Trigger Foods?

[ShotingStar]

Ok, so I am doing ok here. I had a two week streak of being purge free, but I find certain foods are really triggering. I brought in peanut butter and BAM, a binge came. I know everyone has these foods. My question is do you keep trigger foods completely out or do you try to have them in moderation? Was it hard to get rid of the trigger foods at first if you did take them out?
I am patiently waiting to get into treatment, but really want to start taking positive steps on my own before I get there.

Any therapy advice on what to do with these trigger foods?

[Livin' On A Prayer]

Congrats on your progress! Two weeks is good. I think everyone is different about trigger foods. For me I can't have them at all, because I know I don't have the strength to control myself after eating them. If you feel like you can fight off b/p, then it probably would be O.K. to have a little bit of those foods. I think it really does depend on the person though. Hope I could be of some help...

[Millificent]

Have you put any thought into what it is about these foods triggers you? That can be extremely hard to identify, but it's a question you should be examining.

For me, the best approach was to not keep the foods around the house, but also not avoid them completely. For instance, I didn't buy a container of ice cream for my freezer, but I could go to a scoop shop and buy a cup or cone to eat. That way I wasn't depriving myself, but I didn't have the temptation of binging on it.

:dragon Millie

[ShotingStar]

No, I honestly havent thought about why these foods are triggers for me, but I will now. It just seems so hard to get these foods out, though I guess I know I really need to. I just hate that I cant have certain foods...sigh....

[abbybelle]

I think it's easier to just keep them out of the house... If it's not there... I can't eat it... Because there are those certain foods that I can't do in moderation. Maybe someday, but for now it's best for me to avoid them. XOXO

[midnightdreary]

I have another question to tag on to this post.... do you live with your family, :starsShotingStar:stars ?

For me, that's the hardest thing because I can't eliminate trigger foods because my parents eat and enjoy them, and when my brother's home from college he does too....

[ATPB]

First, great job with your two weeks!

This is a great question and one I have often thought about. I have a fairly limited repertoire of foods I like to keep in my house. Some, I will try not to buy (similar to the ice cream example). For me, it is chocolate. So, I may buy a candy bar while on the road and just have that. But, one of the foods I consider I guess a staple food is one that can also trigger me. So, this makes it more challenging. I could go on about this but I do not want to turn this into a "me" thread - maybe will start a similar post but with a different focus...

This is a great question and look forward to more responses.

[taryndistorted]

I would suggest keeping any trigger foods out of the house for awhile. Maybe once you come back from treatment you can try to introduce some of them back into your diet, but if you are feeling out of control, its probably best not to tempt yourself.

Good luck!! :)

[petals]

Shooting Star,

Hi, sweetie! I still struggle with the concept of trigger foods. I am trying to learn that there are no "bad" or "good" foods. This is taking me awhile because, unfortunately I do have such a list in my mind and have been working with the dietitian to slowly add them back in to my meal plan. What I have found is to purchase the item in the smallest quantity--one individual lunch-size package, one item from the bakery case etc... For now, this is what I can do while relearning. On the positive side when I was in long-term recovery, this was not an issue. I could have whatever I wanted or needed in the house...so there is hope at finding the right balance...it just takes practice. Hope this helps. Take care.

Hugs,
petals

[ShotingStar]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I made the leap and dumped my trigger foods (well, the main ones). Since then all I have been wanting to do is go to the store and buy them, and of course eat them :wacky I want to be able to eat things in moderation, but I fear that will never happen. I cant just have tbsp or two of peanut butter, I NEED to eat ****/**** the jar in a day....does it get easier the longer I stay away from these foods or will this feeling of need always be there?

midnightdreary- I am married and live with my husband. Some of "his" foods I do binge on, but it is only after I have eaten my trigger foods. (well usually). If I asked him to keep these foods out, he would. He is supportive of my recovery one hundred %

[justd]

peanut butter does it for me too! I actually did this today: I made a list of everything that i KNOW triggors a b/p sesh. Then I made a list of the things that make me feel good when I eat them (salad, veggies, fruit, my soy chicken etc.) Then i looked up a whole bunch of recipes online (chooseveg.com has a bunch of vegan/vegetarian recipes that are great and, i feel, triggor food free) and I wrote them down so that the next time i go grocery shopping I will look at my list of things that triggor and i WONT buy them, and I search for those great things that make me feel good.

I don't think you should keep any triggor foods in your house or in your reach until you feel strong enough to keep them in moderation. If you can triggor from it, stay away from it.

We';ll see how it works out for me... I hope i was some help!!
xo Stay strong and stay positive.

[hendrickgirl]

If you are single or have a roomy with whom you don't share food this is easier than if you have a family. My family does not like going "chip" free or "cookie" free, so I just stay upstairs at night..........sounds odd but it is the only thing that works.

[niki_z]

hi shooting star,

i think that while you are still regularly doing b/p, you might consider getting rid of the "trigger foods" altogether. i think that there were two really good suggestions;

first - to not deny yourself totally - like allow yourself to order your triggers at a restaurant or have them at a friend's house where it is pretty unlikely to lead to a binge

and second - to keep individually wrapped portions or just a small amount of trigger foods at home.

i do think that the second idea is for when you're feeling a little bit stronger. when i was in IOP, they used to make that a challenge for the week; say, can you go to a store and buy maybe half a pint of ice cream and keep it at home. and have that not lead to trouble. but then it would be slowly, one food at a time, and really keeping in mind that that's your "challenge" for the week.

i can tell you that i've come to a point where i'm fairly healthy. i've only purged twice in the last two months. i can keep most things at home, but it works better if i don't have lots of it. for instance, if i have candy at home, it should be a small enough amount that if i go crazy and eat it all, i won't get too upset.

and you know what? it's the best thing when i find a chocolate bar or something like that in a cabinet that i forgot i even had! i swear, it will happen... you just need time...

[ruda]

Peanut butter is (one of) my trigger(s) too. For awhile, I had to get rid of it.

I recommend starting to re-incorporate the trigger foods when you're in public, or perhaps at certain times when you're feeling less vulnerable (I am a night-binger, so peanut butter on my breakfast toast is something I can moderate).

Also, specifically for peanut butter: try one of those natural, organic, or PB from flax oil with omega-****s in them--they aren't quite as sweet and I don't crave their taste as much as a brand like Jiff.

[needingsomesunshine]

Well, honestly, i hadn't thought of "trigger foods" until i read your post, but now that i think of it there are certain trigger foods. for me it is greasy foods, and breads, sometimes icecream or sweets. I live with my mom and her bf and my two younger brothers, so its hard to keep those foods away. Especially when you see them eating it, then when your at home by yourself you remember they are in the fridge, so you b/p because you can. I am going to try to stay away from those foods though, maybe it will help. =]

[ZoeyJubilee]

I read somewhere that initially you should keep them all out of the house--out of sight, out of mind, or at least out of reach.... right? Anyways, I did this rather severely, throwing away every food i ever binged on, which basically left me with oatmeal. Anyways, the book suggested that one should gradually reintroduce binge foods, or have them in a place where you can't binge--like ice cream, go to an ice cream parlor, but don't by the million serving tub of ice cream just yet. Gradually, you can begin to reintroduce the less risky foods--for me that was bread and cereal. Then gradually experiment with the riskier ones--for me ice cream and peanut butter. Right now, those are still "nos" for me. Even though I don't deliberately binge, having those foods around is so tempting that I overindulge (not binge) but that gets me thinking about food and obsessing and feeling, as my T puts it, "unsafe." I start to feel guilty, etc, and so on, so I've decided that at this point ice cream and peanut butter are not a good idea for me to have in the house. A gradual reintroduction, however, is still on my mind, and I hope to get there!!!! The important thing, however, is that you go at your own pace, and if a food is in the house and making you feel unsafe, I'd say by all means, get rid of it, and if you want it, eat it out in public in a safe setting.
GL and xo

[ShotingStar]

I went to the store and bought one of my trigger foods today and I b/p. :(

I tried to get them out of the house

[midnightdreary]

:hugonShotingStar:hugoff

Don't be too hard on yourself. Little slips always happen. As long as you don't stay in a rut, it's okay. Honestly. :love

[ShotingStar]

my little slip has turned into a **** day binge fest :mad

I threw out my binge foods again and am going to follow my nutritional plan tomorrow. I cant live like this another day

[midnightdreary]

:hugonShotingStar:hugoff

Good for you!! I'm really sorry your slip turned into a rut, but I am super-duper proud of you for planning on starting fresh. How'd it go?? :love

[ShotingStar]

Not well :cry because of the binging at night I started restricting, which of course backfired. I have been b/ping the last three nights after eating very little all day. I know this isnt right. Why is it so hard to say no to Ed?

I am making some small changes today, including following my meal plan. I dont want to, I want to restrict because of course I feel fat from all the binging, but deep deep down I know that isnt the answer

I dont know what else to do, I dont know how to stop this vicious cycle. But I have to try. I'm scared that I am slipping further away