What are your worst triggers?

vikiwx
vikiwx Posts: 15 Member
edited November 25 in Motivation and Support
After discussing with my friends, I thought it would be fun to see what people worst food triggers are, and what you do to stop them?

I will go first, I am a sucker for just talking about food, I make myself hungry for the naughty stuff just mentioning it... To stop myself indulging, I have a cup of tea or pint of water to try and fill me up, but it never satisfies me, and the self inflicted hunger doesn't seem to go away until dinner.

My friend is bad for adverts and even mutes the TV so she can avoid it.
«1

Replies

  • laurenbastug
    laurenbastug Posts: 307 Member
    weekends are my trigger - whether it's just a meal out with my fiance or out with a group of friends - i see everyone ordering insanely delicious food. I know I can have it in moderation too, but when I'm in that setting, moderation becomes a foreign concept. I try my best to find out where we're going so I can plan my meals appropriately, or at least, after suffering through a bland meal, ensure I have a planned treat that still fits my numbers.
  • saragd012
    saragd012 Posts: 693 Member
    Boredom usually get me. When I get bored I get anxious, so then I feel like I need something to do and start snacking. Also I make poor food choices when drinking.
  • Lean59man
    Lean59man Posts: 714 Member
    edited March 2018
    Cheez-it crackers.

    I can eat a whole box.

    So, no Cheez-its in the house most of the time.

    Chocolate is the same for me. I can eat a whole bag of Hershey's Miniatures.

    So I rarely have them in the house.
  • missemree
    missemree Posts: 5 Member
    Stress... anger... whenever I feel like I’m upset, I feel like food is the only thing that calms me down
  • hcdo
    hcdo Posts: 201 Member
    *Boredom, mostly.

    *Stress, too.

    *Hearing my coworkers in their cubicles opening packages of food -- it sets off a Pavlovian response.

    * Social events where there is serve-yourself unlimited food.

    * Eating out with others; I'll be trying to choose healthy options while everyone else orders the most-insanely caloric (and of course most delicious) thing on the menu.
  • dsboohead
    dsboohead Posts: 1,899 Member
    2aycocks wrote: »
    Emotional upset or grief. My 18 year old grandson was killed last summer and have just been eating whatever was handy, easy, and tasted good to me. Like comfort foods. I've gained too much weight so I'm trying to start doing better.

    Oh I am so sorry for this horrendous loss!! Yes...the grief hits you at the most unexpected times. Hugs to you <3
    I will leave this with you.........Don't Try, Do!
  • SabAteNine
    SabAteNine Posts: 1,867 Member
    Lack of sleep, missing all meals till dinner (which happens sometimes abroad, and then comes a huge dinner), alcohol, stress, the smell of fresh, hot, steaming bread
  • rasta_bb
    rasta_bb Posts: 109 Member
    Alcohol. Ugh. < That's why I started dieting in the first place. Carbs even being in my presence is a problem. I see crackers or something and there must be a lack of oxygen in my brain as it thinks for me, "hey a delicious bread product. You know what would be better than that? 1000 calories of pizza."
    I curb my cravings why chugging about 2 fluid oz of water and chomping on the first random healthy thing I can get my hands on. For instance, Cucumber slices dipped in humman, guac, salsa, etc is AMAZING when you make excuses like you're 'starving'. I still havn't managed to stop myself at one cup of ice cream though Dx
  • rasta_bb
    rasta_bb Posts: 109 Member
    jigglypuff_wigglytuff wrote: »
    Hmm. This might sound depressing but my worst trigger is when I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I can be feeling good all day, energetic, healthy, making good choices, and then if I see my fat belly in the mirror it's like "what's the point? it'll take a miracle" and then all I want to do is binge eat cause I feel hopeless. When I feel/look skinnier it's more motivation to me to keep going. Slow changes are hard but I'm sticking with it this time.

    Don't quit! I started a week ago and have lost 2 lbs! There is gold at the end of every rainbow :)
  • positivepowers
    positivepowers Posts: 902 Member
    2aycocks wrote: »
    Emotional upset or grief. My 18 year old grandson was killed last summer and have just been eating whatever was handy, easy, and tasted good to me. Like comfort foods. I've gained too much weight so I'm trying to start doing better.

    My sympathies on your loss.

    Hunger triggers binges for me so I've learned to eat at certain times to avoid becoming too hungry (I know how crazy that sounds!) The smell and sight of foods like donuts, Wetzel's Pretzels, burgers, etc.

    Boredom is a big one. So is stress and for the first time in my entire life, I resigned from my job without having another job (I have a month to get another job.) After almost 6 years I got tired of being blamed for every bad thing that happens there. Ok, even I realize that's an exaggeration but I want to dive into a vat filled with Taco Bell tacos and bean burritos and eat my way out.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited March 2018
    Having things higher on my priority list than watching my calories is the surest way for me to overeat. When I'm hyperfocused on a demanding work project, for example, I tend to not care enough to put thought into my eating and I'll just grab whatever. I consciously know that I'm overeating, I just don't care. This is the worst kind of trigger for me because I can reason with myself if something is hard (and win the argument with myself sometimes), but I can't reason with myself at all if I can't even be bothered to reason with myself. I go through this complete weird mental shift.
  • adhocmaster
    adhocmaster Posts: 13 Member
    Stress, especially in romantic relationship :D:D
  • KeepRunningFatboy
    KeepRunningFatboy Posts: 3,055 Member
    Work stress. Lack of sleep. Both contribute to less will power.

    If I’m mindful, I’m good. But if I start losing mindfulness, I make more habitual and short sighted decisions.
  • makinemjellis
    makinemjellis Posts: 91 Member
    Stress is a huge one for me. I'm taking online classes and notice I tend to mindlessly eat while I'm reading papers/watching lectures.

    Also alcohol. Almost all of the leisure activities where I live center around or at least involve drinking. I had a hard time not participating/limiting myself if everyone else is drinking and I get terrible drunchies.
  • Mr_Healthy_Habits
    Mr_Healthy_Habits Posts: 12,588 Member
    Something I can't have anytime I want
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    edited March 2018
    missemree wrote: »
    Stress... anger... whenever I feel like I’m upset, I feel like food is the only thing that calms me down

    I was going to say chocolate cake, but yes, anger is the worst. It leads to IDGAF.

    ETA: Yes to alcohol too. Self control goes out the window.
  • rrxxxnnee
    rrxxxnnee Posts: 1 Member
    * when I start playing xbox I feel like I have to munch on something. I was 165lb and I gained 50lb because I did nothing but play Xbox and order pizza. I got married and started a family and now I’ve lost 20lb. I still play a lot of Xbox and the craving doesn’t fail to appear lol. But I’ve gotten waaay better at suppressing it by drinking a lot of water or eating a peach..
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    Boredom and my period.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited March 2018
    rrxxxnnee wrote: »
    * when I start playing xbox I feel like I have to munch on something. I was 165lb and I gained 50lb because I did nothing but play Xbox and order pizza. I got married and started a family and now I’ve lost 20lb. I still play a lot of Xbox and the craving doesn’t fail to appear lol. But I’ve gotten waaay better at suppressing it by drinking a lot of water or eating a peach..

    Oddly, I'm the exact opposite. When I play games I don't want food anywhere near my gaming gear. I don't know if it would work for you, but do you think if you buy high-end controllers/headset...etc you'll be reluctant to touch them with greasy hands or have crumbs on them?
  • JaydedMiss
    JaydedMiss Posts: 4,286 Member
    edited March 2018
    i dont really have any stress eating but i do eat alot late night- iv actually found adding alot of green veggies helped kill that im amazed lol. BUT if i have icecream or cookies or anything around i eat it, eat it all, until its gone no matter how much there is (seriously) Once i start i dont stop. So i have to keep those foods out of my house and buy small portions while out or whatever. I stick to eating late in the day and eating veggies/frozen fruit for snacking on late night that way its kind of hard to overdo.

    I found out its easier to keep active and prioritize things i eat daily like spinach, brussel sprouts, broccoli, green/yellow beans, carrots and tuna and frozen mixed fruits help. I know im in trouble when i start trying to convince myself i dont need the spinach calories i can use those calories on -whatever- instead. Slippery slope :p i gota just eat them and then i feel fine.

    edit: also coffee helps all xD
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
    Wonky sleep.
    Stress.
    Boredom/lonely.
    Just generally feeling bad about myself.
  • MichelleWithMoxie
    MichelleWithMoxie Posts: 1,817 Member
    Boredom and alcohol fo sho
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    I don't have any food triggers, unless you count hunger pangs. Eating has never been a coping mechanism for me. Instead, when I'm stressed, I tend to shut down, procrastinate and take naps. I don't get fat this way, but I don't get anything done, either... :s
  • orangegato
    orangegato Posts: 6,572 Member
    Definitely alcohol. It's like a domino effect - buzzed, stay up later, munchies, poor judgment, overeating etc.
    Also, buffets. Seeing all that food makes me hungrier and more difficult to stop eating.
  • Pastaprincess1978
    Pastaprincess1978 Posts: 371 Member
    Yep, stress here too. End of day is the worst - mornings aren't as bad.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories