What are your trigger foods and how do you handle them?

IreneAdler

So I've been faithfully following mfp since the first of January, and yesterday I blew it. I bought some sweet potato chips, thinking they would be a nice snack.

I ate the entire bag last night. I am so ashamed.

Obviously this is a major trigger food for me, and I won't be buying them again. If they aren't in the house, I can't eat them.

Will I ever learn to enjoy a trigger food in moderation, or am I banned from them forever?

How do you handle your trigger foods?

sarahTV

any kind of trail mix...I could eat the entire BAG and not even think about it...

I just don't have it in the house...it's too tempting.

koosdel

Chocolate. I can't controll myself. I warn people to keep it away or I'll eat it. I can't even keep it in the house.
My friends and co-workers know I am on a diet and tell me no when I start grazing.

kao708

Cheese is my weakness so I don't keep it in the house. The only type that I can keep without eating it all is shredded. Anything sliced or block style will be eaten in one sitting.

mbrotnitsky

First and foremost do not be ashamed of eating the whole bag. Its over and done with. Pick yourself up and start anew. You can do it. My trigger food? I don't have one. Stress triggers me to want salty snacks so I do still have them but I only have one portion and I'm satisfied. I never eat from the bag. The past is the past leave it there. Your moment is now seize it. Go for a walk and burn some calories. It will be okay.

RaeannePemberton

personally, i have found after 2 years of logging faithfully, that i will NEVER be able to let my guard down. i struggle with true "trigger" foods... and if i allow a little of my trigger it soon turns into too much or a binge.

it also depends on stress level, fatigue, etc.

depends on your situation though. if you look at what you are doing as a "diet" you are probably cutting out all things "sinful" but if it's a lifestyle then you know better and moderation is key... it's okay to have a sliver of cake, etc.

for me, i just can't keep those true triggers in the house. if i eat them, it is best if it's in public and with others around so i can limit myself the right way.

xtophercaa

Chocolate anything and french fries. If there's handy chocolate in the house, it will be eaten until it's gone.

bfrice1

My trigger is anything crunchy and salty. I'm a sucker for goldfish, doritos, potato chips, corn chips and don't even get me started on dip (salsa con queso, anyone?)

I decided to buy a snack I don't altogether care for - Triscuit Thin Crisps. After one or two, I've really had enough. If I just have to have dip I go with hummus, which isn't a favorite either, but it takes me right out of the chips and dip mood.

End result: I'm not even remotely worried about eating the whole box of Triscuits, and the hummus is safe too.

Tofuheart

Dark chocolate (a nice big bar of perfection)
Ice Cream
Tropicana not from concentrate orange juice, no pulp

I measure everything out. I eat frozen low fat yogurt instead of ice cream. I eat one dark chocolate ritter bar a month. I can eat a whole big dark chocolate bar quickly without even remembering i ate it so the ritter are good. Small square and I savour every bite.


I practice the buddhist discipline of eating slow and thinking about chewing and sending my body the things it *needs* to run well for me. If I notice I chew fast, I cut the pace in half. I eat a lot less food because my body lets me know when it's had enough. It's helped me cut down my emotional tornado eating too.

anubis609

My trigger foods are usually meat-related. But I can literally just taste it, meaning one bite, and be fine with it. Then go on eating my normal healthy alternative. If there happens to be a day of indulgence, just enjoy it and log it. Then start a new day knowing you just had a good time.

Rubie81

Potato chips. I don't buy them. Substitues: White Cheddar Rice Cake and pop chips 100 cal the bag.

JillyCornwall

Bread and chocolate...i'm carbs addicted.

Tofuheart

@bfrice1 I LOVE that Tostito con queso dip! I like to warm it up in a pan and eat it with organic blue chips. It's actually not that bad calorie wise. Two TBSP is around 40 calories.

cardbucfan

cookies. Can't have them in the house. (can't have the raw cookie dough either, it's almost worse) Have found that when I go to the grocery store, I can go to the bakery and get 1 chocolate chip cookie and that makes me happy. The poor Girl Scout's this year,-they could always count on our 2 boy household for a lot of boxes but not this year!

Tofuheart

cookies. Can't have them in the house. (can't have the raw cookie dough either, it's almost worse) Have found that when I go to the grocery store, I can go to the bakery and get 1 chocolate chip cookie and that makes me happy. The poor Girl Scout's this year,-they could always count on our 2 boy household for a lot of boxes but not this year!

Ah yes, I forgot about cookies. I like the fruit swirl ones by Peek Frean. They are amazing. I can eat tons of those at a sitting. The mint girl guides are good too. Yum!

JennLifts

superbowl party i ate myself sick.. i've been doing this for almost 3 years. Its something you do, and hop back on the wagon the next day. You can lose it if you gain it. It's taken me forever to learn that. Its ok to enjoy a moment, but dont let your moment last 2 weeks.. No guilt in your splurge.. I just dont keep things like cake or any baked good on my counter.

Christine1110

I like sweets & ice cream. If I buy ice cream....it's because I plan to eat it, so now I don't buy it. I can't control myself, if I just have a 1/2 cup..... I go back for more. THE BEST THING TO DO IS NOT BUY IT!!

NatalieWinning

Given the right circumstances I'm chanceless! But on a good day I can now have a normal portion of some snacky food I should eat a lot of if I have enough calories. Or ONE cookie, or ONE PIECE of fudge. Or one half cup of half fat ice cream or frozen yogert Or chips if I use cottage cheese as a dip and go heavy on the dip and count my chips.

But it's been 6 months! And some things (especially at first) were just not in the house. I keep trying new foods and making myself braver to try healthy foods. We have found that there are some healthy low calorie things we like as much as junk food. My daughter discovered mangos. I discovered 3 pepper hummus. Looks nasty, but I tried some on a pita chip and after 2tbls I thought YUM and put it away. My husband who hates healthy food ate the entire container when I went to bed!!! So last weekend I tried black bean dip. It was like 20 cals for 2 tbls and I liked it way better than the nacho cheese I would have slopped in last year with a bag of chips.

Get the junk out! Don't buy it! Then get small portions in the house. Then keep trying new healthy foods by reading lables and being brave.

NatalieWinning

superbowl party i ate myself sick.. i've been doing this for almost 3 years. Its something you do, and hop back on the wagon the next day. You can lose it if you gain it. It's taken me forever to learn that. Its ok to enjoy a moment, but dont let your moment last 2 weeks.. No guilt in your splurge.. I just dont keep things like cake or any baked good on my counter.

ditto on the no guilt eating!