If you go to the movies, you know all about the long line of hungry moviegoers eagerly awaiting the greasy concession stand food. It’s almost unavoidable to not be one of them with your senses heightened by the smell of freshly popped popcorn and sights of thirst-quenching crisp soda ads floating around in LED. Point blank, it’s tempting to buy a big bucket of butter-drenched popcorn with a large soda on the side while watching a new flick. The temptations of these unhealthy snacks and eating habits are all around us and are known as eating triggers.
To break the cycle of these unhealthy eating habits, you first need to acknowledge what your own personal eating triggers might be. You might take your kids out for ice cream after a soccer game practice, or meet up with co-workers at a local brew and wings spot after hours, or even stop by your favorite drive-thru for a 12-count meal while out and about. Knowing what your eating triggers are can help you teach yourself to avoid them, or at least make healthier choices when faced with them.
Another good takeaway from this lesson is to shop smart. Make a list and stick to it when you go grocery shopping. You definitely want to avoid food shopping on an empty stomach, it will lead to miscellaneous food items in your cart that don’t need to be in there. Food shopping on a full stomach and a strict list will also help save you time.
When keeping food in the house, place the good and healthy snacks in easily spotted areas so it's the first thing you grab. Be sure to place any junk or unhealthy food in out-of-sight, out-of-mind areas.
“A step in the right direction is subbing high-calorie snacks for low-calorie alternatives. Some good choice alternatives include fruits, vegetables, low-calorie yogurts, and other low-calorie snacks in general,” Coach Marshall, Trinity Medical Weight Loss.
