Don't pull the trigger: BAM

Struggling with disordered eating for most of my teenage years, I've developed negative associations with certain foods. Some trigger mindless snacking (hello chips and salsa), some trigger purging (ice cream), some just make me feel sad depressed and generally like BLAH.

I've often wondered WHY that is. Is it something in my childhood? Some traumatic ice cream incident?
Actually, I did vomit ice cream all over my high chair at Old Country Buffet when I was like 3 years old (yes I remember that). But somehow I doubt this is why my stomach churns and my brain goes "behiavbieabvaan" when I eat certain things.

As most are aware, or I hope are aware, certain situations trigger certain behaviors. Example:
Watching tv late at night may trigger the "need" to eat or snack. (breaking that habit is quite the trick)


But it never occurred to me that WHAT I am consuming also has an emotional (hormonal) impact.

Reading It Starts With Food has shed some light on those emotional responses.
Since adopting a paleo lifestyle earlier this year, much of my trigger food doesn't typically find a home in my pantry anymore.
I did the whole30 in January and had great success. I tried to incoporate certain foods back into my diet and found I could eat/process dairy better than I could in the past.

Lately, I went a little too far and started incorporating dairy in the form of ice cream (Did I mention my loving wonderful partner has an insatiable sweet tooth?). While my tummy isn't super rumbly, I notice that my mood quickly deflates post ice cream indulgence. The grumpies stick around through the next day. I didn't really notice this until I found myself eating ice cream (coconut milk sorbet really) and the desire to purge snuck up and ATTACKED me. That's when I put the spoon down. And threw the carton away.

I refuse to go down that road. 

So I am back to ridding my pantry of any sweets and treats. I don't believe in cutting those foods out because they are "bad" or to limit myself so I lose weight or whatever. But really because I hate how they make me feel, they aren't good for me, and I make poor choices when they are in my diet.

Identifying my triggers and adopting the paleo lifestyle have been the two of the best things I've done for my body and my mental health.