We all have triggers that send us running to the fridge and snack cupboard. Some of mine are work related stress, boredom, and reading the newspaper, the latter is especially true considering the gloomy economy.
What are some common triggers that cause overeating?
- A series of stressful days at work.
- Needing an energy boost after romping around the house with your kids.
- A developed habit, like craving a sweet after every meal, or needing something to munch on when watching the TV.
- Feeling anxious and depressed.
It is important to know your triggers. Once identified you can develop a plan to address your triggers and control the urge to eat.
While working as general manager for Premier Packaging I occasionally fell prey to strong cravings brought on by stress. This was particularly true in my youth, when during the summer I often indulged myself with ice cream sundaes smothered in chocolate syrup AND hot caramel sauce, yummy! Unfortunately those carefree summers are behind me, while a sundae may satisfy my cravings, it doesn’t help in reaching my weigh in goal!
Part of what we teach in the 60 Minute Diet is no deprivation. You need to satisfy your urges or they will continue to haunt you. So how did I kick my sundae habit? Haagen Dazs makes mini serving 4 oz. cups of various flavors. My favorite is Dulce de Leche, just too good! The container is 270 calories. Because I’m a 60 Minute Diet follower, I try to stay close to 100 calories, but even if I go crazy and eat the whole container, I’ve only done 270 calories of damage. Beats the heck out of battling with a pint of ice cream that’s not empty. My money is on the ice cream to win!
Crave chocolate? Try buying bags of wrapped chocolates in the flavors you like. When a craving hits treat yourself to 100 calories worth of the wrapped treats. It’s just enough to satisfy an appetite without going overboard. If you have a whole Snickers bar in front of you it’s pretty much impossible to not eat the whole thing. So get the bite size pieces, they’re not just for Halloween anymore.
The solution to managing your triggers is simple, figure out why you eat the way you do and what you crave. Then develop creative ways to fulfill your needs in a more responsible way.
P.S. Tackle one trigger at a time, it’s much easier to implement that way!
Photo credit Shi Yali
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