what triggers your bad eating habits and how are you changin

mrmarius
mrmarius Posts: 1,802 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
as i'm trying to eat cleaner and healthier etc i'm noticing alot of things about how i eat. the biggest thing i've found is often i'm not hungry when i'm eating but instead bored. it seems as if when i get bored i have a craving usually for something crunchy which usually ends up being chips or something like that. right now i'm not sure what i'm gonna do to remedy it but i'm more cognizant of it so maybe i'll control it better

Replies

  • allison7922
    allison7922 Posts: 276 Member
    TOM!! I don't know WHY I have such cravings for chocolate at that time but I do and I am not sure what to do about it, I wish I knew!!
  • superhippiechik
    superhippiechik Posts: 1,044 Member
    Baked Kale can be a great substitute for chips.
  • ladybug1620
    ladybug1620 Posts: 1,136 Member
    Definitely TOM. I tend to go kinda crazy during that week. I'm hoping it won't be so bad now that I am being stricter with my diet 6 days a week, and allowing one day to eat whatever I want. I think I will do better now that there are limits, but I guess we'll see in a few weeks!
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
    Well you could stay really busy, find alternatives for chips such as healthy chips, or crunch on carrots, celery. I like "food should taste good multigrain chips" Hope this helps. I also eat soy crisps. They come in all sorts of flavors. Just a thought
  • So my wife is pregnant and has no TOM but I swear I got it for her. At the end of the month for like 3 days I wanna eat junk. Hard to maintain but my wife is my support and makes low cal treats for me.
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
    Baked Kale can be a great substitute for chips.

    I am going to have to try that. Sounds great!
  • lollie1285
    lollie1285 Posts: 239 Member
    Baked Kale can be a great substitute for chips.

    I am going to have to try that. Sounds great!

    I saw Hungry Girl do this! Great idea.
  • innerfashionista
    innerfashionista Posts: 451 Member
    Late nights are bad for me. That's when I get bored and want to eat. I used to keep sugar snap peas around the house and ate them raw - they satisfied the need for crunch.

    I'm triggered by other people eating. My husband and I have to drive about 45 minutes to see family, so we usually stop at a gas station. It took me a LONG time to not grab a full sugar Coke and a candy bar for the trip. It's hard for me to stop eating at family functions. If everyone's grazing, it's near impossible for me NOT to.
  • HolleeERL
    HolleeERL Posts: 313 Member
    I notice that when I'm bored I crave the same things - crunchy! I usually want Goldfish crackers. What I did last night was drink a big glass of water. It usually helps, but I don't always do it...I don't know why. Just need to start being diligent about it.
  • wewon
    wewon Posts: 838 Member
    TOM!! I don't know WHY I have such cravings for chocolate at that time but I do and I am not sure what to do about it, I wish I knew!!


    I wish that people would quit blaming me for all of their problems.

    Sincerely,

    TOM Smith
  • kcmckillip
    kcmckillip Posts: 9 Member
    My triggers are 1) just after I go shopping and I want to try everything I just bought. 2) Just after I get home from work I want to gorge on snacks and drink a cold soda. 3)When I have a sinus headached (a common occurence), I get the munchies. 4) when I decide to take a day to relax.

    I've managed to control the first two just through portion control and recognition. I have a reasonable snack and then stop. I am still struggling with the second two, especially today, since both are in force. . .
  • westo22
    westo22 Posts: 76 Member
    If you have access to a Trader Joe's you can try these as an alternative :

    Trader Joes Baked Salt and Vinegar chips:
    http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/trader-joes/baked-potato-chips-salt-26-vinegar/

    Seriously delicious and only 120 calories for 20 chips, I can eat quite a bit and 20 chips is a nice snack.
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
    Boredom, Stress, and Emotional Eating
  • lollie1285
    lollie1285 Posts: 239 Member
    If you have access to a Trader Joe's you can try these as an alternative :

    Trader Joes Baked Salt and Vinegar chips:
    http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/trader-joes/baked-potato-chips-salt-26-vinegar/

    Seriously delicious and only 120 calories for 20 chips, I can eat quite a bit and 20 chips is a nice snack.

    They sound great! I'll have to stop at Trader Joe's and pick some up.
  • allison7922
    allison7922 Posts: 276 Member
    TOM!! I don't know WHY I have such cravings for chocolate at that time but I do and I am not sure what to do about it, I wish I knew!!


    I wish that people would quit blaming me for all of their problems.

    Sincerely,

    TOM Smith

    :noway: IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!! LOL
  • mamijujuphat
    mamijujuphat Posts: 407 Member
    Going out....gets me most of the time
  • supercatie18
    supercatie18 Posts: 82 Member
    I agree with Tom Smith...stop blaming TOM! haha...Don't you always want chocolate, candy, chips, regardless of what time of the month it is????I think TOM is just an excuse :)
  • kshaw09
    kshaw09 Posts: 48
    My triggers are 1) just after I go shopping and I want to try everything I just bought. 2) Just after I get home from work I want to gorge on snacks and drink a cold soda. 3)When I have a sinus headached (a common occurence), I get the munchies. 4) when I decide to take a day to relax.

    I've managed to control the first two just through portion control and recognition. I have a reasonable snack and then stop. I am still struggling with the second two, especially today, since both are in force. . .


    When I get home from work is the worst for me as well.. I just want to eat whatever I can find even tho i'm not hungry... still working on controlling this
  • Usually eating out. Even though it's not good for you, I eat out quite often I just try to fit it into my calories for the day, or work out a little more since I think I've gotten as far as I'm going to get with not eating out. I used to eat out almost everyday, but now I eat out two or three times a week. I guess you have to make compromises.

    I've never had a problem with cravings when TOM comes around...so maybe I'm just lucky?
  • monkeybuttsmommy
    monkeybuttsmommy Posts: 343 Member
    Emotional eater here... and I was diagnosed with a-typical depression so I went on fluoxitine (prozac). Helped me immensly. Keeps the emotions in check and I have motivation to exercise now. AND the exercise had additional anti-depression effects so its all good. Keeps me from eating too badly but I do indulge once in a while now instead of daily.
  • nachisdoll
    nachisdoll Posts: 192 Member
    how do u bake kale? just lay it out on a baking sheet and bake? on what temp?
    I sometimes eat when im bored but im trying to be more controlled!
  • lipt8611
    lipt8611 Posts: 60 Member
    I am a SNACKER. I've found the only thing that helps me eat less is to not keep snack food in the house. If it's not easily accessible, I'm not about to run out and go get some I know I shouldn't be eating in the first place. Then I'll drink some water and find something else to distract myself with until the craving subsides.
  • Emotional eater here... and I was diagnosed with a-typical depression so I went on fluoxitine (prozac). Helped me immensly. Keeps the emotions in check and I have motivation to exercise now. AND the exercise had additional anti-depression effects so its all good. Keeps me from eating too badly but I do indulge once in a while now instead of daily.

    Me too! I wouldn't have ever started this journey if it wasn't for fluoxitine! I still wish I would have started this medicine several years ago, but it took me a long time to come to terms with taking medication. Now, I'm very thankful. Good luck!
  • ILuvLifehouse
    ILuvLifehouse Posts: 55 Member
    TOM!! I don't know WHY I have such cravings for chocolate at that time but I do and I am not sure what to do about it, I wish I knew!!

    I know exactly what you mean and that's what I'm coming off of now and the cravings are gone but still have those 3 pounds that I picked back up. uuggh. That is when my cravings totally take me over like an addiction. It's tough being a woman at times.
  • AngelsKisses75
    AngelsKisses75 Posts: 595 Member
    I too am an emotional eater. :frown:

    I try to keep active, distract my hands away from food, or even correct my self when I notice that I am falling in to that bad place.
  • wewon
    wewon Posts: 838 Member
    Seriously,

    I have a few triggers that I've tried to make note of and since I have have made measure to keep them in check:

    1) Opportunism - If oreos (especially vanillia) are in the house it will be eaten. I am the same way about most of my favorite sweets. For some reason I have more self control with ice cream and soda since I can take or leave those, but most baked goods are just disasters waiting to happen.

    2) Going out - Eating out is an invitation to salty greasy foods, I can rationalize anything once the menu is in my hands. So I pack my lunch, make homemade foods or eat before activities were eating out is a good flow. When I do go out to a restaraunt I cut myself some slack since it has become a rare treat, hence my attitude in the 5 guys thread.

    3) Letting myself get too hungry without a plan - Coming home from work after skipping lunch is a perfect "excuse" to go to McDonalds or Wendys, (Heck, I haven't eaten all day!) so I make sure to nosch on good foods so that I don't go around with a raging appetite.

    4) Giving up - Falling off the wagon used to leave me feeling discouraged and once that happens I may as well keep going. That attitude was the worst of all. Now I expect to fall off the wagon every now and then, and I have learned to reset the clock for myself. Every morning is a new opportunity to start clean.
  • ZebraHead
    ZebraHead Posts: 15,207 Member
    margarita night kills me. To fix it I'm drinking more, faster so I'll pass out and not eat anything else...
  • kgool
    kgool Posts: 177 Member
    I just realized who the heck TOM was.


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    Driving by a McDonald's is my trigger and I just keep on driving.
  • WomanofWorth
    WomanofWorth Posts: 395 Member
    TOM!! I don't know WHY I have such cravings for chocolate at that time but I do and I am not sure what to do about it, I wish I knew!!


    I wish that people would quit blaming me for all of their problems.

    Sincerely,

    TOM Smith

    Now that's funny!!!!!
  • Myssrenee
    Myssrenee Posts: 24
    What triggered my bad eating habits were coping with my life, trying to feel the void that I had for so many years with food. As a child at 9yrs old I was molested by my stepfather, and it went on for many yrs. I was 16yrs old when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter and it was by my stepfather...during that time period I ate and ate and ate and ate to make myself look "Unattractive" in hopes it would keep this man off of me, but it didn’t work. But eventually I found my comfort in food. I was able to take my mind off of this horrible situation that I was going thru with the help of music and food. So until a month ago, I ate and ate when I felt sad, or lonely, and it got even worse when ever I would have recurring nightmares about my child hood. I would find myself eating outrageously...until one day about a month ago I saw that my daughter now 11 was picking up on some of my bad habits...and she is a tall skinny little thing. But I refused to allow my child to do what I was doing because I knew exactly what that would lead to, and I no longer felt sorry for myself, I was mad at myself for letting things get this bad and now my child is following what she sees me doing. So, I PRAYED, I decided that I was going to make a change once and for all, and I decided to go to counseling to deal and get over the demon that was in me that was haunting me from my childhood, and take control of ME, so now I am eating so much better, I am more aware of what Im doing, I am staying active, and most importantly my daughter is following in my new foot steps, I involve her in my activities and I try to teach her how to make better choices when it comes down to eating healthy.
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