Trigger Foods and YOLO (sorry, I had to)

I love this quote attributed to Giada De Laurentiis. I say "attributed" because quotes from the internet are shady business sometimes. I also have a hard time listening to someone who is maybe 100 pounds soaking wet talk to me about over eating, like that's even an option for her. But I digress, no skinny shaming here. My point is Giada (or the non-famous person who actually said this) has a pretty good message here. After years of learning about how my body gains and loses weight, and trying certain fad diets out here and there, I've decided that restriction dieting is for suckers. We are Americans, it's in our nature to indulge in the finest of things. That's also why we're a nation of fatties. So how do we find that fine line of indulgence without excess? That's the million dollar question.

As far as I know, I only get this one life to live. So I'm going to spend it doing things that make me happy, and yes, some of those things involve food. But remaining in control is key. In another post I'll talk about the 80/20 lifestyle, which I fully believe in and follow myself. But how to maintain that control is something I've struggled with my whole adult life (and I know I'm not alone!) When I was following the Weight Watchers plan several years ago, I learned the term "trigger foods". Here's a quick summary for you (according to the WW website):

• A trigger food is a specific food that sets off a course of overeating where control is lost.The most common trigger foods are calorie-dense, highly palatable foods that are often combinations of sugar and fat (e.g. ice cream, cookies) or fat and salt (e.g. nuts, potato chips, French fries).Research suggests that exposure to certain trigger food cues activates particular areas of the brain that are involved with the body's reward system.

Sound familiar? As a teacher, I know that once 3-4pm hits, I am usually searching for some type of chocolate, especially on particularly difficult and stressful days. One piece of chocolate wouldn't be so bad, but I can't remember a single time in my life I've ever eaten just one piece of chocolate. I'm a sweet, and chocolate is one of my biggest trigger foods. The year I was thrown into teaching second grade for the first time ever and had a neighbor teacher with an awesome chocolate stash in her room, I gained a good 15-20 pounds.

I know that chocolate is a big trigger food for me and it is practically impossible for me to eat just a little bit of it. So, I avoid it. I know that sounds hypocritical to what I said at the beginning of this post, but hear me out: knowing that chocolate is a trigger food means it is nearly chemically impossible for my brain to allow me to just have a little bit and then shut off the necessity. The best thing for me to do is to Just Say No. In doing that, I am not only strengthening my self-control muscle but also not giving into a craving (and my fellow Sugars will know that a sugar craving is very similar to this feeling:  

Though it's REALLY difficult to do in the 2.5 seconds I am making the decision to either reach for that Reese's PB cup or keep walking by, I instantly feel gratification in myself for resisting the temptation. And the 2.5 seconds of pleasure that come when I indulge in the Reese's (ha! I say "the" as if to imply there'd be just one...) is ultimately followed by shame and disappointment in myself for being weak. It's a really hard skill that a lot of us struggle with, telling ourselves "no". But it feels good, especially when it's taming the beast that is trigger foods and cravings. Other trigger foods of mine include cookies, pizza, and ice cream, but I find those are easier for me to control. 

What are your trigger foods? What are some ways you've learned to beat cravings and not over indulge on the good stuff?