Trigger Foods

MeemawCanDoIt
MeemawCanDoIt Posts: 92 Member
How do you deal with trigger foods when the rest of your family may want to enjoy them? My husband and son enjoy potato chips with their sandwiches on occasion, but I can't have chips in the house. Pizza is also a trigger for me, but my family loves it. How does your family handle this kind of situation?

Replies

  • JamesAztec
    JamesAztec Posts: 523 Member
    @msjennigirl That's a tough situation you're in. Definitely get them on board as much as possible with your new lifestyle. But also be respectful that they're going to still eat these foods on occasion around you. I live alone and my girlfriend is also a bariatric patient so we tend to eat similar foods. I just dont keep those types of things around.
  • rll22
    rll22 Posts: 39 Member
    Same with me, we don't keep those items in the house otherwise it would be bad!! I know that I will be in situations like yours though when visiting family and going back to work, but I am honestly hoping I can keep telling myself it's not worth it and turn the items down. As far as having it in your house maybe explaining to them why it can't be in the house and reaching a middle ground together would work.
  • MrsCarrieRobinson
    MrsCarrieRobinson Posts: 90 Member
    I have a husband and 2 kids that enjoy their junk food. I don't deny them but it's limited. I don't keep things in the house that are triggers for me. I meal plan, so if I were to plan a dinner of sandwiches and chips I would buy them each an individual bag so there won't be any left overs for later snacking. I also portion basically everything. That way I won't just grab some of this and a little of that. I know exactly what I am eating. It helped teach my kids about portion sizes too.
  • gamommy
    gamommy Posts: 131 Member
    I have a husband and 2 kids that enjoy their junk food. I don't deny them but it's limited. I don't keep things in the house that are triggers for me. I meal plan, so if I were to plan a dinner of sandwiches and chips I would buy them each an individual bag so there won't be any left overs for later snacking. I also portion basically everything. That way I won't just grab some of this and a little of that. I know exactly what I am eating. It helped teach my kids about portion sizes too.

    This is a great idea. I meal plan as well, but I've never thought about buying individual chip bags to help limit how much is in the house.
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,513 Member
    I have a cupboard thats for the kiddos
    All thier stuff is to stay in there
    If its on the kitchen counter i throw it straight in the bin
    Same in the living room. If they set it down and walk off i throw it in the nearest bin

    They learnt quickly to either eat it or put it in its rightful place lol
  • MeemawCanDoIt
    MeemawCanDoIt Posts: 92 Member
    gamommy wrote: »
    So I'm trying to limit some of their snack foods to things they like but I don't (ie: cheese crackers like goldfish, cheez-its).
    I like this idea a lot!
  • MeemawCanDoIt
    MeemawCanDoIt Posts: 92 Member
    @MrsCarrieRobinson Portion sized bags is also a great idea. My husband keeps some snacks in his truck. ;)
  • rpyle111
    rpyle111 Posts: 1,060 Member
    The family needs to understand that they are part of your life just like your surgery. Asking/telling them to keep their stuff in a certain cabinet seems like a reasonable compromise. Not sure how old they are, but making them part of the plan would help them help you.
  • MeemawCanDoIt
    MeemawCanDoIt Posts: 92 Member
    rpyle111 wrote: »
    The family needs to understand that they are part of your life just like your surgery. Asking/telling them to keep their stuff in a certain cabinet seems like a reasonable compromise. Not sure how old they are, but making them part of the plan would help them help you.
    My family is actually really understanding and supportive. I just feel guilty. I'm the cook at home and they just don't get to enjoy certain foods as much now. Potato chips are the one and only food I WILL eat, regardless of whether it's in a special cabinet.

  • clcmfp
    clcmfp Posts: 108 Member
    I have alternative things around that I can eat and that I like - Parmesan crisps like Whisps (9g of protein, 0 carbs, 100 calories), Real Good Pizza (chicken Parmesan crust, 25g of protein, 4 carbs, 270 calories), turkey jerky, etc. so I don't feel left out.
  • jcavanna2
    jcavanna2 Posts: 777 Member
    I have a 10 year old very picky daughter with ADHD, anxiety and sensory processing disorder. She eats barely anything so we have tons of stuff in the house so she will just eat. I have always bought stuff in portion controlled containers like single serving bags of chips and cookies so it's easy to put in her lunchbag. That said if I really want something I have it - but I log it in MFP and measure out my servings. Where it becomes dangerous for me is when I have a box of something that isn't already portioned out.

    I am a native NY'er and pizza is in my blood. I had real pizza about 10 weeks post op and ate maybe half a slice. I can now eat a full slice at most.

    When I crave pizza but don't want the carbs Iale the chicken crust pizza from the Bariatric Eating website - it's easy to make and very tasty!
  • NewCaddy
    NewCaddy Posts: 845 Member
    I love me some chips! What I've asked my family to do is to either have the kind I don't like (BBQ comes to mind) or to take them to the family room downstairs (where I almost never am) and not let me know they are here. I feel I should be able to suck it up, but history shows they are my enemy.
  • loveshoe
    loveshoe Posts: 361 Member
    NewCaddy wrote: »
    I love me some chips! What I've asked my family to do is to either have the kind I don't like (BBQ comes to mind) or to take them to the family room downstairs (where I almost never am) and not let me know they are here. I feel I should be able to suck it up, but history shows they are my enemy.

    I'm with you chips are the enemy, my kryptonite, my worst friend ever. If I don't see them I'm fine but if I have one I'll have a serving plus more until they are gone. I can walk past them in the grocery store because they aren't open but an open bag is just too tempting.

  • elle77belle
    elle77belle Posts: 10 Member
    NewCaddy wrote: »
    I love me some chips! What I've asked my family to do is to either have the kind I don't like (BBQ comes to mind) or to take them to the family room downstairs (where I almost never am) and not let me know they are here. I feel I should be able to suck it up, but history shows they are my enemy.

    I eat the Quest Protein BBQ chips. They taste funny at first but they grow on you. 130 calories per bag, 21 grams of protein, 4 carbs, zero sugar, 2 grams of fiber. It helps when you want to have that crunch taste. :smile:
  • MeemawCanDoIt
    MeemawCanDoIt Posts: 92 Member
    I'll have to order some protein chips!
  • Lizakabibbis
    Lizakabibbis Posts: 370 Member
    My partner and son are both on the skinny side and work out regularly. They eat whatever they want and it is all located in my pantry! I'm still figuring out what works best for me (even at 11 months out) I have my good days and bad days....My trigger food is popcorn. and it's a slider for me....so I can't be trusted around it. Sweets are my downfall and lately I've been doing REALLY bad with it but all I can do is keep starting over every day with a better attitude.
  • ccruz985
    ccruz985 Posts: 646 Member
    What exactly is a trigger food? Forgive me, I'm usually more astute but I can't figure it out. Triggers you to eat and get sick or to get upset that someone else has it or...?
  • Lizakabibbis
    Lizakabibbis Posts: 370 Member
    ccruz985 wrote: »
    What exactly is a trigger food? Forgive me, I'm usually more astute but I can't figure it out. Triggers you to eat and get sick or to get upset that someone else has it or...?

    A trigger food is a specific food that sets off a course of overeating where control is lost.
  • MeemawCanDoIt
    MeemawCanDoIt Posts: 92 Member
    @elle77belle I just tried Quest Protein Chips. They hit the spot. The texture is similar to baked Lays with a corn aftertaste. I needed more protein today, so these were ok. I can have these when my family has individual bags of Baked Lays. Thanks for mentioning these!
  • pneschich
    pneschich Posts: 325 Member
    My son baked chocolate chip cookies yesterday. I haven't had trouble with anything until them. The smell when I walked in. My head exploded. I felt like I was in a trap. I had a bite of one- it was everything I knew it would be. They were on the counter all evening and this morning. They better be gone when I get home I only have so much will power. I can resist just about everything but that really threw me.
  • MeemawCanDoIt
    MeemawCanDoIt Posts: 92 Member
    pneschich wrote: »
    My son baked chocolate chip cookies yesterday.
    I feel your pain. ;)
  • ccruz985
    ccruz985 Posts: 646 Member
    pneschich wrote: »
    My son baked chocolate chip cookies yesterday. I haven't had trouble with anything until them. The smell when I walked in. My head exploded. I felt like I was in a trap. I had a bite of one- it was everything I knew it would be. They were on the counter all evening and this morning. They better be gone when I get home I only have so much will power. I can resist just about everything but that really threw me.

    Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, WHO CAN BLAME YOU
  • ccruz985
    ccruz985 Posts: 646 Member
    ccruz985 wrote: »
    What exactly is a trigger food? Forgive me, I'm usually more astute but I can't figure it out. Triggers you to eat and get sick or to get upset that someone else has it or...?

    A trigger food is a specific food that sets off a course of overeating where control is lost.

    Oh, well. Diet Coke. It's not a food, I know, but talk about a gateway drug!!! Honey graham crackers. A serving size is two sheets. I'm lucky if I stop at one of the three packages that come in the damn box.
  • BarneyRubbleMD
    BarneyRubbleMD Posts: 1,092 Member
    ccruz985 wrote: »
    ccruz985 wrote: »
    What exactly is a trigger food? Forgive me, I'm usually more astute but I can't figure it out. Triggers you to eat and get sick or to get upset that someone else has it or...?

    A trigger food is a specific food that sets off a course of overeating where control is lost.

    Oh, well. Diet Coke. It's not a food, I know, but talk about a gateway drug!!! Honey graham crackers. A serving size is two sheets. I'm lucky if I stop at one of the three packages that come in the damn box.

    me too! Those are just impossible to resist--I finally had to stop buying them since I can't hold myself to what they call a serving. I've lost count of how many boxes of those I've finished off while watching a movie!


  • prettydreamy
    prettydreamy Posts: 13 Member
    edited August 2017
    i like iwon protein chips in ranch (i buy them at wegmans) or health wise brand protein chips in ranch, bbq, and pizza flavors (which i order on netrition). i keep those around for times when i want a treat. the quest protein chips were so weird to me. they had no crunch!