Trigger, and I don't mean the horse

So, what is it that triggers eating for you? I have learned my triggers intimately over the past year and it is invaluable information. I used to think it was ye olde blanket 'emotional eating'. Well, yes and no. Turns out when I get worn out that's when I make bad decisions about what to grab on a foray to the kitchen. That's when I head to the kitchen and I start hearing things about what a hard day it was and perhaps even a little pat on the back about how well I held up through it all and don't I deserve that cookie sitting there... just waiting and looking up at me with puppy eyes saying 'Eat Me'? Most days when that cookie bats it's eyes at me I look at it squarely in the chips and say 'Hell, no! I don't deserve a cookie! I'll tell you what I deserve - I deserve to lose weight, make it to my goal and feel damn good about myself. That's what I deserve!'

But on a day when I have been stressed to the max or just beat up by life in some way and it's the end of the day and I am exhausted I start listening to those pro eat the cookie arguments. They start making a lot of sense to me at that moment. It all starts to sound darn logical and that's when I go, ok, come here cookie!

So yesterday when I had to go visit my parents and deliver some sad news about a death in the family and my car broke down instead I knew I was in danger of going home and tearing through all the leftover birthday cake. I was sitting there on the side of the freeway making frantic calls to Clay and to the tow truck company and praying that no one took the curve too fast and shaved off the side of my stranded car. It was boiling hot and pretty nerve wracking and uncomfortable and I was soooooo happy once safe at home in the cool. So I had a beer. I know that's kind of a strange solution to have empty calories to stave off the siren call of the leftover birthday cake but dammit, it worked! I had one beer, it was cold and refreshing and helped me calm down and I was able to go eat veggies and hummus when I ventured into the kitchen.

So, know your triggers and have a plan when they pop up. I'm not saying your plan should involve drinking a beer! If that's what I was promoting you'd see a beer ad to the right of this blog entry, go ahead and look: no beer ad there! Just be prepared when you are in that situation where you know you might make some bad eating choices. Even when you are vulnerable you still have the power to look at that cookie and tell it to stuff it's chips where the sun don't shine!!!