How to eliminate your trigger food?

theflyingartist

Has anyone ever replaced their trigger food with something else?

The "throw it out and don't buy it" method can really work, but I still end up buying it because it's my "indulgence." To combat the feeling of having my "indulgence" without overdoing it, I'm thinking trading chocolate for decaf coffee, or chai tea.

Anyone have success with something like this? Thanks! :flowerforyou:

Fat4Fuel2

It's hard but instead of thinking about food as in indulgence, pick an activity like an extra long shower or a massage.

I realize this doesn't always work. In my experience, switching a food just makes me want that food instead, and I ususally eat more because I think it's healthier, so I just go find the actual food anyway. Maybe instead of giving up chocolate, you could try using cocoa powder in something like oat meal or a glass of milk or what ever you can think of. Also, tea is never a bad thing.

newmrsboyd

Nutella is my "trigger food" so to speak. I have done the whole get rid of it thing but I still love chocolate. I bought the Jello temptations chocolate pudding that has 120 calories per cup instead of letting myself go nuts on Nutella which is 200 cals/ spoonful.

TheLaser

I've been struggling a little with this, too, and have some very modest success. Chocolate is my trigger, too; I can't eat just one piece. Swearing off sugar and all sweeteners entirely helped, but I still have the occasional major chocolate craving. Here's my strategy:

1. I'm at the point where not just any old chocolate will do -it's got to be a kind I really love or I'm just not going to waste calories on it. This just saved me today from one meeting with brownies and another box of Oreos in the staff room. Oreos just look disgusting, and I know their taste is disgusting. Even their font looks fat. I wanted one for about 2 seconds, long enough to look at how many calories one has (omg 50!).

2. I keep no chocolate at home or work. This forces me to really confront my craving. If it's bad enough to waste time making an extra trip to the grocery story, then I know it's a serious craving. Sometimes I don't have time to make the trip, so problem solved!

3. Ok, so I've got a bona fide serious craving on my hands. I think to myself, did I have another serious craving like this recently? If yes, then I tell myself, it's not a craving, it's an addiction, and I'm not going to the store. If no, then I freakin' go to the store and buy a small, expensive bar of high quality chocolate of my favorite variety. It tastes awesome, I feel better, and I don't worry about it. I've done everything I could do to avoid the trigger, and sometimes you really just have to sink your teeth into the yummiest thing ever created under the sun after cauliflower.

theflyingartist

3. Ok, so I've got a bona fide serious craving on my hands. I think to myself, did I have another serious craving like this recently? If yes, then I tell myself, it's not a craving, it's an addiction, and I'm not going to the store.

This is exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you!
It's one of those things where if I feel I've lost control then I won't want to "give in."