Okay, I DID have a brilliant and subtly written narrative on this topic that I was going to post, but I hit a wrong button and it disappeared in cyberspace. So you're stuck with this one instead

I was wondering if anyone else has situational, rather than emotional triggers during which they are more likely to go off this WOE, and if so, what kinds of solutions you have for them. I'm hoping some of you have these issues and have solutions that will help me with some of my things. I have two that I can think of:

1) the kitchen is a mess or I'm too tired to cook or go pick something up. (hey, I never said that laziness wasn't one of my virtues!) This happens mostly on weekend mornings. When it happens, I am prone to just grabbing something out of the cabinet like ritz crackers with peanut butter or a poptart or something. And once I've had the carbs, no holds are barred and I'm off on a binge. Usually, if I can make it through the weekend without doing this, I'm gold for the rest of the week.

2) I'm eating with customers or vendors, and all kinds of appetizers and side dishes get put on the table. Plus, I've probably had one or two vodka and sodas, so it makes it easier to rationalize going off for "just this meal" and then of course, I'm binging the rest of the trip. I should mention that I really dont drink except when I'm entertaining customers, so it hits me kind of hard when I do.

3) I swear I'm not making this up, but it was definitely a one time thing that will never happen again. Another business associate and I were eating with a customer and the customer was paying. This was in Toronto. Evidently the customer is a red wine afficianado. He orders a FIVE HUNDRED DOLLAR bottle of wine. Then after its open, he announces that he has had a problem with drinking too much and wine is a trigger for him, so he is just going to watch us drink because he wants us to have this treat. Mind you, this is an important potential customer for our company. I drank half the bottle.

Action plans I've thought of:

Trigger #1 - get rid of the poptarts. They are just too easy to grab and my son doesnt really like them all that much anyway. Also, please don't laugh. I bought more saute pans. That way if the two I have are in the dishwasher I still have two or three clean ones I can make an omelette in.

Trigger #2 - Try to really curb what I drink on business trips and just maybe have a splash of vodka in soda or selzer instead of a complete drink. And also, I'm going to call restaurants ahead of time so I can plan out my menu before I go.

Trigger #3 - How often do you get to drink a $500 bottle of wine!?

One thing that really helps me is to have some snacks planned, or have legal leftovers in the fridge that I can grab fast.

By the way-was the wine good ??

My big one is being abroad. I get into a 'I can't control what is put in front of me' type mentality. On a recent trip to Spain I ate bread with every meal (because it was there - and Spanish bread is good). This wasn't necessary.

The second is when I start drinking wine. With the alcohol goes the resisitance and I eat anything and everything.

Sydnarella:

I'm glad you started this thread, as it is something I have been thinking about lately. One of the strongest situational cues for me seems silly, but it is a problem. For years, whenever I come home.....(it can be from a short trip to the store, or a longer one, doesn't matter)....I have had the habit of grabbing a bite of some sort of "treat". Before LC, it used to be peanuts or a glob of peanut butter, potato chips or Cheetos.

Now, when I can't resist that homecoming "urge", I often give in and have sf piece of chocolate. I NEVER used to reach for anything sweet!

It's not that I am hungry. It's simply an ingrained behavioral habit. So what do I do? Never leave the house? Never come home?

At first, I substituted smoked almonds for the peanuts, but I've gotten pretty tired of them. I'd really like to break this habit of eating for no good reason except for walking in the door......

(Clearly, I haven't gotten to the action plan phase of this reply as yet). I look forward to ideas from others.

Kay

I definitely have situational triggers. Thus far I have not deviated from my plan, but I did a lot of praying and asking for support from my friends and family while in the situation.

1. Surrounded by my culture's traditional foods. Any time I venture to a powwow or another event I just crave the fry bread, wojapi, Indian tacos, tamales, 3 sisters casserole... luckily, I can still eat the pemmican and buffalo burgers sans bun! This is especially hard if I have helped to prepare the food and/or a family member has prepared it.

2. Holiday gatherings. I do very well at my in-laws who are Atkids, but my family is all about competitive holiday eating. I don't like being surround by bunches of food, especially bunches of food I do not care to eat.

Action plans ---

1. Enjoy the foods that I can eat! Lead by example as our community is disproportionately suffering from DMT2 because of our diet. Assist in other areas other than food at events.

2. Bring several LC dishes and stay away from the kitchen!

Great thread!

Yup, good thread!

In my work in the Dr Phil 7 keys, I had to identify those situations where I was likely to go off-plan, and mine was mainly when preparing food for my son and helping with his meals. There are foods he loves that I'm not about to deprive him of, and I've had to work around them.

Another is when I sit and watch tv. It feels like I need "something". I've had to adapt the trick of having ONE place for eating, period. All food, even snacks had to be at the table until I broke the habit. It reminded me of when I smoked. I had a strong connection between a cigarette and certain times and places and it took a long time to not feel the urge to smoke! Sometimes I STILL reach for them when I get behind the wheel to go somewhere without the kid! It's been over a year....

Wow Paris, thats got to be a difficult one! I guess thats probably true of anyone faced with a lot of cultural foods. Especially since some of the foods may have a lot of historical and cultural meaning. I hadn't even ever really thought of how difficult that would be.

RCFletcher - I have the same problem with going off the WOE after drinking alcohol.

Potatofree, that is actually a REALLY good idea about eating at home only in the kitchen. I'm going to try that one.

Tarheel - my thing when I get home is that I COMPULSIVELY get out my laptop right away in my room. I am soooooooooooo addicted to online.

My situational cues:
1. Apres ski w/the girls...everyone has a slice of pizza and a beer.
2. Watchin my favorite soap that I have Tivo'd and I sit with chicken wings (which is Ok) and a cocktail...like a Rita or a V-Gimlet.
3. Dinner at friends homes...feel like U have to eat everything they cook.
4. Holidays and My Bithday.
5. Visiting Relatives...the stress makes me eat/drink
everything in sight.
6. Stress....

Sorry, had to laugh. This definitely works for me: thats not lazy, its being prepared

PARTIES!!!

I've been to 2 parties since I started that i cheated at, and one party that I didn't cheat at but cheated on the way home from

Same as you -- kitchen is a mess, tired, feeling lazy, making a "normal" meal for the rest of the family....I usually make an omelet, just to have SOMETHING on plan and quickly!!

This is such a great thread because it is so true. There are not just emotional triggers, but definitely tricky situational ones as well. One of the worst situations that I seem to always get into is at parties!!! I feel uncomfortable saying no and I guess I'm worried about hurting the host/hostesses feelings. Plus, it's true that after one or two diet coke & vodkas....it is much much harder!!! LOL....

By the way...I don't think any of us should have to pass up a $500 bottle of wine...was it great!!!

Jenn

I have the same problem with grabbing a snack after work. I get home about 4 pm and I just think I have to have a snack. On weekends, I never get hungry at that time and never snack.

Maybe I should quit working that way I am not tricked into thinking I need a snack. LOL

I was just sitting here thinking about it the other day, trying to analyze when I cheated and what lead up to it. I was really able to narrow it down as to the patterns I fall into and when and how they happened. Oh and umm.. Not ONLY did I buy more saute pans, I ALSO bought another set of dishes and silverware to match mine! LOL Now I'll never run out.

p.s. Yep, the wine WAS good!

Sunday dinner at Moms house. Always always always homemade bread, dessert, some good south Louisiana cooking. I have not cheated in 6 weeks since my last cheat at moms (homemade choc. cake with coconut and fudge icing). And my mom, whom I love dearly, is a food pusher. After that episode of cramming 2 huge pcs down, I decided that if I want dessert, Im going to bring my own. And on my birthday, last year there was no cake, this year I will make my own LC one. I think that key is thinking ahead and planning. And eating before heading into a situation with major temptation.