Don't Pull That Trigger!

AlongCame_Molly

I found this slide, called "Don't Pull That Trigger!" in my online nutrition class, and thought I would share it.

We've all been there; eating just for the heck of it, falling into eating ruts that become bad habits that eventually led us here, in an attempt to get healthier and lose weight.

With the holidays coming on, and so many threads popping up, freaking out on what to to and how to cope with holiday snacking and eating, I think this will be particularly helpful to those who are susceptible to those traps. Here it is:

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Our environment is loaded with triggers for eating when we’re not really hungry and for continuing to eat past the point of satiety. Learning to recognize these triggers and respond in an effective manner is the key to thriving in our food-abundant environment.

When faced with one of your triggers, instead of automatically eating, use the following mindful eating concepts to FEAST instead.

Focus: whenever you want to eat or continue to eat, that is your trigger to pause and ask, “Am I hungry?” or “Am I still hungry?” In essence, you are creating a new trigger for yourself – wanting to eat now triggers you to pause and check in. This pause creates a gap between the stimulus and response, allowing you to respond instead of react.

Explore: If you’re not hungry, get curious. Ask yourself why you want to when your not hungry. What is your trigger?

Accept: Don’t judge yourself; you wouldn’t judge a machine for having a switch.

Strategize: Choose how you’ll respond. Do something else until you do feel hungry.

Take Action: Each time you choose not to pull the trigger, you weaken the connection between the stimulus and the response. Each time, you are faced with a trigger, choose a different action so you can create new connections. With practice, you can hardwire these new pathways.

gordonfroese

Thanks for this AlongCame_Mol. It is great timing for me. Last year at this time I started getting in shape. I had 55 pounds to lose. By June I had lost 28. Then I played golf from Spring to Fall and slipped back by gaining 16 pounds. I am now working out daily again, going to my personal trainer regularly and being inspired by messages like this and the success stories I see on MFP. I will post again when I get to Onder Land:-)

janer4jc

Love this. Thanks for sharing.