One of the things that got me into real weight trouble was what I refer to as "The Fugue State."
According to Psych Central, "Dissociative Fugue is one or more episodes of amnesia in which one has the inability to recall some, or all, of one's past." What a fitting way to describe me with a bag of chips! I used to grab the sour cream and onion flavored, 11 ounce bag, and take it upstairs with me, to have a "few" while I laid on my queen size bed to watch my evening TV shows.
I would mindlessly reach my hand into the bag, until I was snapped out of my self-imposed fugue, by my hand coming out of the bag.....empty. At that moment I was always surprised, "How did that happen?" It was like that 1970's Alka Seltzer commercial, "I can't believe I ate the whole thing."
It is the same with any trigger food; cookies, cashews (for me AKA crack), movie popcorn - whatever you eat mindlessly, and "wake-up" when it's gone.
How do you end this behavior? Here's a few ideas.
1. Go cold turkey from your trigger foods (TF's).
2. Plan dates with your TF's i.e. I will have cashews on Christmas Eve. I will have beer on Memorial Day. I will eat two servings of chips on my Birthday......
3. Count out one serving and put it in a bowl and seal the package back up. (This doesn't work for most of us food addicts as we can always GO BACK and get more. It's like picking at a donut until it is gone or asking your husband to hide the cashews (Mine ALWAYS told me where they were - after minimal begging.)
4. Find new snacks that aren't triggers. I have no problem counting out one serving of pretzels. (Have you ever noticed that people never say that carrots or apples are their trigger foods?)
5. Switch to low-fat, unsalted, fat free etc. versions of your TF's. It does work. I was addicted to Hellman's Mayonaise and then switched to Hellman's Dijonnaise (after two years I am now addicted to the 5 calorie Dijonnaise.)
7. Read the label for the whole bag of, whatever, BEFORE you are going to have a "few". There are 11 servings in a 11 oz bag of Sour Cream and Onion Chips. 160 calories a serving. The WHOLE BAG is 1760 calories with 110 grams of fat and 2,310 mg of Sodium. I can't believe I ate the whole thing!!
NO MORE FUGUE STATES.
Photos: http://weblogs.wpix.com/news/local/morningnews/blogs/images/lays0313.jpg
http://www.mamapop.com/photos/uncategorized/2009/01/13/cashews.jpg
Good & interesting blog. But, for me, I can't have the trigger food in the house at all. I can't count out just 1 helping most of the time; if I'm having a bad/hard time & know it is somewhere in the house I will eat it. Going cold turkey is fine, but when I have a trigger food I need to be out and just have the 1 or maybe 2 helpings, depending on what it is. But, yet - I can bake for others and give it away and never touch it, not even a taste. So, I guess I can control myself to a certain degree. I always read the labels, but sometimes it doesn't matter; if I want it; I want it.
ReplyDeleteBut now I have a new leaf; no fugue state; I know I just don't need certain foods and if I'm going to lose this weight, than I'm taking control and not having the trigger foods in the house and not going grocery shopping when I'm hungry, down or upset.
Finally caught up with a blog on the right day and a reminder for me on what I need to do. Thanks Teach. As for my friend - luv u lots and thanks for all ur hard work. I pray I will make it. Char
Oh "The Fugue State"... one of those classic phrases from growin up in the McCauley household! Great entry Mom :) Love you!
ReplyDeleteChar - you always write such SUPER comments - thank you for doing that and being such a great Blog follower but more importantly GREAT PIO Member and MOST Importantly GREAT PAL!! Love El
ReplyDeleteCA, HA HA HA - knew YOU'D love The FUGUE state entry - thanks for writing - love you tons - Mom