Coping Skills With Trigger foods

relentless2121

I absolutely love Quest Protein Bars. Having 1 each day is the food highlight of my day.
But there are days when I do not stop at 1. I realize that if I can't stop at 1 that I will have to eliminate them from my food choices. I find that it's usually the sweetest flavors that trigger me to want to reach for another and sometimes another after that.

They are my absolute favorite protein bar and I haven't found any that compare to the nutritional breakdown. They are also my main source of fiber. I would hate to have to give them up but realize that if they are sabotaging my weight loss that I may need to switch to another brand.

I know that I'm not alone here. That most of us struggle with our "trigger foods" from time to time.
I thought this might be a good time to put it out there and start a discussion on trigger foods that we lose control over as well as ways that we cope with them.

I'm also open to suggestions for other protein bars (although I love the Quest ones and am considering not buying the sweetest flavors that trigger me). I live in Canada so not all brands that are available in the USA are available here but there are a variety of protein bars available in Canada.

I would appreciate any suggestions on coping with triggers or brands of protein bars.
Thanks everyone.

authorwriter

I make my own quest bars with the bioneutra vita-fiber. 56 grams of vita-fiber plus 30 g of protein powder. Sometimes I add raisins or something. Check you-tube, plenty of recipes. The resultant bar is fewer calories than an already made quest bar. When I have one, I eat it at the end of my day, not the beginning.

Otherwise, when I need something sweet I mash a banana with two eggs, add cinnamon and cook in a non-stick pan like a pancake. I top with cottage cheese. it's an enormous serving, so I can spread out the eating. Seems to satisfy on a lot of levels.

I have trigger food cravings all day long. I don't have any in the house and am too lazy to go out and purchase them. I just ignore them and try to do something else. I don't suppose they will ever go away. Sometimes I give in, but find it doesn't taste as good as I think it will.

You know, a Quest bar has a LOT of fiber. Fear of impaction would keep me from eating one after the other! HAHAHAHA.

garber6th

I was the same exact way with Quest and other protein bars! Some of them are so yummy it's like eating a candy bar. I looked for brands that weren't quite so sweet or reminiscent of a candy bar, and I ended up with Promax Low Sugar Honey Peanut and Chocolate Mint, also the MetRx Prime bars. They are all less sweet but they have a good "chew" to them, if that makes sense. They also all have a good nutritional profile.

garber6th

Also - I cannot keep peanut butter in the house. It was a trigger food in the past and still is - a spoonful here and there goes down WAY too easily. If I really want some, I buy an individual packet at Sprouts. I just can't keep trigger foods where I will be able to have easy access to them!

duffslove

i love the vanilla almond crunch quest bars...i found that if i dont break it in half as soon as i open it, i will eat the whole thing up in a matter of min...so ive started cutting them in half before i go somewhere and them bagging the other half and putting it in the fridge. Then i can have it after dinner if i need the protein still to finish my day. it "usually " keeps me from eating the whole thing in a matter of mins and wanting more. And i totally agree with garber6th, peanut butter is so much yum, i tried not keeping any around, but the kids love it..so it went in a cupboard door that is all off limits to me, kids only..lol..it works for now anyway

janet0513

As far as other protein bars, my new favorite is Combat bars (Muscle Pharm). They are like a candy bar but the combo of texture and the feeling of fullness keeps me satisfied. Pure protein bars (peanut butter) are good. Not as tasty but maybe less of a trigger for you.

I keep some of the trigger type foods hidden so they become out of site, out of mind. There are other trigger foods that I just can't have in the house or even eat/drink in general. Dunkin Donuts flavored iced coffees was a big issue for me prior and I won't even have one. I know one small will soon become medium, then large then a daily occurrance. I don't even want to go down that slippery slope. I find that there are certain foods I can keep on hand at work but others I will eat just because they are there. I pack all my food for the day in a lunch bag and that is what I get. I plan the majority of my food the day prior and I have better compliance with that.

mycatsnameisbug

I hear you on the trigger food issue. I don't keep junky food in the house, mostly because the junk goes down easy. For me it's not really the "what" that triggers me, it's the "how much". For example I go wild on crunchy carby things because I can- I was always a volume eater pre op... I ate generally healthy just way too much because I liked the full feeling. Now I HATE the overfull feeling, so carby type things don't do that and it makes it very dangerous for me. At the same time restricting food is also a trigger for me. So if I want said crunchy carby things I get a single serve bag, have it, try not to dwell and log it. All things in moderation.

If it's the sweet stuff that triggers you- can you try a more savory bar? Kind makes a couple good ones, as does epic bars. Sugar is a trigger for many- and even sugar substitutes/alcohols can have the same effect for some. I never really liked sweet all that much so the jerky and meat/cheese is my go to protein. In general I try to get protein from "real food" because it makes me fuller and more satiated.

Best of luck, I am sure with all the suggestions from our buddies you will find something that works for you

relentless2121

Thanks so much everyone for your feedback and suggestions. Last night I had an "Atkins Advantage" Bar and it didn't trigger me to want to reach for another. I will look for some of the other ones that are suggested and tonight a friend told me about one he uses & I know it's available here in Canada.

I would like to stick with the Quest brand but not buy the sweetest flavors that trigger me. Time will tell.

Tonight I picked up some Beef Jerky for the first time ever. Gonna try it as a snack tonight.

weeziebeth

What a great topic! There are some trigger foods that I just cannot keep around--peanut butter is one of them! Now, I can control myself with the natural peanut butter, just not the more processed kinds like Jiff. I do not have a huge sweet tooth but I find that sweet things definitely trigger me on the carb-monster front. If I want something sweet-I leave it to the end of the day so that I don't have extra time to carb out after.

BTW relentless--LOVE your pic, you're looking great!

aylajane

I am the same way - I feel like I could eat a dozen of the choc chip cookie dough ones (though after 2 I am a little sick/full), and it makes me sad at the thought of having to give them up altogether.

But I did find a little compromise... If you take one and break it into 8 pieces, then bake it in a toaster oven (not micro) for about 3 minutes, it makes good size choc chip cookies... 8 "cookies" eaten slowly (while doing other things so I just come back every few min for the next cookie) is very satisfying to me and I dont find myself immediately reaching for another. If I just shove them all in my mouth quickly, I will always want another.

You can also try drinking a protein shake (even just half a one) that has some fat in it (heavy cream is good) just before eating half a bar (immediately put the other half away as soon as you open it). Eat the half slowly. The fat in the shake is usually just hitting my "full" sensor right as I am finishing half the bar, and I honestly feel like I couldnt eat another bite. But eating one on an empty stomach is a bad idea for me!

Good luck

freedomfighter1

I like sitting down and having a cup of coffee with a Questbar. Me time...lol ...

freedomfighter1

...where did the rest of my post go?

heathergshea

For those who love peanut butter. Try the PB2 it has hardly any fat or calories. You just mix the powdered PB with some water until you get the consistency you like. I eat two tbsp with half an apple and it is awesome!

jove102

You guys are funny...I eat quest bars for the protein but can barely choke down one because it feels like a piece of taffy that got stuck in sand...I think my trigger foods are anything crunchy and snacky...I snack in nuts all the time at work and feel like I could eat a tree full of them but you do get full fast so that's the good thing

relentless2121

Thanks to all who posted. Weeziebeth thanks for the compliment on my new picture.

pawoodhull

My trigger foods are ice cream and flavored chips (no not together!). I decided prior to surgery I was done eating ice cream, period. I have not reintroduced it at all and frankly do not miss it or crave it at all. That was a happy surprise. Even my recent new "wanting to eat sweets" does not include ice cream, it's cookies and plain or crunchy M&M's, things like that. I tried to do a small single serve bag of flavored chips in my 2nd year out and found that I wanted more badly, so now I don't do those either in any form. I know for me, trigger foods are just off the list of things I can have around. My husband's plain chips and peanut M&Ms don't bother me, I can leave them alone easily. Some people can do things in moderation, I can't. Some can have them hidden in the house, I can't. I know myself.

If Quest bars are triggering bad eating habits, my advice is to eliminate them. Find something else you can have with high protein and some fiber. No point in making your walk on this journey harder than it has to be.

ImaWaterBender

I love quest bars but every time I eat one I end up constipated and with major pain. I have 3 in my desk that I can't eat

readallday

I have this trigger foods problem with these turkey bites that I have been eating since surgery. I have to stop buying them though because I used to be able to stop at 6 and now I eat 36 (the whole bag) in one sitting. I think trigger foods are a moving target. Cut off one and another will rise up I'm afraid. Good luck to you.

relentless2121

I think I am figuring out that it's the sweetest Quest Protein Bars that trigger me to want to reach for another. I do not plan to buy the "Cookies & Cream" or "Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough" anymore. I may also need to eliminate "Double Chocolate Chunk", I'm not sure about that one yet but it seems to fit the category of very sweet.

I recently tried the "Peanut Butter Supreme" and it didn't seem to trigger me. It was also very tasty. I am looking into other options as far as protein bars go but I can't seem to find another brand that has 17 grams of fibre, which is my main fibre intake. A friend in Canada here recommended a brand to me that I will check out next time I'm at the store that sells them.

I am with you Pawoodhull, there are certain foods that I just cannot keep around at all.

loriloftness

My trigger foods are sweets. I am rarely satisfied with one; if I have one, I want more. That tells me that its more of a head hunger than real hunger. Ideally, I would not have sweets in the house. However, I'm not the only person living in the house so that doesn't really work. So, I have to try to distract myself and not give in to temptation-- and if I do, I have to own it by recording the calories. It just is not easy.

TN_Tinker

loriloftness wrote: »

My trigger foods are sweets. I am rarely satisfied with one; if I have one, I want more. That tells me that its more of a head hunger than real hunger. Ideally, I would not have sweets in the house. However, I'm not the only person living in the house so that doesn't really work. So, I have to try to distract myself and not give in to temptation-- and if I do, I have to own it by recording the calories. It just is not easy.

I have the same problem. I cook for the man in my life and he isn't dieting at all. So temptations are there every day. It's really hard! I have to remind myself why I am doing this and why eating what I am "allowed" to eat is so important. Some days it works better than others. I am only about 6 weeks out. I worry how this is going to work later on.

jove102

Just cook stuff you want to eat and he will either eat it or not...that's what I do...trust me men are pretty resourceful they will find their own food lol

BringingSherriBack

jm1fullerton wrote: »

I have this trigger foods problem with these turkey bites that I have been eating since surgery. I have to stop buying them though because I used to be able to stop at 6 and now I eat 36 (the whole bag) in one sitting. I think trigger foods are a moving target. Cut off one and another will rise up I'm afraid. Good luck to you.

Me too on the turkey bites. I got to where I was eating the entire bag in one sitting or in the course of an afternoon anyway. Those things started as a great source of protein for a snack and ended up being the devil. lol

I also have issues with turkey pepperoni as I can eat the entire package as well and any kind of cheese. I love cheese and can eat my weight in it. Sadly the best way for me to deal with it is to not have it around at all. I've tried buying string cheese and mini baby bells so it was portioned out and makes a great snack option. Too bad I would eat 3 or 4 at a time instead of 1.

I have even gotten that way with pork rinds. They are a great crunchy protein snack but if I really want them I buy a snack size bag out of the machine at work because if I buy a bigger bag, then I eat the entire bag in one day.

My biggest problem though is kids and their junk food. We have two kids (10 and 11) and both are healthy and active and we keep treats around for them (chips, snack foods, occasionally candy) and I find myself in their snacks because I love salty, crunchy stuff (chips, crackers, etc). My best bet is to buy flavors I don't care much for. lol

janet0513

I cook for a family as well and they all eat what I eat. The only difference is that I may occasionally make pasta, rice or have bread for them which I may have a small amount or not.

I don't keep much for "junk food" in the house. The adults and kids do not need them. I may have some treats such as pea crisps or quinoa chips, dark chocolate oven roasted almonds or the coconut ones, tons of fruit, homemade jerky or homemade fruit roll ups, granola and protein bars. If they want anything more than this kind of thing, they can buy it themselves.

authorwriter

I just ordered simply 7 quinoa chips on Amazon's subscribe and save. Also the pure protein bars. And...almond meal. I've been craving 'candy' kind of stuff. Maybe this thread triggered me! I'm teasing. It didn't. I constantly think I'd love a bar of chocolate. Anyway, cookies or candy bars need the almond meal, so I'll see if that makes me happy when I get those feelings. It is really frustrating because I'm not even hungry when those cravings hit. They are separate from hunger.

I avoid the carbs as much as I can, except for fruit sometimes because it sets my hunger raging. It's like amonster.

SibylDiane

I don't make protein bars a regular part of my diet -- they are for travel only, and that's pretty rare for me. I also find that the Quest bars are triggers for me. Generally, if they are in the house, I will eat them. Not good.
My mother has the opposite problem that I do when it comes to weight. She struggles to be normal weight when her body seems to want to be under weight. Her doctor told her that a good, healthy way to gain or maintain weight is to add a protein bar or two to her diet. And it works for her. So I am not a big fan of the "weight loss" benefits of protein bars to start with.
My best strategy for trigger foods is to just keep them out of the house. I try to avoid the aisles in the grocery stores where they are sold. I don't go into gas station convenience stores so I am not tempted by the aisles of candy there. But I do have a couple of kitchen safes that I use for things like nuts and dried fruit that are calorie-dense and I have a hard time stopping with:
thekitchensafe.com/
When I am struggling with almonds or dried apricots or whatever, I keep them in the kitchen safe and only have it set to open at a time of day when I know I can control myself -- usually early morning. Then I measure out my portion for the day and put the rest back and lock the safe again.
Relentless2121, I would encourage you to consider dropping bars altogether and switching to either shakes or snacking on high-protein items like tuna packets, cans of sardines, chopped chicken breast, or hardboiled eggs.

relentless2121

Thanks SibylDiane for the tip on possibly dropping protein bars from my diet. I hope it doesn't come to that but it just might. Thanks to all who are sharing on this thread.

hockey7fan

I always remind myself of the old Weight Watchers saying - you can't eat what you don't buy. So if it's a trigger food for me, I just refuse to buy it. I have noticed since surgery that my tastes have changed. There are a few things I used to love that just taste terrible now. So that's a good thing!

relentless2121

I hear you on that one hockey7fan.