I *honestly* do NOT understand...
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Log the damned chips and live with the shame. Be honest with yourself. This is about measuring what goes in and what goes out; if you don't have accurate information, it won't work.I went on an emotional eating roller coaster of a ride which culimanated in my finishing ALL chips in the house last night (not logged - too ashamed) and polishing off a bottle of wine (logged.) So, how do YOU manage to not totally inhale your trigger foods? I would LOVE suggestions/ideas/advice! My waist begs you!
How I manage not to eat ALL THE FOODz is by measuring out a portion on a food scale and entering it into my log, and NEVER eating the junk foods all by themselves. If I want potato chips, they accompany a sandwich. If I want crackers, they accompany a small meat/fruit/cheese plate. They're a small side addition to a healthy meal that includes actual nutrients which will satisfy my hunger. Also, since one of my old favorite combinations of junk was (insert crunchy/starchy/salty/empty food here) with a Diet Coke, I don't keep Diet Coke in the house. When it's not handy, I just won't touch the junk foods because they're not the same without it.
This is GREAT advice. Log the chips. Once I was able to finally start being honest with myself and maintain accountability was when I started seeing results...and was able to pass up my trigger foods even when I was home alone with them.
For me, I had to ask myself what was really important in my life. Once I was able to answer that questions, I had the power to not let food control me. And that feels really damn good. It's not easy, but with a lot or hard work you'll get there! 0 -
Reading this makes me glad that I've realised that my trigger foods aren't snack foods. There are chips, cookies and ice cream in my house right now, (they're my mom's), and I haven't even thought to touch them, let alone been tempted to.
My trigger foods are pasta (spaghetti) and Italian Hoagie sandwiches. Things I would either have to make or go out and get. So it's been more easy to avoid them.0 -
What works for me if I'm thinking about eating something that doesn't really fit my day (my boss keeps a bowl of peanut M&Ms on the counter, for example) is to prelog it. So if I'm sitting there thinking "I could have a handful of M&Ms, no big deal" then I make myself log it first. Once I see how much it effects my calorie bottom line more times than not I hold out for the ice cream I know I'll want at the end of the day.
When I think of it, I do this, too and it usually stops me.
Also, (others may have said this) that when you are feeling hungry sometimes you are just thirsty -- go get a glass of water.
Finally, I believe in out of sight, out of mind. If the cookies are on the counter when I get home, I'll eat them, if they are in the pantry, then they may go stale.0 -
I love the suggestions of breaking the food into portions before-hand, not eating them at the couch but at the dining room table, and never eating them by themselves! Really appreciate this thread. Thanks, OP!0
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I don't regard certain things worthy of 'portioning'.
If I want pizza, I have pizza. Not one-fifth pizza. No, no. Pizza. So I save up the calories or exercise rather than rage at my pathetic piece of what should be a lovely treat.0 -
One poster said he conquered this by telling himself "I'll have another... in 1/2 hour" and then after 1/2 hour passed, most of the time he would forget. It's a powerful technique that works.
So, put it down, walk away, and say "I'll have more later".
I think any food like chips, pretzels, or anything you eat a tiny bit at a time are quite difficult to stop eating. You know those "fun size" chocolate bars? Oh, they're not that many calories, and so you eat 1, then 2, then 19.
Definitely won't say I've conquered this, I am so weak with bacon, chocolate, ice cream, chips and cake frosting. What I do to keep it in check is not buy them to bring home. Then if I crave them, I use the other guys technique but I say " if I still want it tomorrow, I can have it tomorrow" by tomorrow I rarely want it, but if tomorrow comes and I do still crave it, I have it and I have no guilt about it (buy it in a single serving size if possible and/ or give half to someone else). If you find yourself enjoying things tomorrow frequently then you need to look inside yourself, what are you really craving? what are you feeling when you want those things? what is it doing for you?0 -
I can stop, but having cookies in the house is torture. I'm seriously tempted all the time.0
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I just don't bring bad food into the house. Problem solved!0
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I find that my boredom-munching can be overcome by my overwhelming laziness--if I didn't buy it at the grocery store when I went grocery shopping, I'm surely not going out now to go get it. That would take effort :P
I agree, let the laziness work *for* you!
If I really, really gotta have something, it's usually sweet. I try not to buy them anymore, so that helps. If it comes pre-portioned, and I can buy just one, that's okay if I can fit it into my calorie count. If it's something I have to measure out myself, 75% of the time I'm just like "screw it, I don't feel like getting out the scale."
And if I *do* get out the scale, I measure out one serving, then put it away, because I know if I overcame my laziness once, I'm damn sure not going to do it twice.0 -
Those tend to be candy, especially candy that is in small pieces like malted milk balls or individual chocolates. I could eat those until I'm sick
Oh, good lord, this. I freaking love candy. One of the first things I bought with my first paycheck was candy.
For me, summertime was probably the best time to change my eating habits, because there's not really any candy-focused holiday between Easter and Halloween. Going to Target or Walgreens on "half-off day" is almost like a tradition for me.0 -
My husband, for example, will eat just 4 or 5 chips and that's enough for him - I sit and look at him with awe. I generally don't have my "trigger" foods in the house but last week was a bad week and I went on an emotional eating roller coaster of a ride
He doesn't have any emotional problems - or expresses his addictive personality in other ways. Not "judging" (as people call it). It's my training. Often, it's not food that is the problem but something deeper.
You're welcome to disagree.
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Things that I genuinely can't stop eating (like that hardening ice cream chocolate shell stuff) I just don't buy. For other things, it really helps to separate out just a little bit, put it in a bowl or on a plate, and put the rest away. I won't be very likely to get up, get the package out, and have more. Or, I split it with someone else.0
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This is the second of two health chnaging diets I've been on and in all fairness I wouldn't have needed this one if it hadn't been for the pregnancy throwing everything out. No it's not an excuse, I'm IR and I could ONLY keep down bread/pasta/potato due to extreme sickness, even with the medication, and I had a whole host of doctors saying I HAD to eat for the baby and they could sort my IR out later and I was hospitalised for most of my pregnancy.
Once I've started eating my trigger foods (carbs) I find it horribly difficult to stop and I comfort ate through breastfeeding (which I dreaded every second of) too, there is no excuse for that! Once my eating was thrown out I had a really emotional battle to get it back. Once I've got it back under control, just as the first time I went on the IR diet, I'm totally fine. I've got a load of home made garlic bread in the freezer which I'm able to acknowledge is there and not want to eat it. I'm also able to cook it for guests (reason for making in the first place) and not even feel slightly tempted.
I find giving up things terribly hard, but 2-4 weeks later I can just walk away even when it's wafted under my nose. I think for me food isn't an emotional trigger unless I make it a trigger. And I'm still sure that my IR sways my tendancy towards what type of foods I've latched onto as wel. I just gave up chocolate and never looked back, tea/coffee/alcohol/fizzy drinks - never missed them. Cakes - not interested, who cares about cakes. Super carby hits like white bread, white pasta and chips and I struggle.0 -
Sometimes craving salty foods is a mineral deficiency, so a good multivitamin with minerals might help. I do that, plus I get the tiny 25 gram serving size bags - eating one bag is ok, and the thought of opening a second bag reminds me to stop.0
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Will let you know when I find out. Been at this for 3 years now, still haven't found the answer.0
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In the not so distant past I was doing the same thing. I would sit in front of the TV and eat a whole tub of hummus and fritos...YUMMMMY!!! The key word in that sentence was...."sit in front of TV". I am down to about zero hours TV now. I do house work and organize things I have wanted to do for a long time now. I have no problem not munching because my mind is busy until I get ready for bed. So for me, TV was my evil culprit, and canning it has gone a long way for me.0
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While I think the second commenter is quite right, it's also a lot to ask from a person, who is on their first weeks of proper logging in a diary. For me it is a huge thing to even stay honest in my diary (not leave certain foods unlogged because it's "uncomfortable") and to wrap my head around regular exercise, so if this means I won't buy certain trigger foods for a while then so be it.Easiest way to avoid the binge is definitely to just not buy them in the first place. I can demolish a full-size bag of chips before I know what I've done. So I just make myself walk past that isle in the grocery store now. Helps too that with the Sodastream I don't have to buy pop, which is always in the same spot as the chips.
I'm trying to find ways to make them more emotionally unappealing, such as thinking about how much sodium it would be if I snarfed it down and how bloated and awful I'll feel. The potato chip hangover avoidance theory.
You know, I disagree. You have to teach yourself new habits.
OP - I recommend portioning out the chips, stop at one bag, and if you find yourself tempted to go after another bag, distract yourself.
Moderation isn't hard once you make the concious effort to make a habit of it.
What I personally manage is to make a good decision in the store, but if I'm at home and didn't make good decisions but brought home a large bag or huge carton of something, then it's gone sooner than I can say bye bye.
"New habits" for me right now is to log as faithfully as I can and then deal with the aftermath, all the other new habits later. All or nothing is a harsh thing to ask from oneself - log perfectly and learn new habits in a week or don't do this at all aka be a failure. It doesn't work that way.
"Moderation isn't hard"? Well, for many trigger food is an addiction of a sort, so moderation won't work. Alcohol or various drugs in moderation don't seem to work so well for addicts either. If someone deems themselves not to be trusted around certain foods, what's the harm in avoiding them? I don't believe it's helpful to insinuate they should do something entirely different from what they feel comfortable doing.0 -
If you eat because you're hungry, you stop eating when you stop being hungry.
If you eat for ANY other reason, what is the cue for you to stop? There isn't one. If you eat because you're stressed, bored, seeking comfort, out of habit . . . you will continue to eat compulsively past your point of satiety because you are seeking but not achieving an outcome that food ultimately cannot provide.
Try to eat to satisfy hunger, nothing else. If you find yourself eating for any other reason, find an alternative activity to meet those needs.
If you crave salty things, maybe you need more salt in your diet.0 -
I ike that!!! Well put!0
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First thing is, you have to log it. There is no shame in "going off the reservation" once in a while. We all do it. The shame is in not holding yourself accountable by logging it. This accomplishes 2 things:...how someone (not me) is able to STOP eating chips or bugles or cookies (insert trigger food here.) My trigger food: potato chips - or anything salty really. If there is a bag or box of something salty in the house I cannot NOT finish the entire bag or box. I am baffled by people that can eat just a few. My husband, for example, will eat just 4 or 5 chips and that's enough for him - I sit and look at him with awe. I generally don't have my "trigger" foods in the house but last week was a bad week and I went on an emotional eating roller coaster of a ride which culimanated in my finishing ALL chips in the house last night (not logged - too ashamed) and polishing off a bottle of wine (logged.) So, how do YOU manage to not totally inhale your trigger foods? I would LOVE suggestions/ideas/advice! My waist begs you!
1. Allows you to see in black and white what that choice did to all your efforts. It also let's you compare that to some of the healthy choices you have made, and how instead of all those chips, I could have had a ton of healthy food for less calories AND improved my macros. Seeing this in black and white really helped me make better choices.
2. Allows you to measure the damage, and correct it going forward, by making better choices, exercising, etc.
I also think, as others have mentioned, that separating out a single serving (or two if you have room in your cals/macros) and putting the bag away can help with the binge-ing. Hope this helps!0 -
I agree with the others who suggest just taking out one serving and putting the rest away. My "chip" of choice is now any of the Pringles varieties. It is easy to count out a serving of them and I have them with my lunches on the weekends.
And now that you have mentioned bugles...before I started on MFP, someone had mentioned the chocolate peanut butter ones! I haven't gotten them in more than a year. Before I would have eaten the whole bag in 5 minutes, but now I am sure I could portion it out and be happy. Maybe I will get some this weekend... 0 -
I agree with some others, try not to have them in the house at all and then temptation won't arise! If (like me) you have certains things in the house for others, ie kids, then weigh it out and log it. The numbers should do it!0
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My husband, for example, will eat just 4 or 5 chips and that's enough for him - I sit and look at him with awe. I generally don't have my "trigger" foods in the house but last week was a bad week and I went on an emotional eating roller coaster of a ride
He doesn't have any emotional problems - or expresses his addictive personality in other ways. Not "judging" (as people call it). It's my training. Often, it's not food that is the problem but something deeper.
You're welcome to disagree.
lol - The hubs and I were talking about this last night actually. He definitely is fighting his own demons. It's just that our trigger foods are different. I can't understand his not eating all the chips and he can't understand my not getting into the Skinny Cows. He has to literally stop himself from eating the entire box of Skinny Cows or Oreos or M&Ms.0 -
Will let you know when I find out. Been at this for 3 years now, still haven't found the answer.
That's what I'm afraid of! :sad:0 -
I'm honestly the same way, it's either no chips or the whole bag, or chocolate or ice cream....
I used to have a really poor diet since I was so skinny I could eat whatever I wanted, but eventually it caught up to me
now what I do is that I refuse to have that type of food in my house, I eat healthy but I don't eat totally clean because thats when you deprive yourself of the food you really love and then go on a huge binge and hate yourself later. The reason why you can't quit at just one is because when you eat food high in fat or sugar is releases seritonin and dopamine, so you get that feel good feeling and want more. What you need to do if find other activities that give off the same feeling, hobbies, working out, or finding other foods you really enjoy. It's all about moderate, 6 days a week I'll log my food and make sure I eat my macro's, then one day a week I'll take to treat myself... eat whatever I want because you need this to re-boot your metabolism but then usually by that day, I'll be so proud of how good all week I'll treat myself but only in moderate.0 -
I have to measure out EVERYTHING. Or else I over eat. Portion control has always been a problem for me.0
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Usually because of habitual reasons, people gorge till the bag is empty. Thinking has to change before habit does. If someone handed you a bag and said "eat more than 20 chips and your husband will drop dead of a heart attack" (extreme, but I'm trying to make a point) you wouldn't finish the bag. Why? Because you value your husband's life, more than that 21st chip. And that's the mentality you have to make about yourself. Sounds simple, but most don't actually grasp it, especially those who put others first....how someone (not me) is able to STOP eating chips or bugles or cookies (insert trigger food here.) My trigger food: potato chips - or anything salty really. If there is a bag or box of something salty in the house I cannot NOT finish the entire bag or box. I am baffled by people that can eat just a few. My husband, for example, will eat just 4 or 5 chips and that's enough for him - I sit and look at him with awe. I generally don't have my "trigger" foods in the house but last week was a bad week and I went on an emotional eating roller coaster of a ride which culimanated in my finishing ALL chips in the house last night (not logged - too ashamed) and polishing off a bottle of wine (logged.) So, how do YOU manage to not totally inhale your trigger foods? I would LOVE suggestions/ideas/advice! My waist begs you!
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition1 -
This is how I do it:
1. I remove said trigger foods from my diet for about 1 month.
2. I never bring the whole package with me to eat. I measure out a portion, and have to go back to the kitchen to get more.
3. I don't eat it in the kitchen. :laugh:
4. I make sure that long term there is a place for all of my favorite foods in my diet. I don't try to replace them or make them out of cauliflower or anything like that. I eat the real thing.
It can take time though. Oh - and make sure you are eating enough that you truly aren't hungry all the time. When I tried the 1200 calorie thing, there was no such thing as moderation when I saw any of my favorites!0 -
Well, generally, I just measure out a serving or two and put the bag of *blank* back in the cupboard. I know I can't control myself if I had the bag sitting in front of me. Might sounds silly since I could just go back to the cupboard and get more but portioning it out seems to work for me.0
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There are certain things I can't buy because I know I will devour the entire package in 1 sitting. I just accept that fact and don't buy them...or buy the smallest package possible so I cause less damage. This includes cheese, pringles, pizza...it can get ugly!0
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