Alternative to Willpower in Fighting Cravings I noticed that I almost unconsciously revert to trying to fight cravings via willpower, i.e. resisting them. Let's take the example of food cravings. I usually make an internal commitment to avoid junk food, but the cravings nevertheless arise, and when my mood is low I fail to resist. 

Are there alternatives to willpower in fighting cravings? I had been wondering whether other solutions  -- like mindfulness or even seeking healthier sources of pleasure -- might be more effective.

More so, I believe I crave more because recently I experience less pleasure from activities or emotional sources. Does Buddhism have any technique specifically linked to pleasure?
Some stuff for you to try:


Pace yourself, by letting cravings go in manageable steps (If everyone else deserves compassion, so do you in your practice of letting go)
Don't quit cold turkey, instead replace your habits with alternative
activitites (essentially anything related to the eightfold path, not
least meditation) 
Do Asubha bhavana (foulness meditation)
Study dhamma (disperses ignorance on this topic, and is also conducive to comprehension/panna and hope/saddha, as alternatives to viriya/willpower)
Ask your sangha (You already did)