What Are Your Problem-Trigger Foods?

[Mindy moves on!]

What foods are you having a hard time with on this WOE? For instance, do you find yourself craving anything or having portion control problems with a particular food? Some nutritionists believe that we are actually allergic to our problem foods and the best thing to do is actually stay away from them.

For me, I would have to say it is chocolate. Even though small amounts of low sugar chocolate are allowed in Phase 2, I cannot control my portions when I indulge in this treat. And I am a pretty disciplined person. Best thing I can do is stay away from chocolate -- at least until I reach goal. :Bang:

Also another food I have a difficult time with is Mangos. I love their sweet taste but when I eat some, I get insatiable hunger pangs that last all day, no matter how much I eat.

Oatmeal is another for me. About a half hour after I eat oatmeal, I get the shakes like from low blood sugar. Even with the whole grain -steelcut kind of oats! So I don't eat them because I don't like the low blood sugar drop!

What are your problem foods? Maybe listing them here and sharing your experiences will help others with their food choices. If we all seem to share the same patterns, then maybe that is good information for others to note if they want to try these foods. Of course your mileage may vary!:speechless:

[brownie05]

My problem foods are

f/f s/f instant pudding (this stuff is sooooooooooo good I eat the whole box, the small one that has 4 servings)
pizza
chocolate
icecream
brownies
cookies
cereal (like golden grahams)
bread (even the good bread like Ezekial that's the only one I eat, well and every now and then white bread but I can eat a whole loaf if I would let myself)
sometimes oatmeal but definately the oatmeal pancakes I could eat a ton of those they are soooooooooooooo good.

If I eat any of the above items I want more more more. I can not stop at just one serving except with steel cut oats I can eat one serving and be done, but i really like it too so sometimes I find I want more than one serving of it as well and sense it's good for you it's easier to be like well it's healthy I can eat more and it won't hurt me

[nancy]

Well, all of the above, as far as non-SBD-friendly foods. The more I have the more I want.

Lots of times I just don't read it when you guys talk about recipes or foods. I start craving them. I do better if I just ate.

Never have extra fudgesicles or chocolate in the house. Definite trigger foods.

For SBD-friendly foods, some lead to psychological desire to overeat. Others lead to some physical craving, (and with the physical, always psychological craving too).

I've noticed some physical craving with SBD cereals, SBD meal replacement & cereal bars, SBD crackers, banannas. Usually things that are more processed, rather than completely whole.

Breads were my biggest craving during Phase 1 & before SBD. And I still don't do too well with bread. Some cause physical craving, all can cause psychological craving. I don't even eat it much now. And I actually enjoy other starches better.

Psychological trigger foods are usually things that are easy to snack on. Lightly sweetened cold cereals, crackers, dry roasted edamame or soy nuts, edamame, cheese, nuts, peanut butter. They're more like the snack foods I used to overeat all the time. Sometimes ricotta, cottage cheese, or beans.

If I'm more vulnerable & prone to overeating certain foods, I make it a point not to have them in the house. Then at another time I can be stronger, & handle them being around.

Having trigger/problem foods along with veggies, protein, & oil lowers the craving & also glycemic load.

I love oatmeal now, & sometimes want more, but even for ME it's pretty hard to overeat oatmeal. Oatmeal pancakes more of a problem.

[Mindy moves on!]

Thanks for clarifying Nancy. I was actually referring to trigger/problem foods that are legal on this WOE. We know the trigger foods that got us to this diet plan but the experimenting on Phase 2 is where you find out how certain foods affect your body. I think this is an extremely valuable lesson. Because even if a food is legal, you really need to know if it's right for your body.

Oh I left out bananas on my list above. They are so satisfying but they bloat me up and I go up on the scale for 2 days after eating one. So this food will stay off my list until Phase 3!!

I now find that my biggest challenge is not overeating the things I enjoy. It's real easy not to measure out whole wheat pasta or brown rice and because they are healthy, it's easy to think more wont hurt, so I get generous when eyeballing the amount. But then you upset the balance of the carbs/protein/fat you are eating and of course more calories are added.

My measuring cups are my best friends even if I don't want to use them:Sarcastic: .

[brownie05]

OK the LEGAL foods for Phase 1 & II that cause cravings in me are

nuts, peanut butter, oatmeal, fruit smoothies, f/f s/f instant pudding, cheese (it's not that I crave it, it's just fast and easy to eat more of) oatmeal, oatmeal pancakes

Originally Posted by Mindy moves on!

Thanks for clarifying Nancy. I was actually referring to trigger/problem foods that are legal on this WOE. We know the trigger foods that got us to this diet plan but the experimenting on Phase 2 is where you find out how certain foods affect your body. I think this is an extremely valuable lesson. Because even if a food is legal, you really need to know if it's right for your body.

Oh I left out bananas on my list above. They are so satisfying but they bloat me up and I go up on the scale for 2 days after eating one. So this food will stay off my list until Phase 3!!

I now find that my biggest challenge is not overeating the things I enjoy. It's real easy not to measure out whole wheat pasta or brown rice and because they are healthy, it's easy to think more wont hurt, so I get generous when eyeballing the amount. But then you upset the balance of the carbs/protein/fat you are eating and of course more calories are added.

My measuring cups are my best friends even if I don't want to use them:Sarcastic: .

[Mindy moves on!]

:speechless: Know what Brownie? I hear a LOT of people say nuts are hard for them to control their portions. So I know you are not alone with that!!!:speechless:

[brownie05]

Ya same with Peanut Butter one night I ate half a jar of natural PB, I was like well it's NATURAL so it wn't hurt me, haha. I don't buy it anymore.

[Mindy moves on!]

Jen (one of our posters) is the same way with peanut butter!!

[brownie05]

It's so yummy, I even like the natural PB way better than the PB with the hydrogenated oils. I don't even like the taste of the bad PB anymore :happy:

However to much of anything is bad, even if it is a healthy food.

Originally Posted by Mindy moves on!

Jen (one of our posters) is the same way with peanut butter!!

[Mindy moves on!]

Natural peanut butter rocks! So nutty good! OK I'll get off the subject, don't want to drive you into a bottomless jar of PB!!!!!!!