[Chronostasis]

Weight loss is all about changing our eating habits. A big part of that is identifying triggers or "dangerous" situations that will derail our best intentions. Once we've identified them, sometimes those very same tendencies can be used to our benefit! How have you overcome or even turned around one of your triggers?

Here's my example: distracted eating in front of the computer screen/TV. I sometimes go down to the kitchen to get something to eat and grab something, but before I sit down at the table to eat, I think "hey, I wonder if a new episode of such-and-such TV show is on Hulu yet..." Before I realize it, I'm carrying a plate or bowl or bag of food up to my bed and mindlessly crunching on it while I do something else on my computer. If that food is potato chips or other crunchy junk food, it would set me back a huge number of calories, all without really enjoying the food very much.
How I turned it around to my benefit? Using that desire to mindlessly crunch to get more veggies in my daily diet. Now I sometimes purposely take food up to my room when I'm going to be watching TV on my computer. The difference is in the kind of food - rather than potato chips, it'll be a huge serving of mini bell peppers, plain artisan lettuce, raw baby carrots, etc. It satisfies that mindless eating desire and dampens hunger while adding lots and vitamins and fiber and very few calories. It also helps me eat larger quantities of things I might not normally like much, since I'm preoccupied with what I'm watching rather than the taste of the food.
Of course, I'm not perfect. Every once in a while I really want to eat something less healthy while watching TV episodes. In these situations, I work into my plan a small, measured portion or semisweet chocolate chips or ginger candies. I eat them slowly and really enjoy them, so there's no need to go back for more.

[Andrea85]

I alternate alcoholic drinks with water. I also quit drinking for 6 months, so when I started enjoying a few again, I was much more of a lightweight! 2-3 is usually my max anyways.

I just plain don't keep any snack foods around. This stops me because if I REEEEEEEALLY want to snack, it has to be on cheerios, whole wheat bread, some fruits (but I don't tend to OD on fruits), and veggies. If it ends up being cheerios or bread, I'm over it after a small bowl or two slices. This way a snack attack usually ends up being under 300 calories, which while I'm trying to avoid, it's not a total sabotage!

I make my salad right after dinner. I always give myself a small to moderate portion of dinner, and having the salad after 1) gives me a few minutes to let the "full" signal reach my brain while I make the salad, 2) helps stop me from getting a second serving because, while I may not be hungry anymore, I still want to eat, and 3) if I add something sweet to it, like fruit, it helps satisfy my after dinner sweet craving.

[crispin]

When I desire a scrumptious baked good of some sort, I always drink a glass of milk with it. The protein and extra volume fills me up and keeps my blood sugar steady, plus drinking extends the experience. That all makes it easier for me to stop with just one. In the past, I could easily down 3 brownies, for example, when the mood would strike.

This benefits me because I don't ever feel like I'm really "on a diet." I eat unhealthy things that I truly love, but use the strategies that I know help me stay in control.

Also, and this is kinda similar to how Chrono manages her desire to snack when on the computer/tv, when I'm in the mood to eat a lot, I prepare a ton of my favorite veg and go to town.