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O R G

Food Thought for

A quarterly newsletter from The Center for Mindful Eating
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Fall 2008

Welcome to About This Issue Food Triggers

The Center The theme for this issue of Food for By Megrette Fletcher, M.Ed., RD, CDE
Thought is food triggers. Can a moment
for Mindful Eating “I couldn’t eat that.” Her voice offers a
of bingeing actually help clients? Could it mix of courage to speak up, sharing this
TCME is a member-supported forum for become the key to help them unlock a knowledge and fear that tonight her
professionals interested in understanding greater understanding of the concerns willpower will run out. It is at moments
the value of mindful eating. TCME that face them? We hope that these like this that I realize something really
identifies and provides resources for contributions from our Executive Director amazing was triggered during my
individuals who wish to help their clients Megrette Fletcher, RD, CDE; Vice counseling session.
develop healthier relationships with food President Char Wilkins, LCSW; and board
and eating, and bring eating into balance member Molly Kellogg, RD, CDE, will My understanding of food triggers has
with other important aspects of life. highlight ways to redirect these apparent changed considerably since I began
Mindfulness practices have been shown setbacks into moments when awareness working with eating concerns. Initially, I
to have a positive impact on many disease and insight occur. thought that if clients simply did not
states and health concerns, and consume foods that triggered overeating,
The board of TCME hopes you benefit they would be all right. However, over
mindfulness approaches are increasingly
from this issue of Food for Thought. We time I realized that this approach was not
being applied to eating and food choice.
express our gratitude to the many effective for three reasons. The first and
The benefits of mindful eating are not
individuals who have become members most obvious was that it did not fix the
restricted to physical health improvement
of TCME over the past year. Their tax- underlying problem. It actually began to
alone. Practitioners may find that
deductible donations allow us to continue create a new concern – ”forbidden foods.”
mindfulness and mindful eating can affect
to provide valuable services. Visit Second, food triggers were too often
one’s entire life. The Center for Mindful
www.tcme.org and explore our current thought of as the bad guy, the culprit, the
Eating does not promote a singular
offerings. If you are not a member, please scapegoat, which slowed down both the
approach to mindful eating but is
consider joining. It's as easy as clicking session and the individual’s sense of
committed to fostering dialogue and the
"Join Now" at the bottom left of our home progress. And finally, my view about food
sharing of ideas, clinical experience, and
page. triggers needed to change to better fit into
research.
my understanding of mindfulness and
mindful eating.

Initially, it is easy to think that a single

food caused an individual to overeat.
Unfortunately, this view fails to see all the
conditions that contributed to the
experience. A mindful eating approach

continued on page 2
www.tcme.org
 .org
The Center for Mindful Eating www.tcme.org
encourages a person to see that emotional triggers are more challenging specific moments. These moments or
everything contributes to an experience. to consistently identify and yet contribute “triggers” can be thought of as points in
When clients let this view fully penetrate significantly to the decision whether to time when a person realizes choice was
their understanding, it is possible to see eat. As the counseling relationship possible but not exercised. Teaching
that all subsequent experiences will be deepens, clients are often more willing to individuals to become aware of choice by
different, simply because the conditions share these types of eating triggers. actively pausing and observing any
surrounding the event have internal cues, such as hunger,
changed. When teaching this fullness, thoughts, feelings and
concept, I find it is helpful not desires, can help them begin to see
to describe eating as a single the common conditions and habits
point in time, but an ever- surrounding food and eating that
changing process that has a they wish to change.
beginning, a middle and an
The process of becoming aware is not
end. By seeing eating as
always an easy one. It is challenging
dynamic, there is an increased
to stop the habitual cycle of blame,
ability to identify the many
which feeds unpleasant feelings such
areas that might influence a
as guilt, frustration and anger that
person’s decision to eat
may be triggered by eating.
instead of narrowing it down
However, mindfulness practices can
to a single food or condition.
increase the ability to tolerate these
Yet, as I found with my client distressing feelings. The mechanism
who just told me that “I couldn’t eat “My blood sugar would go up if I ate by which this cycle is broken is still not
that,” I knew something had just that.” She repeated this without any well understood, but research shows that
happened and I needed more prompting. pausing before a meal reduces binge
information. “Have you ever eaten it before?” I asked, eating. Encouraging clients to
trying to learn about her direct intentionally pause appears to provide an
“Why couldn’t you eat that food?” I
experience. opportunity for them to scan the moment
asked. She looked at me and replied,
and look for alternative choices.
“Because it would make my blood sugar “No,” she said.
go up.” So I paused again and said: “I am During my sessions, I have found that
hearing you say that you don’t want to “Do you want to try eating it and see clients who commit themselves to the
eat that food because it has been your what happens?” practice of mindful eating can go beyond
experience that your blood sugars will go merely identifying factors associated with
“No.”
up. Am I hearing you correctly?” She automatic eating. Mindful eating has been
shook her head no. “Can I ask why?” a shift for them, away from a focus on the
apparent “trigger,” followed by some
What triggers a person to eat or not eat is “Because I am afraid.”
inevitable result, and toward an
not limited to food. Triggers can also be
“Afraid of what?” awareness of choices that are available in
emotional, mental and physical.
the present moment. It is an opportunity
Emotional triggers may include feelings “That I wouldn’t stop. That I wouldn’t
for empowerment, strengthened through
or memories surrounding food and care. That I wouldn’t take my diabetes
practice and support, and a willingness to
eating. Mental triggers are thoughts and seriously.”
try.
knowledge surrounding food and eating.
I could hear her fear very clearly. She
Physical triggers include any body signal Megrette Fletcher is a co-founder and
wasn’t afraid of eating a specific food.
such as hunger, fullness, or low blood executive director of TCME. She is the co-
Her fear was much deeper than a single
sugar. They can also include people and author of Discover Mindful Eating: A
food choice. So I observed: “I am hearing
the sight, sound, smell or availability of resource of handouts for health professionals.
you say that you WANT to take your
food. She works as a diabetes educator in Dover,
diabetes seriously, and eating this food
N.H., and continues to educate professionals
Identifying what is triggering an eating doesn’t feel like you are doing that. Is
about the benefits of mindful eating through
episode is not always clear, as noted that correct?” She nodded her head in
her writing, programs and lectures. You can
above. Therefore I choose to focus on the agreement.
reach her at [email protected]
physical eating triggers because of their
concrete and tangible nature. Mental and When clients reflect on an eating
experience, they may be able to identify
2 Fall 2008
 see how she looked and what physical activated is useful information that
Exploring Food Triggers sensations she was experiencing in her something is bothering you. It is not
Mindfully body? Can she name any feelings or uncommon for the first awareness to be of
By Char Wilkins, LCSW emotions that were present leading up the desire for food. This desire does not
to this event? mean food is needed. It does mean (quite
As professionals working with people
reliably) that something is happening. You
who struggle with eating and food issues, ✤ As she brings this experience to a close,
can choose to use this information to
we spend a great deal of time talking suggest that she take several deep
pause and possibly explore your
about why they struggle. Why their breaths and slowly open her eyes.
emotional state. (For more useful ideas on
history might be impacting how they eat,
✤ When ready, begin a gentle exploration response to emotional triggers/cravings,
why they crave certain foods, and all the
of this experience. see Food for Thought, Spring 2007.)
other “whys” that might shed light on
Char Wilkins, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, When a particular food seems to be a
owner of the Center for Mindful Living in trigger for you, this is useful information
Connecticut, and vice president of the TCME that your thoughts about this food are
A wealth of Board. She can be reached through her Web giving the food more power than it
site: www.amindfulpath.com deserves. (For more on the thoughts that
information exists in propel us to mindless eating, see Food for
Thought, Spring 2006.)
the moments leading
Pausing is powerful. Research shows that
up to an unhealthy placing a pause or break between the
eating episode. initial impulse to eat and the actual eating
decreases the likelihood that you will eat
if you are not physically hungry. Search
unhealthy eating patterns. Curiosity is an for opportunities to practice pausing and
important piece of mindfulness, so talking attending to your thoughts and emotional
about the “whys” is useful. Exploring states.
them in an experiential format can Practicing mindfulness daily helps
enhance that understanding. cultivate attending to “triggers” as useful
A wealth of information exists in the information, rather than as things
moments preceding the episode of automatically compelling you to act. You
bingeing or overeating. With a Handling Triggers can practice in any number of ways, from
combination of meditation and formal sitting meditation to yoga to
By Molly Kellogg, RD, LCSW simply taking a few mindful breaths
visualization, we can offer clients a way to
safely explore and better understand “Trigger” is defined as anything that during the day.
what leads up to the actual eating episode serves as a stimulus and initiates a
rather than what happens during it. reaction or series of reactions. This
implies that every time the trigger is
Here are some suggestions: activated, the subsequent reaction is “Shifting the words
✤ Begin with a few minutes of meditation automatic and inevitable.
that are grounding for your client; e.g., How often have you heard or said, “That you use allows
locating physical sensations in the body food triggers me to overeat.” Or “When I
or noticing the breath coming and see donuts, I have to eat them.” Or “That more choice.”
going. bad news triggered me to eat.” All of
these imply the inevitability of mindless Molly Kellogg, RD, LCSW, is the author of
✤ Invite her to bring to mind a time when
eating. Indeed, the “triggers” for Counseling Tips for Nutrition Therapists:
she binged or overate. Instead of seeing
mindless eating are often emotional states Practice Workbook, Vol. 1 (2006) and a free e-
herself in the act of eating, however,
or the sight or thought of specific (often mail series of Counseling Tips for health
invite her to notice the events leading up to
forbidden) foods. professionals. She is a Board Member of
the incident.
Shifting the words you use allows more TCME and welcomes comments at
✤ Can she picture where she was? What choice. All these “triggers” can be viewed [email protected];
was happening before these moments? instead as useful information. The www.mollykellogg.com.
Was she alone or with others? Can she impulse to eat when emotionally

www.tcme.org 3
 .org
The Center for Mindful Eating www.tcme.org
Mindfulness Exercises to Try or Use
What’s New at TCME Recorded Programs for
With Patients
TCME members can access a wealth of TCME Members Presented by: Donald Altman, MA
resources by logging in to the member Recorded on July 11, 2007
Coping With Head Hunger
section and choosing a tab below the
Presented by: Michelle May, MD Working Mindfully With Binge Triggers
picture. These tabs include: Update
Recorded August 11, 2008 Presented by: Char Wilkins, LCSW
Profile, Renew Membership, Member
News, Member Resources, and Message Chocolate Doesn’t Cause Weight Gain: Recorded in 2007
Board. How to Get Rid of Guilt
Members can also connect with one
Presented by: Michelle May, MD
Click Update Profile to learn when your another by participating in the message
Recorded July 28, 2008
TCME membership expires and to make board. The TCME message board is an
any changes to your TCME account, What's for Dinner?– Eating With easy way to ask questions and get
including contact information. You can Themed Meal Cards answers regarding mindful eating. The
renew your membership by selecting Presented by: Donald Altman, MA members-only message board has three
Renew Membership, which will take you Recorded July 24, 2008 sections. The first is General Discussion,
directly to the PayPal Web site. On the where requests, ideas, and observations
Member News page, you can register for Mindful Eating With Bariatric Surgery can be posted. The Training section allows
the members-only message board, Presented by: Rochelle Voth, PhD members to talk about classes The
participate in the CEU survey or evaluate Recorded March 24, 2008 Training section allows members to talk
a teleconference. The Member Resources about classes or workshops that they have
Introducing Mindful Eating Into Health
tab will allow you to access the following created or attended. The Resource section
Counseling When Patients Resist
recorded programs: offers members a place to discuss helpful
Presented by: Molly Kellogg, RD, LCSW
resources that they have created or
Recorded February 13, 2007
discovered, such as books, posters, or
articles. We hope that all TCME members
can take advantage of this new resource.

Our Mission .org

The Center for Mindful Eating
TCME is a nonprofit, nonreligious organization whose purpose is
to incorporate mindful eating into new and existing programs. We
offer a variety of resources, including The Principles of Mindful P.O.Box 88
Eating, which is available at our Web site and is free for West Nottingham NH
reproduction for educational purposes. 03291
603-778-5841

TCME is a member-supported organization.

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4 Fall 2008