Bored eating: LET'S FIX IT!

Monster2

New member
Since my other thread came up with a lot of people saying "Bored eating is something I need to overcome" (or something like that), I think it would be a good idea to talk about it.
There's a few things I do when I not really hungry, but sort of bored instead of eat:
-- chewing gum (it helps smokers.... so why not us?)
-- drink water
-- Play with a fidget toy. (I like to use a dog choker chain, small enough to carry with me if I want to)
-- at home: play with the dog! OR do some housecleaning.
When I'm really hungry and past my daily calories, I'll eat something like baby carrots, which I try to keep around
 
To distract myself from eating when I'm bored my favorite thing to do is read a book. Or I try to find something interesting on the internet to read about, whether it's a news story, this forum, or the other forums I participate in. I'll also play with my dog or try to do some cleaning or organizing. (Although I'm not a neat freak by any means so a lot of times that isn't a very appealing option. I also have a Xbox and a Wii, so I might play a video game, or the best choice, play Dance Central where I can be up and moving around. I also am a dancer so I'll practice the dances we learn. To me that is fun and doesn't feel like exercise, even though it is!

Watching TV isn't usually enough to distract me because a lot of times the TV is actually a trigger to eat. I'm used to eating when watching TV so I try to stay away from that.

Of course if I'm really hungry but I have went over my allowance for the day I try to eat some spinach or broccoli.
 
Well, if I'm hungry only out of boredom...what I do is sit down in front of the computer and surf the net. (1) I'm normally too exhausted/lazy to get up once I sit down! and (2) I'm so distracted by the internet! I can spend HOURS (if you haven't noticed) on here!!

I find a lot of the time I eat because my hands are free! Like when I watch tv, I have to do something else, or i'll eat! So I might watch a movie and surf the net, or try horrible to knit (I have a scarf the size of a sock that I've been knitting for a year!), or i'll do a crossword!
 
I have totally had this problem as well. Usually I end up having a glass or two of water so I feel better and then can decide whether I am truly hungry. Also, having a cup of tea usually helps(usually the Celestial Chamomile tea!) because it is flavorful but no calories!
 
yeah.. I struggle with this as well. I don't think my way of losing weight is the right way, but it seems to make (at least me) happier than other diets I have done in the past. I also don't "white knuckle" my hunger. What I do is fill the day with things that are healthy, taste...em, decent (in the context of a diet), and then eat when I am hungry, but don't eat out of the package. I make a habit of always taking things out of the package, and placing them on a plate. I then put everything away relating to the food...try it, it's hard to take things out over and over. Now, if you are eating chips, then it's a little easier :)... but I don't have those in my house, so it's not a big deal!

What I eat most of the day for snacks: Celerly and hummus, or laughing cow cheese (low-fat). Hard-Boiled Eggs, almonds (literally 1 at a time)... I would say that I actually eat all day, especially at night. I eat sugar-free jello made with diet soda instead of water (makes it much sweeter and more satisfying). and put one small dallop of sugar-free cool whip (makes it creamier, and sweet), with only about 50 calories. I eat this slow as well.

I think one thing that is hard about dieting, is trying to clench your fist and get through hunger... but it doesn't have to be like that. I think changing up food choices throughout the day, can afford you more calories to snack. Eat less calories for meals, and snack more often. It's much more gratifying to eat 1500-1800 calories over many meals, then to try and do it in 3. that's my opinion, and I am sticking to it.. :)
 
For me, I make music. I'm occupied by writing, recording and it keeps my mind off of food. I also write movie scripts sometimes for friends that do independent films. I find I can go hours doing that and not even be hungry. The trick, as you probably already know, is to distract yourself and let time fly by. I'll hang out with friends for 6-8 hours on the weekend and when I get home at 3 AM, I'm going straight to bed. The longer I can stay busy with something, the longer I can go without touching food... which probably isn't necessarily a good thing all the time, as it'll spill-over to the next day. But just a snack here and there never hurts. This is where the Wii comes in pretty handy!
 
i smoke when i bored. i pretty much quit, well, decided to quit so i cut down a lot. half a pack a day to like 3-4... which curbs my eating, still isn't good for me though....


or i write some songs / play xbox lol
 
I have a ton of hobbies and have found that when I really focus on one of them, I totally forget about being hungry. I can go for hours at my sewing table and not once think about eating. Where if I were surfing or watching a movie I'd be starving. So I make a point to not let myself get so bored that I am going to want to eat. On days when I feel like I'm going to want to much a lot, I get crafty.

Aside from sewing other notable hobbies include knitting (don't want to get food on your pretty yarn do you?), wood working (sawdust getting into your food is gross), and certain video games (we have a house rule of not eating on the couch or when using a controller).
 
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