Losing Weight - Taming Your Trigger Foods

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Losing Weight - Taming Your Trigger Foods

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There are certain things we just cannot stop eating once

we've begun. A bag of chips, bread, a favorite chocolate or

candy, whatever it is that sets us off makes us keep eating

until we feel over-full or finish the bag. These are what we

call trigger foods, and they can be a serious stumbling

block to trying to lose weight. Incorporate these two

techniques into your routine over the next 30 to 60 days to

take charge over those trigger foods.

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Distribution Date and Time: 2010-03-10 11:15:00

Written By: Larry Tobin

Copyright: 2010

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Losing Weight - Taming Your Trigger Foods

Copyright © 2010 Larry Tobin

Habit Changer

http://www.HabitChanger.com/

There are certain things we just cannot stop eating once we've

begun. A bag of chips, bread, a favorite chocolate or candy,

whatever it is that sets us off makes us keep eating until we

feel over-full or finish the bag. These are what we call trigger

foods, and they can be a serious stumbling block to trying to

lose weight. It isn't simply a case of cheating either; these

sorts of foods can affect even the most determined individual

because they're as much an emotional crutch as they are a

physical indulgence.

Of course, the Habit Changer philosophy isn't about punishment

or monk-like avoidance; it is about careful moderation. We are

allowed to enjoy ourselves, and indeed that's the purpose behind

building all of these good habits.

When you practice healthy eating and a healthy lifestyle on a

regular basis, you can indulge yourself now and again with those

foods you like without worrying. The trick is learning two

important ways to keep control of these trigger foods without

letting them kick off a big eating binge. Incorporate these

techniques into your routine over the next 30 to 60 days to take

charge over those trigger foods.

Method 1 - Exclusion

One technique we've discussed in the past is keeping temptation

away from you. If your trigger foods aren't in the house, then

you aren't going to binge on them. So take advantage of this and

set a time period such as one or two weeks during which you

won't buy your trigger food at all. This is not a permanent

thing, remember that we're all about moderation. What this time

period should do is allow you to use up your current supply and

still have some time left without the food in your house.

Now sometimes a whole two weeks without buying or having a

favorite treat can feel like a hard decision to make. If you're

feeling like this is too big of a commitment, remember what

we've discussed about breaking problems down into smaller

pieces. Habits are built out of day-by-day steps, not instant

yearlong epiphanies. Focus on making a decision for today, a

decision not to go out and buy any more of your chosen trigger

food. At the end of the day, you can feel confident about having

made a measurable, positive step.

Once you've made this first step, the trick is to keep building

on it a bit at a time. After making two individual one-day

choices, commit to it for two more days. Once you manage that,

and you will, increase it again and again until you've met your

exclusion time commitment. Remember that this isn't about

depriving yourself, but controlling things to your best benefit.

The first step in control is deciding how much you can have, and

in this case it means deciding when you can't have any.

Method 2 - Mastery

As we've mentioned, keeping something away from you is the best

way to avoid overindulging. However, this is only a means of

putting off the problem. If we're putting it off until we have

the means to deal with it, that's a good thing. If we just keep

putting it off without trying to come to grips with it, it's a

bad thing. Doing so doesn't provide a sense of closure to the

issue, only distance. In such cases people often end up depriving

themselves so much that they end up going on worse binges than

before, which just puts them back where they began.

In the Habit Changer philosophy, the key isn't perpetual denial

but managed control. Once we've learned how to control our

environment and exclude our trigger foods for a little while, we

can start reintroducing them and enjoying them properly.

So start thinking about your favorite trigger food. Think about

all the reasons why you like it and how good it is. As you do,

consider that a lot of the enjoyment actually comes from that

first bite. This is particularly true with treats like chocolate

- the first taste is delicious and enjoyable, while the rest

almost seems to come on automatic.

If you feel you're ready for it, get a very small amount of your

food of choice, and have one bite. One bite isn't going to wreck

your diet; this isn't rationalizing, a small 200 odd calorie

treat is well within your allowance of small meals during the

day. Have the one small bite, using the portion control methods

we've learned. Eat it slowly, savor it, and then have a glass of

water after to help provide a comfortable fullness.

Remember that food is not actively trying to sabotage you. It's

just food, and you can choose when and how you will eat it. The

key is always to approach things from a perspective of

moderation. One bite of candy will not wreck your diet, so take

out one bite, put the rest away immediately, and have your bite.

It can be hard to deny yourself the extras, but it is just as

hard to lose the weight you put on when you overindulge. Find

simple ways to master your trigger foods, and you will find them

all the more enjoyable for it.

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Larry Tobin is the co-creator of

http://www.HabitChanger.com/ offering effective

and empowering solutions for losing weight.

Try our 42-day weight loss program at:

http://www.habitchanger.com/losingweight