I *honestly* do NOT understand...

mbucchieri

I can't stop eating chocolate! Major help needed - Think my will power is the worst!

You and me both!!!! Chocolate is my downfall..So ,so,so hard to say no to...let alone walk away from!!!

jem302

Out of sight, out of mind works for me!

Songbirdcw

My trigger food was pizza. I can't just eat one slice, so I would make my own healthier version. However, more recently Cheez-It's are my fav. I don't buy them often. When I do buy them, I measure out the whole box and place them into snack baggies. This helps me some and my hubby always gets to them faster than I do which eliminates the issue most of the time. Oh and like someone said, log it into MFP and see how the cals stack up if you can't control yourself. Those numbers get me everytime.

BlueBombers

I am like that with chips, I can inhale an entire bag in one sitting no problem. How do I stop? I don't buy them. If they aren't in my house I won't eat them.

whitebalance

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!

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.

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.

LaurenBraddy

How about small individual serving bags? That way you get to eat the whole bag, but still be good! Dessert is my problem, I have solved this by making a protein shake in the evenings when I get the urge to raid my pantry! Also don't make certain foods "off limits" for me that makes me want them more! Everything in moderation

That was my solution exactly! I also work on proving Lays right with their "you can never eat just one" motto. If there were chips in the house, I would eat them, all, in one sitting....and then contemplate running to the grocery store for more! I solved it by getting the individual servings. I also "try" to leave them in the garage to avoid the "accidental" oops, I didn't even realized i'd grabbed another bag, phenomena. It's much harder to pull that card if they are in the garage. I've tried cutting them out entirely before, but I really really enjoy them and don't really want a diet that cuts out my favorite food entirely and forever....and I certainly probably wouldn't be able to stick to it long term.

themanda04

portioning out ONE serving, putting it in a bowl, and eating at the table work for me. i CANNOT sit on the couch and munch, or the whole dang bag of whatever it is will be gone. popcorn, chips, grapes, cyanide, whatever it is will be consumed wholly and fully and completely unnecessarily. but, if i take the snacking out of it, it becomes food not an activity. my couch sitting activities are crochet, or reading, or making jewelry or something. just not eating.

laurenz2501

I bought a bag of snack size York Peppermint Patties so I could enjoy one 50 cal. sweet craving at the 3:00 slump. Well, it is now 3:43, and I have just polished off 7 of them for a whooping 350 cal.

:laugh: Literally just made me crack up laughing! That's so me!!!

AEMW8

Cookies and chips seem to be a few of my trigger foods. I've been trying to make it a point that when I open a bag of cookies I take only 3 - 4 and I'll have a small glass of milk to go with them. After opening the bag, I'll try to portion them out 3 - 4 at a time in snack sized bags and put them in the cookie jar. That way, if I have an urge for them I grab a bag and go. As for chips, I buy the ones I like and keep them at my job. I'm only there twice a week on a normal basis, so they last an entire month. All the chips at home are ones I don't really like.

Achrya

I count out 3 cookies. I wrap and baggie the rest, in groups of 3. I eat my 3. Then I cruise the mfp forums. I usually forget all about the cookies. Baring that I fit in dessert, and about 300 calls if it, most nights. I don't need to eat it other times, because I know it's coming. And once I eat it I know there will be more tomorrow.

I used to eat the entire pack of Oreos in about 2-3 hours. I bought some a week ago and literally have only eaten 3.

truelove7

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!

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.

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!

morrigananne

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.

cscheir

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.

Janyaa

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!

lindustum

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.

sharonfoustmills

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?

chancock6

I can stop, but having cookies in the house is torture. I'm seriously tempted all the time.

Hss0p

I just don't bring bad food into the house. Problem solved!

invisibility

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.

invisibility

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.