February and many of us have probably abandoned those New Year’s resolutions that involved weight loss. But it’s not too late to get in shape and change your eating habits.

One of the main reasons why people may give up on their diets is the cravings. Eating healthy is hard enough, and if you’re being told by your brain to eat salt and sweets, it can feel downright impossible.

When you find yourself craving different foods, your body may be telling you that it needs certain minerals instead of the actual food. For example, if you’re craving chocolate, your body may actually need magnesium. Healthy alternatives that contain this mineral are raw nuts and fruits.

Many people also sabotage their diets with mindless or emotional eating. Are you the type of person that eats when you’re not really hungry? Or do you tend to snack while you’re doing homework or cleaning?

If you find yourself wanting to eat, ask yourself if you’re really hungry before you chow down. If you’re just feeling sad, stressed or bored, try to manage your emotions another way. When you’re eating, only focus on eating. Don’t multi-task. Focus on each bite and chew slowly. You’ll eat less that way.

Another trick is to drink a glass of water before you eat.

Hunger could be your body telling you that it needs water, so make sure you’re hydrated before you have a bite to eat. This will not only make you feel fuller faster, but also ensure that you are drinking enough water.

If you’re counting calories on your way to a svelte new figure or better health, it can help to use a website to log your calories on. Three of the most popular calorie counting websites— MyFitnessPal, SparkPeople and Calorie Count—also have apps for your phone that sync with your online account so you can count calories wherever you go.

If you use one of these apps, be sure to also log your physical activities, even if it’s just walking to campus or taking the stairs in Humanities.

All those burned calories add up and could mean room for an extra snack during the day.