Trigger foods are the foods that cause you to overeat or binge. For me, anything that looks like a cracker and comes in a box sends me into I-Just-Can't-Stop mode. Trigger foods should not be confused with favorite foods, comfort foods or food cravings, says Weight Watchers. We're talking all-out, lose-control items here -- foods you will eat until there is no more, regardless of mood, time of day or place.
Trigger foods are diet derailers, and you should know what yours are. Weight Watchers says the most common trigger foods are sugar/fat combinations (like ice cream and cookies) and fat/salt combinations (like nuts and potato chips). The Fearless Fat Loss found in their binge eating survey that sugar is the trigger for 72 percent of their readers. If you're not sure where you fall, they suggest you try this exercise: For one week, write down everything you eat and drink, describe your feelings at the time, and every time you put something in your mouth, indicate whether or not you're overeating or drinking. At the end of one week, scan your list, and you should be able to see a pattern of foods that trigger overeating.
Once you zero in on your eating trends, you can start to make changes. Maybe you'll need to ban the bakery altogether or send your spouse to the grocery store if you can't stop buying your trigger foods. Avoid restaurants with items that send you into overdrive, and when you cross paths with your trigger favorites at a summer BBQ, grab a pal and take a walk around the block. The key, says Weight Watchers, is to identify your trigger foods and avoid them altogether, at least for a certain period of time, and then reassess periodically. Only when you're able to control your portions can you consider these foods safe to be around.
What are your trigger foods? And please share if you've found a good way to avoid them.
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