On auto pilot to the store for snacks

kamaboko1
kamaboko1 Posts: 28 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone suffer from auto pilot syndrome to the store? You know you're going by a store that has all your favorite snacks. You tell yourself you won't stop by and go in. But before you know it you're leaving the parking lot with all your favorite stuff. You look at the bag and say, "Screw it...I won't do it tomorrow". This happens to me a lot. It's like I'm having a fugue moment.

Replies

  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    Oh yeh. The bakery aisle has trapped me many times. :( I'll run in for carrots and spinach, but find my bag is loaded with a bag of cookies and Little Debbies junk. And don't get me started on pumpkin whoopie pie season. :#:( I'm like, whoa! Where'd you guys come from? Sad thing is I'd hide them so nobody would see them or eat some of them before I even got home. :( Ugh, that's a whole other topic, hiding food.

    So, now I steer my cart right away from those aisles, stick to the basics aisles. Plus I found things that I can substitute for my weaknesses, that I like just as much and don't have a negative affect on my calories. Thankfully hubby and I don't have similar tastes most of the time, when it comes to junk food. He prefers cheetos to my cookies. So I buy him his cheetos and don't eat them and I stay out of the cookie aisle. I do like peanuts in the shell which aren't terribly bad, plus they take awhile to eat. :)
  • FossilFusion
    FossilFusion Posts: 40 Member
    My advice for this OP is when you acknowledge it. Simply think HALT and see below how you are feeling:

    H - Hunger. Are you truly hungry? What's your day been like so far? If you are hungry. Honor your hunger or check if you aren't under eating all day.
    A - Angry. Is your autopilot clouded by something that has made you angry that you aren't aware of?
    L - Lonely. Is this pattern making you do the above? If you are feeling lonely. Call a friend/reach out to a family member. Sometimes we can feel lonely and use food to comfort that emotion.
    T - Tired. Are you tired? Perhaps check your sleep routine and patterns. Take a nap, or simply relax.

    If you keep saying to yourself 'tomorrow', 'on Monday' you are simply lying to yourself and that your goals currently with Fitness, and Nutrition are not deep enough for you.

    Another idea is to check what you are eating. The Food you go to the store for. Have you been restricting these? If you tell your inner child no, it will flip. It's best to plan in advance for said treats.

    It's trial and error. I hope this helps or gives some ideas.

    Good luck 🤞
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,437 Member
    edited March 2022
    I learned to only go to the grocery store with a list in hand.

    As long as I have specific goals of what to buy, I’m good.

    I also put mental blinders on when I walk down the snack aisle. (I shop at Lidl, where “shop the perimeter” doesn’t apply. Their Mexican and organics are on the same aisle as snacks).

    If something does grab my attention I pick it up and immediately-and carefully- read the nutrition info. I ask myself, “how much exercise will I have expended and potentially wasted to eat this thing? How much of another food I really enjoy will I waste trying this out? Will I really be just disappointed? Am I really just hungry or thirsty? Did someone or something piss me off and cause me to relapse into I-Deserve mode? ”

    I also make a point of browsing the seasonal stuff- European Easter or Christmas candies and such. Sometimes I’ll actually find something I love that’s not so horrible and tuck it away for later. I got a couple bags of mini marzipan logs that are only 130 calories apiece, and the little sardine and tomato paste pâté cans were pretty epic with pretzels, and only 55 calories apiece.

    You’re in charge.

    Think of it as a bank account and decide what you’re willing to spend. I was thinking last night about the Izod craze in the 70’s. Are you willing to spend Izod or Grrranimals calories?
  • Xellercin
    Xellercin Posts: 924 Member
    Auto-pilot behaviours are just entrenched patterns. There are tons of resources out there to help you modify behavioural patterns if you want to address these head on.

    Atomic Habits is a popular and easy to read resource on the basics of patterned behaviour if you want to start there.
  • PAPYRUS3
    PAPYRUS3 Posts: 13,259 Member
    Xellercin wrote: »
    Auto-pilot behaviours are just entrenched patterns. There are tons of resources out there to help you modify behavioural patterns if you want to address these head on.

    Atomic Habits is a popular and easy to read resource on the basics of patterned behaviour if you want to start there.

    Just the other day I listened to a podcast featuring his (James Clear of Atomic Habits) - There's a few but I listened to Brene Brown's Nov 2021(part one and two). Good stuff.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,203 Member
    This may be harsh, but IMO questioning our "autopilot" habits, taking responsibility for them, changing them as needed to achieve healthier "autopilot" habits - that's key to success. Defining it as a "syndrome" is for me a way of distancing myself from that responsibility. That may not be true for you.

    I like what @springlering62 said here, and I also do this:
    springlering62 wrote: »
    (snip other good stuff)

    If something does grab my attention I pick it up and immediately-and carefully- read the nutrition info. I ask myself, “how much exercise will I have expended and potentially wasted to eat this thing? How much of another food I really enjoy will I waste trying this out? Will I really be just disappointed? Am I really just hungry or thirsty? Did someone or something piss me off and cause me to relapse into I-Deserve mode? ”

    (snip more)

    You’re in charge.

    Think of it as a bank account and decide what you’re willing to spend. I was thinking last night about the Izod craze in the 70’s. Are you willing to spend Izod or Grrranimals calories?

    Have I ever done things like you describe, OP? Sure. But I've observed that there are a lot of points in there where I can insert a stop point: I drive by. I drive in. I park. I go into the store. I visit certain aisles or areas. I browse there. I pick up the item(s). I carry stuff to the checkout. I hand it over, pay. I take it to my car. Maybe I take it home. I eat it. All of those are points where I could stop, limit myself, make a different choice.

    It's not always perfectable, not always easy, but IMO it's a thing we can improve at over time, if we stick with it.

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