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Trigger foods can pose significant challenges for many individuals, particularly those seeking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, manage weight, or cope with emotional eating. Identifying and managing these foods is crucial for building a sustainable eating pattern. In this blog post, we'll explore eight effective strategies to help you deal with trigger foods positively and constructively.
It is not uncommon to have a trigger food – that food that once you start, you can’t stop. The food, that when you think about it, you need to have asap! More often than not, that trigger food is not lettuce. It is often a processed carbohydrate/high sugar product that can be tough to turn down. It is fine to have these kinds of foods intermittently, but when you find yourself reaching for them frequently, then it is worth looking at how you can start to let go of these trigger foods.
One strategy is simply abstaining. And if you’re okay with abstaining from a select list of foods for the rest of your life, with the willpower of a superhuman, there’s nothing wrong with that approach. But if you’re not okay with a life sentence of no biscuits, no ice cream, no cake, no bread, no pasta and so on, then you may be happy to learn that there is an alternative approach.
It involves first getting interested in why you struggle to moderate your consumption of certain “trigger” foods, why you feel like once you start you can’t stop. The first place to start is to think about the following questions:
What leads to feeling out-of-control?
What triggers the “I need this” and the “I can’t stop eating this” thoughts?
When is it possible to eat this food in moderate amounts (if ever)? When isn’t it?
It is important to look for the underlying reasons (triggers) that lead you to struggle. A trigger can be a feeling or emotion. We might eat more when we’re stressed, lonely, or bored. Food may fill the void for you. It might be your only way of disconnecting. I call it numbing out.
Or it could be the time of day. For many it is in the evening, after dinner. They can feel fine all day and as soon as evening hits they get hit with this urge to dive into the biscuits or chips and not stop.
Another reason may simply be Habit - we always have chocolate after a meal. It’s just part of our routine. Or I always have a biscuit with my cup of tea. There isn’t any particular thought that goes in to it, it’s just habitual behaviour - you’ve always done it.
Or maybe it’s due to the Social setting. Everyone else is having wine and pizza, so I might as well join in. I don’t want to miss out.
It may be a certain Place that’s a trigger. For some reason, a dark movie theatre or our parents’ kitchen might make us want to eat. Do you ever go home to your parents, not feeling hungry and as soon as you get there you stand at the pantry and the fridge to see what’s there?
Thought pattern could also be a trigger. Thinking “I deserve this” or “Life is too hard to not treat myself” might have you veering towards Ubereats or the biscuit tin.
So if you find yourself wanting a trigger food, start with asking yourself: What am I feeling? What time is it? Who am I with? Where am I? What thoughts am I having? This helps you to assess what’s really going on. Once you understand why you’re reaching for these foods, you can start to challenge the trigger.
Consider the 8 strategies below that can help you to push pause on the trigger foods:
Focus on adding more in to your diet, eating more vegetables and fruits rather than subtracting foods from your diet. I like to call it crowding out.
Eat slowly, with no distractions while paying attention to your sensations of hunger and fullness, your enjoyment and your thoughts.
Indulge after you’ve comforted yourself in other ways eg writing in your journal, calling a friend, taking your dog for a walk.
Look at your relationship with certain foods. Whenever you find yourself wanting them, notice your trigger, notice your craving and look at why you are feeling that way. Keep a journal for 1-2 weeks to to track what you eat and how these foods affect your mood and behaviour. Awareness is key to understanding your habits and creating a plan to address them.
As an experiment, eat your trigger food every day for one week to see how it affects your cravings. Do they go away when you give yourself permission to have it?
Address lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep, lack of movement, lack of protein and healthy fats that may be encouraging the cravings of trigger foods.
Change your language from “ that’s bad for me” to “ that makes it harder to reach my goals”, or “that punishes me rather than nourishes me”.
Identify what increases your cravings for your trigger foods, be it environment, thoughts, emotions, certain people and manage your exposure to them.
Dealing with trigger foods can be a complex process, but with the right strategies in place, it's entirely achievable. By working through the strategies above, you can develop a balanced relationship with food. Remember, progress is a journey, and it's essential to be patient with yourself throughout the process. With time and practice, you can regain control over your eating habits and foster a healthier lifestyle.
As always, if you feel you need more support to heal your relationship with food and learn better strategies to nourish your body and reach your goals, click here and book in for a FREE 15 min consult with me to talk further. I’m always in your corner.
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