Eating while watching TV

2

Replies

  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    edited August 2016
    emdeesea wrote: »
    I quit watching tv.

    But I still do sit around in the evening a bit. Mindless eating is just a habit. You have to figure out how to stop it. Drink a glass of water, have some tea, or save some calories to have some carrot sticks or popcorn.

    I agree that it is a habit. Habits can be very difficult to break because it requires some discomfort in the beginning, but it can be done. I'm not one who says, just stop doing it. I believe we overcome habits and other obstacles little by little. Maybe start off one day a week eating only at the table and not focusing on the TV. Then, you can gradually increase those days. I've never had that issue because I only eat the table. I don't want crumbs in my living room. :) But I used to eat and watch TV from my dining room. I didn't see it as an issue, but all of a sudden I stopped doing it. Now, I mute the TV and I sit in the chair the faces a window. I do this now because I really want to enjoy and focus on my food and not get distracted from the enjoyment of eating by watching TV. I didn't even do it on purpose. Just happened naturally.
  • Ricksh1000
    Ricksh1000 Posts: 88 Member
    Carriehelene wrote: »
    Stop watching TV >:)

    +1 !

    Gave up watching TV about 5 years ago, best thing I ever did!
    Prob is with TV food combination - TV takes your focus, the food is just a side.
    Focus on your food every time, you'll enjoy it and appreciate it more ;)
  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    I eat while watching tv at night. Hasn't been a problem for me, but that's probably because I don't bring the whole bag/box/package into the living room. Get a snack that fits your calorie limit (if you like to have a big evening snack, just eat lighter the rest of the day to make room), portion it out, put the packages away, go watch tv and enjoy your snack. When it's gone, I generally pause my show and go brush my teeth and then go back to the tv. You may need to do what others have suggested as far as keeping your hands busy, but I find brushing my teeth "signals" that the kitchen is closed for the night.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    Watch the Olympics and do squats and dips and assorted things with dumbbells.
  • 227853
    227853 Posts: 1 Member
    You could try logging your TV snack calories before dinner. If you over eat at dinner, limit snacks to a few celery sticks and water or tea.
  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,505 Member
    JenHuedy wrote: »
    That's why I only watch TV on my treadmill. Now I can binge Netflix guilt free!

    I thought I was the only one. I find a good historical drama can burn upwards of 300 calories per hour. :grin:
  • Mentali
    Mentali Posts: 352 Member
    RAinWA wrote: »
    Put a great big cat in your lap - can't eat while petting a cat.

    And plus the cat will willingly intercept any potential food items for poison testing!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    JenHuedy wrote: »
    That's why I only watch TV on my treadmill. Now I can binge Netflix guilt free!

    Yep! I DVR my favorite shows and can only watch them if I'm on my elliptical.

    My evenings are filled with son's sports and gym time, so I don't watch much TV anyway.
  • srecupid
    srecupid Posts: 660 Member
    nrsdiane wrote: »
    Wondered if anyone has ideas for breaking the habit of eating while watching TV in the evening. My weight loss journey and maintenance once I get there would be so much easier if I could break this habit. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

    I have my food and tv on opposite ends of the house. You could try switching to tea instead of food
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    i eat with the tv on, but i have designated amounts to eat. i also plan on snacking so i have calories saved
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited August 2016
    I don't mindlessly eat in front of the t.v. but my wife and I both eat dinner in front of the t.v. most nights to decompress from the craziness that is our lives. It's just about the only t.v. we watch...about 1/2 hour to an hour while we eat every night.

    If you're talking about sitting down in front of the t.v. and you're bored and just mindlessly snack or whatever...well, that's just a habit and perhaps you'd be better served to find some other hobby/activity that is more engaging.

    Also, in regards to maintenance...one of the things often listed in regards to what successful people do in regards to keeping weight off is not watching much t.v...my wife and I maybe watch 7 -10 hours per week depending on what's going on...it's a lot easier to maintain a healthy weight when you're actively participating in life rather than watching it.
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
    Watch Netflix on your Ipad instead
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    Turn off the TV and read a book.
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    edited August 2016
    I used to snack a lot while watching TV. It was relaxing, but a bad habit since I wasn't hungry and I ate a lot of extra calories.

    Now, I don't watch much TV, but I like to get in a light workout when I do.

    Things like leg lifts, push ups, bodyweight squats, planks, jumping jacks, butt-kicks, single-leg tricep dips or using my mini-stepper and a pair of light weights or my Pilates Reformer keeps me busy.

    However turning off the television and going for a fast walk outside or putting on a Youtube workout and closing the kitchen after dinner kicked my mindless snacking after dinner habit out the door for good.
  • leejoyce31
    leejoyce31 Posts: 794 Member
    mbaker566 wrote: »
    i eat with the tv on, but i have designated amounts to eat. i also plan on snacking so i have calories saved

    A couple weeks ago, I started having a snack after dinner. I had to stop because I wasn't willing to "make room" for it in my menu. It would require me to have a smaller lunch or dinner. So, I stopped. I hadn't done it long enough to become a habit, but I sure did like having that little treat after dinner. :)
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Buy a stationary bike and get on it while you watch TV.

    Honestly though, I just stopped. I like enjoying my food, and I just can't enjoy it properly if I'm watching TV at the same time.
  • SusanMFindlay
    SusanMFindlay Posts: 1,804 Member
    Colouring. Needlework. Playing on the tablet/laptop. Anything that keeps hands busy.
  • idabest777
    idabest777 Posts: 97 Member
    I used to do the same thing, I still do occasionally. I love watching tv so the suggestions to stop watching would have been useless to me. I mostly try to keep just healthy snacks available at home so that even when i do decide to do tv munching it doesn't to much harm to my calorie allowance. Like mostly plain popcorn...a huge bowl of that is only 200 cals so that's one of my go to snacks.
    I also started watching at least an hour of my evening tv at the gym, which has been great for my 10km runs haha
    In the winter I'll have giant cups of tea (I've gathered up a lot of different flavours of it so I get some variety)
  • my58vw
    my58vw Posts: 18 Member
    I watch TV shows on my laptop while cross stitching. I also tend to have a glass of water around to quell the hunger if it hits. My key is... no food... no eat...
  • DanerTee
    DanerTee Posts: 263 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Eat only in a designated place -- like the kitchen table.
    If you cannot do that, then stop watching tv for a few days.

    I like this one. Make "rules" for yourself to help you break a habit, because that's all it is. For me, I put my kids to bed, grab my e-reader and sit down and immediately want to snack. When I feel like that, I get up and clean something or make my kids lunches etc. The craving passes and I go back to my book and do that over and over until I re-train my brain to stop associating that damn e-reader or book with snacking. Stay strong!

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