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After giving it some thought, I think that my biggest trigger is boredom. When there isn’t anything else to do I want to eat something. If I just get busy I find that I no longer have that craving. The trick seems to be making myself get busy instead of eating.
As a side note here is a true story that makes me chuckle every time that I think about it. I have always taken boredom very seriously, and my answer to it is work. I can honestly say that my children never sat around and said, “I’m bored.” What I didn’t know until they were adults and they were sitting around comparing stories is that each of them (at different times) had warned friends that they brought home with them, “Whatever you do, don’t tell Mom that you are bored.”
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This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by
Maxi.
Being depressed is one of my biggest triggers, and I eat all those comfort foods. Mine are usually loaded with both fat and sugar. I read in Scientific American how high fat and sugary foods stimulate reward centers in your brain just like opiates and other addictive drugs do. Mice would eat the high fat and sugary foods even when they knew there were negative consequences. (The mice received an electrical shock.) I can identify with that because I, too, eat those kinds of foods even when I know they are bad for my health and self esteem.
To combat this, I try to exercise because it also stimulates the reward centers of the brain and releases feel-good endorphins, but it suppresses my appetite. I really struggle when I can’t exercise regularly.
I find that boredom is a big trigger for me as well. Especially at work. Work gets pretty dull around mid-afternoon, so I try to remember to have some fruit on hand at all times. Raw almonds are also a good snack if you don’t overdo. I also try to remember to get up and walk around either outside or inside.
At home, I quit keeping things like crackers, chips and sweets of any kind. Seems like always about 9:30 or so, I want a snack. I’ve tried drinking water and telling myself to get over it. Not sure that works real well.
One of the tips that Billie gave in a program once, was do a craft or something that will keep your hands busy so you can’t be stuffing things in your mouth.
Darcy, almonds are a great choice. You can buy single serving sized packages at Walmart, or simply measure out what you need to eat. They are a great to have at work since they do not require refrigeration and can fit in your pocket.
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This reply was modified 12 years, 6 months ago by
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