Hey there. There was a time when I felt like certain foods had total control over me. I would see them in the store or at a party and feel anxious, almost guilty, before I even took a bite. I had a mental list of things I “shouldn’t” have, and those foods sat on a pedestal in my mind. They were all I could think about. And when I did eventually “give in,” it wasn’t just a taste. I’d go all in, check out mentally, and end up feeling worse afterward.
Maybe you know that feeling. Maybe you’ve spent years, even decades, putting foods into “good” and “bad” categories, and you’ve convinced yourself that you’re addicted to some of them. Here’s what changed things for me and what might change things for you. I decided not to participate in that anymore. I decided to stop letting food call the shots.
One of the most powerful ways I’ve done this is by diffusing trigger foods. I talk about this often because it works. The concept is simple but not always easy. You eat that food—yes, the one that feels the most off-limits every single day until it loses its power over you. Over time, it stops being a “forbidden” thing and becomes just food.
When I suggest this, people ask if it’s just a mind trick. And in a way, it is. But mindset is the whole game in weight loss and maintenance. We’re all eating, exercising, tracking progress, but how we think about it determines everything. To support this process, I also focus on what I’m doing with my main meals. I drink water and include a serving of produce with each one. It reframes my thinking. Even on the days when I was eating candied bacon or ice cream to diffuse the trigger, I could also say, “I’m drinking water, I’m eating produce.”
This process isn’t about giving yourself free rein to binge. It’s about creating structure. I figure out my regular meal schedule. Three meals, a few snacks and then I set a time for the trigger food that’s separate from my normal eating. Maybe it’s after lunch or after a workout. Over time, that food loses its grip. You gain control.
If you’ve been on a weight loss journey for years, you might not even be able to imagine having ice cream in the freezer or cookies in the cupboard without stress. But that’s exactly what’s possible when you face the trigger head-on. And when you do, you start to realize that this isn’t just about food. It’s about building a calm, deliberate life from the inside/out.
If you’re ready to take this approach to your own health and fitness, I’d love to guide you through it. Join one of the YLF programs and let’s start building a plan you can actually live with.