Another Weigh-in Day

Well, today was another weigh-in day, and I was very happy with the results. I'm down 2 lbs. this week. Yay! So I should be at my goal in no time. Okay, maybe not exactly "no time," but so far I can handle the thought of knowing this is going to take many weeks and a lot of months. So okay, I'm having a good day.

Trigger foods

At our meeting today, we discussed "trigger foods"--something nearly all dieters are familiar with (well, even if you're not familiar with the term). Trigger foods are any food that you just can't stop eating, or that you can't have one of (thing potato chips or chocolate chips) Trigger foods that can set off a binge or can just derail you for a while, for a day, or completely! Aack! Did I say completely? Well, only if you let them. Knowing your trigger foods, or situations that can lead to using any food as a trigger food, can help you immensely. Oh yeah, and trigger foods are most often some combination of salt, fat, and sweet. All or some.

One member said she loves cheese--string cheese or almost any kind of cheese--the flavor, the texture, the fat content. So in her case, it might be a good idea to make sure there's not a large supply of cheese in the fridge. Or maybe not any at all. Or try a low-fat alternative--low fat cheeses, tho, are not particularly loved by cheese lovers in general. But some like it, so it's worth a try. I have a different take--I love cheese. But I purposely don't snack on cheese, cause I know it could be hard to control. Instead I make sure that I incorporate some cheese regularly in my meals so that I don't feel deprived by not eating it at all. The way I do it tho is with a lot of flavor and small portions.

How to get the most bang for your buck (with cheese):

I choose strong flavored cheeses and generally use only a tsp to a Tbsp per portion. Sometimes even less if you're making a casserole. But for instance with a salad, I might put 1-1/2 tsp of gorgonzola on it. You don't need a lot cause there's so much flavor. Or on a casserole or veggies, I might use a little Reggiano Parmesan. Yes, the secret to great Parmesan is to buy the expensive Reggiano Parmesano from Italy. It has a much more pronounced flavor (slightly sweet and nutty) than the flat tasting "cardboard" parmesan that typically comes pregrated. Many stores sell grated Reggiano too. You just have to look for it. You'll find you can use much less of it, and still have a strong impact on whatever you're eating.

Madelaine's list of strong flavored cheeses:

Reggiano Parmesano
Gorgonzola, roquefort, or anything in the "bleu" category
Goat Cheese
Feta
Gruyere (particularly good for melting)
Raw cheddar
SarVecchio Parmesan (by Sartori Foods)--an award winning Wisconsin cheese

Or see a complete list of Wisconsin award-winning cheeses and find your own favorite. Then send me your choices so that I can add them here. With 115 awards total, Wisconsin is still the leading producer of winning cheeses in the US Championship Cheese Contest.

Okay, enough about cheese--for now. Yes, I have other trigger foods, and you might too: chocolate,
baked goods, ice cream, pretzels, chips, to name a few. You get the idea. You might need to banish them from your house or work environment (at least for a time), Or you might need to avoid them if you're in an environment where they are frequently available (office donuts perhaps?). Or you might need to pare down the portion size. Or you might need to limit your intake to either a particular meal each week, or a certain environment where you feel you have more control, or ?? How you manage them is up to you. The key is awareness of triggers and knowing that they need managing.

And the big key is to get familiar with your own triggers and rein them in before they corral you!