Trigger Defenses, or Lists Part Deux

Last week I blogged about our eating triggers –those emotional/situational/food triggers that seem to make our ‘eat healthy’ resolve go poof. Or worse, the ones that push our buttons and send us right over the edge into a binging indulgence that makes us miserable after-the-fact.

So did you read the blog? If not, here, check it out! And once you’ve read it, you made your list, right? (s’okay if you didn’t, just play along with me) So now you know your triggers. You’re aware of what repetitive triggers you encounter in your life that could spell disaster for your progress toward healthy weight. And knowledge is power, yay. But... just knowing what they are isn’t enough.

The trick is knowing what to do about them.

You know what’s coming next, right? If you read last week’s blog, I’m sure you have an idea *g*
Make a list!

Look at each trigger and list three things you can do to avoid the situation.

For instance – if your trigger is a party with a buffet, what are three things you can do to overeat?

1. Eat a light meal beforehand
2. Fill your plate with veggies and healthy fare, then move away from the buffet
3. Don’t drink alcohol if you know it’ll send destroy your good intentions.

Your list will vary, of course *g*

But by having a list, of whatever variety, you’re prepared to deal with the trigger. It’s like that ‘what to do when you get the call’ list (you’ve seen it, right? The list of questions to ask, of things to have prepared?). It’s just one extra tool in your arsenal to help you to be a healthy writer, ya know?

So do you have a list for your list yet? Do you think this is a tool you’ll find useful?

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Lists... they are our friend

I'm a list maker by nature. Grocery lists, to-do lists, revision lists, packing lists. You name it, I've probably listed it. I could probably even make a list of all my lists, but that'd be silly, huh?

I was reading something the other day that got me thinking about our triggers. Weight gain triggers, overeating triggers, stress triggers. We all have them. It might be a deadline or a family visit. Maybe certain meetings trigger us to make poor eating choices, or rejection letters might send us out in the middle of the night to buy chocolate. Arguments that seem to freeze our ability to choose wisely, instead igniting that comfort-food craving.

And then there are the trigger foods. You know the ones, the can't have just one treats. The 'one chip leads to eating the entire bag' triggers. The 'if I have a beer, I'll quickly have another and then eat anything and everything' triggers. Or the 'skipping lunch and eating three entrees because I'm starving' trigger.

These are so common, and more often than not we don't see them coming. Sometimes, we're able to get ourselves past the trigger quickly before much damage is done and others we could be derailed for weeks.

This is where lists come in!

Make a list of all of your triggers. Trigger events, trigger situtations, trigger foods. Know your challenges, list them all. Even the once a year ones! Remember, knowledge is power and the more you know - or bring to a conscious level - about what challenges you, the easier you can deal with it.

If you're doing a weight-journal, thats the perfect place to keep this list, too.

So - have you ever stopped to consider triggers. Before they are switched on, I mean. Can you recognize them or do you have someone you can talk to that would help you see them more clearly?

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