How to stop boredom eating?

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kathar

New member
I'm at my wit's end. I can't stop eating out of boredom, and I'm bored all the time since I sit at home all day. I usually sleep about 9 hours. That's 15 hours in which I eat.

The problem is that I'm short so I can't eat much in the first place. I have to eat 1000-1200 just to lose weight. I was doing okay with my calories, if a bit too high - about 1300-1400, until I blew it at night by eating more grilled chicken, a few handfuls of cereal, and an entire bag of carrot chips.

It isn't that I'm hungry. I'm never hungry, and I'm never full. I'm just bored and I like the taste of food.
 
Why do you sit home all day? Don't you work? If not, could you? Are you single? Married? Young and living with the parents? Student? Independently wealthy?
 
i believe you're a college student... Why not use the summer to make some cash and get a job - plus it will help to build a resume for when you hit the real world...

Too late for ajob - volunteer - check out for opportunities i the area.

basically - if staying home has you bored - get out of the house... or do something other than just sitting around - help your mom with housework cook dinner - do something
 
I've tried to find a job. Believe me, I've tried. But nobody is hiring yet. They don't start hiring until school lets out in a few weeks. I can't get out of the house, either, since there's nowhere to go that doesn't involve eating or spending money. I live in an incredibly small town.

Most of it happens at night, anyway, when I can't leave.
 
I am not trying to be rude- but I live in a very small town, and there is hardly anything to do... but that doesn't mean you can't go out and walk, or swim.. or skip.. or something. You do not have to eat because you are bored, if you want to eat go out and walk, or start a new project.
 
Walking, swimming and skipping hardly works at 10 PM. You also seem to miss the point of boredom. Doing something I don't want to do isn't going to make me less bored. I hate exercise. I do it because I have to, but I hate every minute of it. I don't need even LESS joy in my life.
 
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Eating due to boredom sounds like you aren't eating enough to be satisfied at meal time. My suggestion is to plan meals that fit your caloric and nutritional needs that are also extremely filling. Go big on bulk and low on calories and you'll stay full. PM me for ideas if you need some. I typically eat a salad for lunch that is approximately 8 cups of food and is less than 500 cal with dressing and 5 oz lean protein.
 
....then whatta ya want from us??? Everyone here is trying to suggest alternatives to sitting and eating late at night.
I know how it is.
It sucks.
My husband works late shift thursday and friday nights and I HATE it cuz all I wanna do is sit, eat, watch tv. Ugh.
SO.....I bought some hand weights and I bring my big bouncy ball into the living room and I do little exercises as I am watching tv....its not that I really WANNA do it but I do it so I'm not sitting here shoving food into my piehole....
Its a choice you have to make for yourself....
Am I gonna sit here and feed my boredom?
OR
Am I gonna get a little busy on the floor and burn some calories?
;-)
(good luck my friend!)
 
I wish I could be full, but I am literally never full. Ever. I'm not even full at Thanksgiving dinner. I'm rarely hungry, either. I don't have any of those signals. The food I eat is relatively "filling," or should be, if I ever got full.

I don't think there's enough food in the world that can seem like enough to me. I could probably eat continuously the entire day and still not be satisfied. When I was a kid and was free not to care about calories, I could eat an entire pizza at one sitting.

That's the hardest part about the diet. It's not changing my nutrition. It isn't even exercising. It's dealing with the endless stretches of time I have left over now. And I feel horrible when I do it, and every day I hate the way I look even more.
 
kathar said:
Walking, swimming and skipping hardly works at 10 PM. You also seem to miss the point of boredom. Doing something I don't want to do isn't going to make me less bored. I hate exercise. I do it because I have to, but I hate every minute of it. I don't need even LESS joy in my life.
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You are never going to succeed with that attitude.

You make your own fun, I think you should just stop sulking and be a little more positive, there is always stuff you can do! I live in a total HOLE of a town and I can always find something to do.
 
kathar said:
Walking, swimming and skipping hardly works at 10 PM. You also seem to miss the point of boredom. Doing something I don't want to do isn't going to make me less bored. I hate exercise. I do it because I have to, but I hate every minute of it. I don't need even LESS joy in my life.
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I hate exercise too- but guess what, I hate eating and gaining weight more. So I will choose the former instead. Buy some exercise DVD's, pick up a new hobby - make crafts. Write a book, learn to play an instrument. It seems to me like you are just looking for someone to tell you , its ok you have nothing to do go ahead and eat the whole pantry. That isn't the case, if you refuse to find things to do and turn down any suggestion , whats the point of asking for advice?
 
I'll "stop sulking" when I don't have reasons to, and right now I have plenty of reasons to. You have no idea what goes on in my life. Telling someone to "stop sulking" is condescending.

There's nothing to do here that does not involve eating or spending money. Driving counts as spending money. I don't have a job and I have to pay for my own gas. That adds up.
 
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No, I'm looking for PRACTICAL suggestions. Ways to fix the eating part, not the boredom part.

Things like "brush your teeth after you finish eating for the night", except that I tried that and it didn't work for me. Tips like that.
 
kathar said:
No, I'm looking for PRACTICAL suggestions. Ways to fix the eating part, not the boredom part.

Things like "brush your teeth after you finish eating for the night", except that I tried that and it didn't work for me. Tips like that.
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You eat when you are bored, stop being bored and you won't eat. I say thats a pretty good way to fix your problem.
 
kathar said:
No, I'm looking for PRACTICAL suggestions. Ways to fix the eating part, not the boredom part.

Things like "brush your teeth after you finish eating for the night", except that I tried that and it didn't work for me. Tips like that.
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Try sipping on a big water bottle when you are hungry, I have found it helps me. I freeze the water just enough to have bits and pieces of ice in the water and I love it.
 
Aleeluh said:
Try sipping on a big water bottle when you are hungry, I have found it helps me. I freeze the water just enough to have bits and pieces of ice in the water and I love it.
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I'll try that tomorrow. Except the hungry part, since I don't get hungry.
 
Hey there.. I kinda know how you feel. I am trying to figure out the same thing. As of now, I just go out shopping (not necessarily buying anything), just to walk around the mall at the very least. It gets me out of the house, where I'm not in the kitchen. Since that isn't much of an option to you, I'm not sure what to suggest. My biggest problem was at night, so I take sleeping pills as soon as I'm done eating for the day so I can get to sleep as soon as possible (pending the sleep of my children of course). I have been wanting to get a job or volunteer somewhere or something, but again, I would probably be paying more for daycare for my 3 girls, then I would be actually making. This probably is of no help to you at all, but just wanted to say that I can relate. It is hard, extremely hard sometimes, but I have managed to lose 105 pounds so far, so it can be done. Hang in there, if I find the cure to boredom I'll let you know. :)
 
Aleeluh said:
You eat when you are bored, stop being bored and you won't eat. I say thats a pretty good way to fix your problem.
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Exactly right...

Find yourself a hobby...

Stop focusing on what you can't do - and what's not possible and go with what is available...
 
OK. I've said this before, I'll say it again: "Getting a hobby" is not only VERY condescending, but simply not an option. Hobbies cost money. Someone mentioned learning to play an instrument. Do you know how much money instruments costs? Not to mention LESSONS? I can't afford that.

I have hobbies. My hobbies are listening to music, reading, and browsing the Internet. They are all very receptive to eating food while doing them. And they don't last 15 hours a day, every day. I will always be bored. What I need is ways to not EAT when I'm bored.

What's available? Here's what's available: 15 boring hours to fill and a house full of food to do it with.
 
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