Everyday Systems

I've been having cravings all day today for snacks and sweets. I finally realized the cause, I'm really tired and cold. After thinking about it I realized this is a "danger zone" for me because it makes me want to abandon my heathy habits!

I was curious if other people have identified "danger zones" in their lives and what they are.

My danger zones: boredom, too may carbs (even healthy ones), sadness, or anger.

These all make me want to snackity snack.

Being busy, or stressed (usually due to school)

My danger zone: food left out.

please take a look at dudley's question 'n answers on this board. My reply could very well go here too. I will say(again) that that situation surprised me with my "food" reaction..I just wasn't ready for it!
Also, when I am reading a novel, I get "hungry" for whatever the characters are eating! When I was reading Lonesome Dove many years ago, I would have happily eaten roasted grasshoppers dipped in molasses... that is just not acceptable behavior! I think I have that under control but then I haven't read any books with foods as part of the story lately!! (I am not a reader of bizarre mysteries so I feel pretty safe!)
I have really been trying to do as several people suggested and get all dishes and food put away immediately after dinner and close up the kitchen. That seems to be a big help to me.. the food can't call as loudly when it is in the frig or cupboard!

I will have to say there have been several times when I've been too tired to eat. Doesn't happen often, but it does happen to me!

Grammy G wrote: Also, when I am reading a novel,
I get "hungry" for whatever the characters are eating!

That is also true for me.
Nonfiction is not a problem,
but I am very fond of "chick lit",
and I immediately crave all food in the book.
I've been aware of this problem for years.
In fact, frequently I even have to put my book away
do other things for awhile,
to avoid eating the "suggested" food.

Grammy G wrote:when I am reading a novel, I get "hungry" for whatever the characters are eating!

This can be a vicarious pleasure. Alexander McCall Smith has an anecdote about a reader who asked him to include more cake eating scenes in his No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. The kindly author subsequently did so.

My danger zone is after dinner - mid-week bordum. I too have to make sure I get out of the kitchen as soon as I'm done with dinner.

Free food is my weakness, especially store samples and stuff given away at the office. I don't know why, but even if I'm not hungry, I feel compelled to eat free food.

When I haven't had a well-rounded meal that leaves me feeling satisfied. As long as I've taken the time to sit down and enjoy something delicious, I'm good til the next meal. But if it's something I didn't really like, or ate on the run, or for some reason wasn't very filling (maybe the meal had a lot of refined carbohydrates or no protein) I start trying to justify to myself why I should eat something else.

Elspeth wrote:Free food is my weakness, especially store samples and stuff given away at the office. I don't know why, but even if I'm not hungry, I feel compelled to eat free food.

This is another one of my hard-core food weaknesses.
In fact, sometimes I have to completely avoid the grocery store with free samples,
and pay more for food I like less,
just to keep myself from sampling.

That's so interesting about wanting whatever's being eaten in a novel! I'm currently re-reading Little Women and I must say I didn't want any pickled limes lol.

My number one trigger is boredom. And if I eat something that's too sugary - ex.: a granola bar - I get hungrier faster. I have since quit granola bars.

I'm getting too picky about food to indulge in free food often.

Nichole wrote:That's so interesting about wanting whatever's being eaten in a novel! I'm currently re-reading Little Women and I must say I didn't want any pickled limes lol.

My number one trigger is boredom. And if I eat something that's too sugary - ex.: a granola bar - I get hungrier faster. I have since quit granola bars.

I think the novel mention is really interesting, too, though the only times I've ever craved a food from a book is when said food is very "homey", i.e. porridge, toast with butter or honey, soft scrambled eggs, things like that. It just sounds so cozy and inviting.

Ok..now I'm remembering Li'l Women....and I want pickled limes!!
I wonder how long it would take to actually make them? Maybe an India type pickle..yum!!!
Do you think MEN think about the foods and crave them as they read..or is this a woman thing?? ..or just those of us who love food thing??? mmm

Hi everyone!
I just wanted to thank you for all of your thoughts. I've never noticed if I get hungry for foods in the books that I'm reading but I'm definately going to be on alert now!
I'm still having kinda a rough patch and I would say I'm still in the danger zone even though I slept a ton last night. I've been barely sticking to vanilla No S but I think that part of the battle is knowing you're in the zone because it makes you aware of your vulnerability.

My danger zone is when I'm procrastinating...if I'm neglecting to do something (clean house, pay bills, laundry, etc...) that's when I just want to eat mindlessly!

But I haven't snacked on a non-S day so far...yay! I'm learning new, good habits!

I am new here but have been reading for a bit. For me the danger zones besides late at night are the hour before I go to pick my daughter up from school and when we get home before dinner.

So for the past 2 weeks I have been using that hour to do all my active stuff. Dancing around the living room with the baby, getting the laundry done, etc... that has really helped and ironically enough by being active for that hour before I pick her up, Im not hungry when I get home and have plenty of control to make dinner without snacking as I go.

For late at night Ive been drinking tea and that's really been helping. No sweetener, just a little rice milk.

marygrace wrote:When I haven't had a well-rounded meal that leaves me feeling satisfied. As long as I've taken the time to sit down and enjoy something delicious, I'm good til the next meal. But if it's something I didn't really like, or ate on the run, or for some reason wasn't very filling (maybe the meal had a lot of refined carbohydrates or no protein) I start trying to justify to myself why I should eat something else.

This. Absolutely.

Also procrastination. I used to eat all evening because I was tired and didn't want to clean the kitchen after supper and do all the other evening things that needed to be done. (I now recognize that as "a misguided attempt at self-nurture" and try to do something more genuinely nurturing.)

Also, I have periods when I "use up" my willpower and then crack. For example, I sometimes have all-day meetings where there is food in the room the whole time, and everyone is grazing... if I make it through those, the evening is a "danger zone." Sort of like I've dropped my guard, and then something can get past me...

It does help to know where the problem areas are.

KCCC wrote: Also, I have periods when I "use up" my willpower and then crack. For example, I sometimes have all-day meetings where there is food in the room the whole time, and everyone is grazing... if I make it through those, the evening is a "danger zone." Sort of like I've dropped my guard, and then something can get past me...

I've never thought about it quite like this, but seeing your explanation made me realize this is another danger zone for me. Really interesting.