing
If-then plans
Write two or three plans for your most common triggers, in the form “If [situation], then I will [action].” For example: “If I want chips while watching TV, then I’ll surf the urge for five minutes and make herbal tea.” These are called implementation intentions. A review of 23 studies found they help people add healthy foods to their diet, with a smaller effect on cutting back unhealthy snacks (Adriaanse and colleagues, 2011). That suggests pairing “avoid” plans with “add” plans, such as “If I’m hungry at 3 p.m., then I’ll eat an apple and a handful of nuts.”
Postpone, don’t forbid
Tell yourself: “I can have it in 15 minutes if I still want it.” Set a timer, then do something absorbing: a walk, a phone call, tidying a drawer. Postponing feels much easier than a flat “never,” and often the urge has faded by the time the timer goes off.
Reframe the thought
Swap “I need this” for “I want this, and the wanting will pass.” Swap “I’ve had a hard day, I deserve it” for “I’ve had a hard day, and I deserve something that will actually help, like a bath or an early night.”
Week 4: High-craving situations
Stress
Stress cravings come fast. Use a shorter version: three slow breaths, name the feeling (“This is stress, not hunger”), then one quick counter-move, such as stepping outside or drinking a glass of cold water. Then surf what remains.
Evenings
Tiredness lowers your resistance. Close the kitchen after dinner, keep a planned evening snack if you need one, and go to bed on time. Many evening cravings are really fatigue.
Social events
Eat a normal meal beforehand, choose sparkling water or another drink you enjoy early, and stand away from the food table. If you feel pulled to keep grazing, step away for a minute and surf the urge somewhere quieter.
Setting upper limits
For foods you enjoy but tend to overeat, decide ahead of time: “I’ll have one slice and enjoy it slowly.” Eat it sitting down, then surf any urge for more.
Make your environment help you
- Keep your practice food out of sight, or buy it in single portions.
- Put fruit, cut vegetables and water where you see them first.
- Link surfing to cues you already have, such as opening the fridge or picking up the TV remote.
Track progress and handle slips
Each week, look at your log and celebrate the wins: a craving you surfed, a lower peak rating, a shorter wave. Our article on small wins explains why noticing these matters.
You will not surf every wave. When you act on a craving, skip the guilt. Ask: what triggered it, what was I feeling, and what would I try next time? Then go back to your plan at the next meal. Our article on overcoming setbacks has more ideas.
When to check with a professional
If cravings feel overwhelming, you often eat large amounts and feel out of control, or food is your main way to cope with difficult emotions, speak with your family doctor or a mental health professional. Mayo Clinic notes that therapy can help with emotional eating and check for an eating disorder. In Canada, the National Eating Disorder Information Centre (nedic.ca) offers free support. See also our article on emotional eating.
Quick takeaways
- Week 1: log cravings and practise 10-second pauses.
- Week 2: ride the wave for 3–10 minutes, rating it before and after.
- Week 3: add if-then plans, postponing and reframing.
- Week 4: apply the skill to stress, evenings and social events.
- Eat regular meals, and treat slips as information, not failure.
FAQ
How long does a craving last?
It varies from person to person and situation to situation. Your craving log will show your own pattern; many people are surprised by how quickly the strongest part passes once they stop reacting.
Can I still eat the food after surfing?
Yes. Urge surfing is about choice, not banning foods. If you still want it after the wave passes, have a portion sitting down and enjoy it.