Hobbies that keep you away from mindless eating -- success anyone?

allamuchyprof

Hi everyone
I noticed that as long as I am doing something (crafts or something) I am eating far less. At least less mindless junky eating.

Anyone take up knitting or crocheting? Did it help you control mindless eating? Any success? I ask this because I am going to learn to crochet in hopes this will change dumb eating behaviors

JeromeBarry1

I've got a cardio machine in my living room. During baseball season I get on it and exercise during the games. That keeps me from snacking during the games and earns some snacking calories while I'm at it.

jlynn1991

I do a lot of cleaning and organizing. I have a 4 year old, always something that can be cleaned up. It keeps me away from the snacks.

ninerbuff

Believe it or not, video gaming. I usually play sports, so not a lot of "off" time. Having to use 2 hands helps to keep hands out of the bowl.


A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

trish2016

Boxfit in my local boxing gym and animal rescue dont have the time to eat plus cleaning up after all the animals keeps me active

KosmosKitten

I crochet, knit, sort Magic cards (yep, I'm a nerd). Sometimes I'll draw or make lists of things to do. Maybe sew. Pretty much anything I can do to keep busy. I play video games, too. I don't like touching the controller if I have anything on my hands, so eating and video game play do not go hand in hand with me. :P

However, I developed these habits not to keep myself from eating, but because I have had a problem since I was young of picking sores/pimples/whatever is on my face. If my face is not smooth, it offends and/or bothers me, so I pick.

So these habits kind of helped out with both the picking problem and the mindless snacking problem.

mazdauk

Anything that needs to have clean hands. Games on the tablet are OK for this, otherwise scrapbooking. I used to do more knitting and sewing by carpal tunnel and needing varifocals has more or less done for that - I can sew but I need really good light.

Renaissance_Turtle

Working on cars. You're not doing it right if there's no blood involved. LOL
I'm the opposite of mazdauk. Dirty hands keep me from picking up donuts...

shadowbaby4

I absolutely credit crochet with reducing my snacking/desire for snacking. When my hands are busy, I don't think about food. Good luck learning to crochet! It's tough at first, but worth the effort!

Brandie091286

I like to play Free Roaming type of video games that allow you to explore! Im currently into Skyrim for Playstation 4 and i swear i get lost in it, hours go by before i realize it! However, it does cause me to forget things like Laundry lol. Im just beginning my weight loss journey and feel like this will definitely help me cut back on snacking and going back for seconds at dinner time.

MissMandyT85

I'm looking into a Cricut. That will keep me busy and for sure curb any of that bored eating!

tcunbeliever

puzzles...sewing...and walking on the treadmill...I must have something to do when watching TV so I just find myself munching...

laurenebargar

Over the weekend I got addicted to a computer game (not that I suggest you play games all weekend like I did) but I looked at the clock and it had been several hours and I didnt think of food at all lol! After that I went for a long hike, which also keeps me from snacking.

AskMorphis

Sports, working, and being social. Anything that requires focus, and that you're engaged in may make you forget about your stomach.

I've been in situation where I felt like starving at 5pm before going out to socialize, went out, didn't eat/drink, went back home at 11pm, and felt marginaly hungry only then.

seltzermint555

I apologize in advance if this isn't what you're looking for here...but for me, the best way to prevent mindless eating has been taking the option of snacking away. I pre-log most of my meals and make them really good and by that I mean, healthy, nice macros, but plenty of appealing foods I like and "treats" included. But I don't ever snack, really. I mean, maybe 1 snack in a month. I just eat meals at relatively scheduled mealtimes.

RoxieDawn

Don't buy the junk and it won't be available to you!

Video games and mobile games are my go to.. but I can also get up and walk around outside and play with my dogs, or I can hop on my treadmill turn the TV on, and walk it off.

peckchris3267

Fishing, tying flies for fly fishing, shooting, and re loading ammo.

JeromeBarry1

newmeadow wrote: »

Don't quite get what mindless eating is. I'm obsessed with eating and I'm all in with every bite I take, every time. If it was indeed mindless, it seems it would be a breeze to break the habit as such.

Think of it as pantomiming a Doritos Funnel.

allamuchyprof

Thank you everyone! I can't wait to learn to crochet. Mindless eating to me, means....sitting there with snacks and no true hunger. Before I know it, mindlessly, the large bag of chips are gone! I ate them all!! Didn't think about what I was doing....just ate away like a miss piggy lol

seltzermint555

allamuchyprof wrote: »

Thank you everyone! I can't wait to learn to crochet. Mindless eating to me, means....sitting there with snacks and no true hunger. Before I know it, mindlessly, the large bag of chips are gone! I ate them all!! Didn't think about what I was doing....just ate away like a miss piggy lol

I have literally never done that and please believe that I'm not saying that as a humble brag whatsoever because I definitely have eaten huge portions and unnecessary sweets and snacks galore in my life and even to this day...but I guess it's a thing that varies by person, because it's hard for me to even imagine that happening. I feel like after a few chips in that situation I'd be bored of the taste and go get some chocolate or fruit or nuts...

CTcutie

Knitter here! And gym (classes a few times a week keep me on schedule & I'm less likely to back out!) after work & shower at the gym so by the time I get home it's almost time for bed @ 9:00... I tend not go to sleep til 10:00, but watch some Netflix. I have been trying to add more social time w friends each week & get them to go for a walk/hike with me

Speziface

Woodworking:

Moxie42

Knitting, cross-stitch, puzzles, coloring, whatever random craft I'm interested in at the moment. I tend to watch an hour or two of TV before I go to bed and I used to mindlessly snack during that time. I have to "multi-task" when I watch TV so having hobbies that use my hands helps avoid the snacking. Recently I got into this subscription box service where you basically get to pretend to be a detective and you get letters and clues and stuff to solve the case. I can spend hours on it without even realizing it. That's helped divert my attention when I have a lot of time to myself and find myself wanting to bordom-eat. There is also a crafting subscription box if you enjoy crafting but don't necessarily have just one or two things you like to stick to. I haven't tried that one though.

lvmycats

a lot of arts work well for this purpose for me, ceramics, metalworking, and leatherworking make me feel to gross afterward to eat for a good few hours. Hope this helps

WanderingRivers

I knit and crochet as well. Hard to nibble if you are corralling yarn and hook or yarn and needles.

I cross stitch as well but I'm not ready to pick up needles and fabric again.

dutchandkiwi

I do a lot of needle work that keep me occupied - knitting, embroidery and sewing
But really as long as I keep my hands busy and full I can't eat So it also works for colouring, ironing and really anything A stress ball has helped me at times as well at work

trish2016

Boxfit and animal rescue

PAGinger

Working on my manuscript keeps hands and mind busy...can't eat when both are otherwise occupied!

allamuchyprof

Okay for all you knitters and crochet friends....how many of you are self-taught? Videos, books, YouTube -- anyone? Success? It will be nice for me to focus more on this stuff than food when I am bored lol

boredloser

Drawing, can't eat if your hands are occupied. Same with gaming, although it hasn't stopped me in the past from mindlessly munching on garbage between respawns..

Also walking, because I hate walking and eating at the same time.

Speziface

I think I mentioned woodworking earlier, although the pics I tried to post didn't come through. Let's try again: