How to break the obsession with your trigger food

What’s a trigger food? That food you can’t bring in the house without it calling your name. The one you can sit down and you blink and it’s gone (and your stomach hurts from eating so much). The food you turn to when you’re stressed. You know the one.


For some people it’s sweets like cookies or candy. Others love salty foods like chips or chex mix.

How to break the obsession with your trigger food?

(first, make sure you’ve downloaded my ebook to make sure you know what to eat to stay satisfied + how to PREVENT stress eating in the first place..)


Now back to trigger foods… Most coaches recommend cleaning out your home food environment to support your nutrition goals.

While I agree in making sure that you meal plan, plan ahead for sweets, and have plenty of healthy foods available... I never recommend getting rid of all foods you love -- like sweets or chips or whatever, especially if they "trigger" you.

Why?

Because eventually you'll be around that food again, and ignoring it does not change your relationship with food.

And then if you do have access to it at a party, or a friend’s house or on vacation... you'll either binge or you'll be mentally preoccupied **thinking** about eating it.

My goal: help you feel free around all foods. Freedom does not come from restriction. That gives the food too much power. I want YOU to have the power. I want you to know you can be around any food and feel free to decide to eat it (or not) and to stop when you're satisfied.


Here's what I recommend instead:

1. Buy a small portion of *the* food. An individual candy bar, a small bag of chips, an individual item from a bakery... whatever it is that you LOVE.

2. Take it HOME to eat. Sit down. Enjoy it. Close your eyes. Really taste it.

3. Repeat this a few times. Maybe a couple of times in a week or over a month.

4. Buy a larger portion. A full bag of chips. A bag of mini candy bars, whatever. Now you MIGHT feel a lack of control and binge ( in which case.. take a breather and go back to step one). But in most cases, my clients surprise themselves. They aren't obsessed. The food can sit in the cabinet for weeks when in the past they felt it was literally calling their name until they ate it all.

I recommend allowing yourself increasing access and as you get more access, and become more in tune with your hunger and fullness cues (versus EMOTIONAL hunger-- we talk about this in coaching) you will realize it's not about the food. You just don't care that much anymore.

Why? Because you can manage your emotions. You can fuel yourself with delicious, healthy meals. You can eat and enjoy chocolate or ice cream or chips without guilt. You can really be around any food, and not feel out of control.

THAT is what making peace with food means to me.


Ready to stop stress eating? Ready to eat healthy foods without restricting?
Be sure to download your free ebook below!

 

Can you lose weight with Intuitive Eating?

Is it possible to lose weight with intuitive eating??

weight loss- intuitive eating


A lot of people love the idea of intuitive eating but aren’t sure if it’s conducive to weight loss…

Intuitive eating feels like a breath of fresh air if you’re used to restrictive diets.

But some moms come to me and say.. “Well then won’t I just be eating chocolate and chips all day?”

“How can I possibly lose weight when eating what I want?”



But actually, the opposite is true!
Getting used to tuning into your body’s cues and eating foods you love rather than swearing them off actually makes it EASIER to lose weight.

And the truth is… when you stop eating because you’re bored, stressed, angry, tired, etc….

And you start tuning in to your hunger and fullness cues, you learn a lot about WHAT foods your body actually needs (and wants). 


Suddenly it’s not a huge portion of fried food or ice cream, but rather enjoying the fried food or ice cream you DO have in combination with other healthy foods that are filling (aka protein, fat, and fiber-rich foods). I call this the PFF method. 




By combining the PFF (protein-fat fiber) method with intuitive eating practices you CAN lose weight and it actually is a lot easier than by forcing yourself to restrict into oblivion…

which you know, just backfires and results in eating large amounts of ice cream on the couch while you beat yourself up and then promise that the diet starts again on Monday.

Keep reading for 3 principles for weight loss with intuitive eating

weight loss intuitive eating




Three principles to losing weight with intuitive eating:

  1. Eat until 80% full. Slow down while you eat + really focus on the food (i.e. not multitasking while eating). This allows you to tune into your body and notice when you’re full.


  2. PFF forever. Eating protein, fat, and fiber at most meals (and definitely protein at every meal+ snack) will keep you full. This is the magic that allows you to avoid big cravings for sugar. Make sure at the very least that your FIRST meal of the day is PFF. If you aren’t a breakfast person, just don’t wait until you’re starving to eat.

  3. Notice your emotions BEFORE you eat. If you notice that you hit the pantry when you’re bored, tired, procrastination, or annoyed…. Find an alternative activity to do when you’re stressed. Put a note on the fridge or pantry to remind you, set a timer for 20 minutes, take a drink of water, and do another stress-relieving activity.

    Alternate activities include taking a shower/bath, take a walk, put on a favorite playlist and dance (can also do with your kids if they are driving you nuts ;), do a quick stretch or yoga sequence, call a friend, listen to a motivational podcast, journal out your feelings, etc.

    After 20 minutes passes if you still want the food (and you’re hungry)- then eat it! Sit down, slow down, ane enjoy. 

Want to know my full process for combining the PFF method with intuitive eating??
Be sure to download my free ebook below! 

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