Vague awareness of triggers provides no protection. Research by Gollwitzer shows specific if-then plans doubled or tripled likelihood of achieving behavioral goals. “I eat when stressed” is too broad to be actionable. You need specifics: which situations, emotions, times, foods. The triggers you can name precisely are the ones you can prepare for. Stop and list five specific scenarios that reliably lead to regretted eating.
This companion covers why specificity matters, categories of triggers, the specificity exercise, and what to do with your list. (4 min read)