“Red light foods”

theyoginurse

Do you have certain “red light foods” you just say no to? What are they?

I am all for flexible dieting, which is why I joined MFP. I wanted to learn how to plan foods I enjoy into my calories/life. At the same time, I’ve noticed since starting 12 days ago, I have been going over my sugar goal for the day.

The thing is, as much as I want to be a flexible dieter, right now in my life, I realize that chocolate and ice cream sends me into a tailspin. It’s like it sets off cravings. Maybe in the future I can have these foods- but right now, I have to just choose not to.

Has this happened to you? Are there certain foods you just know you can’t stop at one serving because it sets off cravings? Or is this in my mind?

I need support to have more self-control.

nickssweetheart

Potato chips.

If they are in my house, I will eat them until they are gone. If they are not in my house and I buy a small bag with only two servings, I will want another bag and think of nothing else. And even though I have enough calories to be able to fit 2 small bags of potato chips into a day, it would throw off everything else: nutrients, protein, important things.

The funny thing is I don't miss them. I'd rather have a small bag of curly fries if it comes down to it (and have done so a couple of times,) but fries don't set off the craving in the same way.

ab_1203

Chocolates, mainly Jaffa Cakes omg! or ice cream. Ill buy a pack once a month or something and eat it all in one go. Its just too easy which is why I restrict myself.

Angieve1

Chocolate ice cream ,

If I try to have one serving, it ends up being 4 . So if I want something sweet I found something to replace it and it's still something I like so I feel like it's a treat without being too bad .
snack Calories(60 ) Carbs( 14 ) Fat(0) Protein(0) Sodium (20) Sugar (11)
Chapman's - Super Lolly - Banana, 1 Lolly
It's just empty calories I know but I least I don't feel like giving up and putting this aside. It helps me say Hey I can still have a treat . I started 13 days ago and I want this to help me being a life change and not a fad and I feel like it's going good .

Cheers . nice tread by the way

kommodevaran

I will eat anything as long as I can control intake. Eating socially is a way to exert that control. Buying 1 single serving to eat at home, alone, is another. These are my red light foods:
Cookies, cake (but I have successfully made and eaten homemade pie several times now), ice cream, desserts, chips, nutella, chocolate, candy.
I don't care much for soda or alcohol.
I can eat appropriate amounts of other foods, including pizza and bacon.

Jancandoit7

Peanut butter! - started using PB2 to get my peanut butter fix. Also cheese- hard for me to eat just 1 oz. I don't keep any sweets in the house because I have no self-control. When I do have something sweet I buy just one of something (candy bar/ice cream cone) or find an alternative (Love Crunch or Kind bars are pretty good). It's just about constantly making better choices without feeling deprivation- been at this for 3.5 months- I must say it is getting harder but I'm staying the course.

azironasun

Peanut butter. I can sit down and eat the whole jar.

Livgetfit

Bread. Exactly as you described, a 'tailspin'. It just sets me off. I can eat half a loaf in a sitting, no problem.

Lizakabibbis

popcorn. I'm obsessed with it. I follow KETO so it's not an option....but if I eat it I can make myself sick.

karahunts

Soda. Not that it's something that I'm addicted to, it's just that I know it has hardly any nutritional value and gives me hardly any satisfaction compared to other junk food like cake and donuts (which I'm happy to eat in moderation).

DX2JX2

Pizza. So good but so many calories per slice. I'd rather have no pizza than only a little pizza.

WinoGelato

theyoginurse wrote: »

Do you have certain “red light foods” you just say no to? What are they?

I am all for flexible dieting, which is why I joined MFP. I wanted to learn how to plan foods I enjoy into my calories/life. At the same time, I’ve noticed since starting 12 days ago, I have been going over my sugar goal for the day.

The thing is, as much as I want to be a flexible dieter, right now in my life, I realize that chocolate and ice cream sends me into a tailspin. It’s like it sets off cravings. Maybe in the future I can have these foods- but right now, I have to just choose not to.

Has this happened to you? Are there certain foods you just know you can’t stop at one serving because it sets off cravings? Or is this in my mind?

I need support to have more self-control.

There are certainly a lot of people that have foods they have difficulty moderating. There are usually two schools of thoughts on this. Either cut those foods out altogether, to avoid temptation; or learn strategies to be able to moderate them. Both are valid strategies and come down to a matter of personal preference. I didn't really have specific trigger foods, but I certainly believe that delicious foods are not going to go away in my life and so making sure that I'm able to enjoy the all the foods I love in moderation was important to me.

Some of the strategies I know people have found success with:
1. Don't buy those foods and keep them in the house initially. Save them as treats that you enjoy when you are in a restaurant, at a special event, and therefore less likely to eat in excess.
2. When you do feel strong enough to keep them in the house, buy them in single serving portions and allow yourself to have them only when you can fit them in your calories.
3. To that point, prelog all your foods so you can determine ahead of time IF you can fit them in that day, or that week, and only if you've made sure to achieve other nutritional priorities.
4. Try not to eat them mindlessly. Focus on eating them in an environment where you can truly savor them, and not just distractedly eating them as you watch television or do other activities, so that you can then feel satisfied by the smaller amount.


Lastly, you mentioned going over your sugar goal regularly. Unless you have a medical reason to restrict sugar, that's probably ok, as long as sweets or other sugary foods are not crowding out other foods that provide more nutrition. For people who regularly eat fruits, some starchy vegetables, and things like yogurt - it's pretty easy to hit or exceed that sugar goal even without adding in desserts. Many people have found success in swapping out the sugar goal for things like fiber, which is often a more beneficial metric, for those who have no medical reason to restrict sugar.

Good luck.

jjpptt2

Food is my trigger food. I have a MUCH easier time not eating than I do eating in moderation. I have a suspicion my relationship with food has gotten worse, not better, over the last year or so.

GottaBurnEmAll

Peanut M & M's.

I want to see if I can buy a bag of them in fun size bags and moderate them, because that just might work.

I do currently buy them every now every now and then going through the check out in the grocery store in a single serving package, but I can't keep a family bag to share with my husband in the house.

quatermore

Panettone, especially around this time of year.

StatsGuy99

Beer. Once I have a few, I want even more. Then I want pizza.

iamthemotherofdogs

Brownies, chocolate cake, candy, garlic bread, spaghetti.

iamthemotherofdogs

DX2JX2 wrote: »

Pizza. So good but so many calories per slice. I'd rather have no pizza than only a little pizza.

Same.

toxikon

For some reason my brain couldn't comprehend "red light foods". I thought you meant "light" foods that are red in colour. Like apples or bell peppers.

It's definitely Monday...