HOW DO YOU DISTRACT YOURSELF FROM EATING

SheilaTrueLove

I'm just curious and wondering if anyone can give me some ideas on how they distract themselves from eating when they know they're not hungry?

Machka9

Work
Attend university and other night classes
Do homework
Exercise
Get involved in a hobby or project
Clean the house

heybales

An idle mind is the ..... oh wait, no, idle hands are the .... no, wait - well, idle mind and hands sure don't help - whatever the phrases are.

H_Ock12

Sleep. Workout. Take the dog for a walk.

monae2013

Eat fruit, yogurt, u know something heathy. Or chew gum. You can also excercise or look at some motivational pics!

scarlett_k

Cup of tea or some sparkling water, or I have a few sugar free mints.

impyimpyaj

Honestly, I brush my teeth. Everything is gross after I’ve brushed my teeth. So I brush and then get a big cup of ice water. Or if it’s late enough to go to bed, even if I don’t think I’m sleepy, I go to bed, because I often want to snack when I’m really in need of sleep.

psychod787

try eating a low energy density diet! lots of food, just not dense calories
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20044318

kommodevaran

That approach has never worked for me. Instead, I eat meals, which means that there is a time to eat, and the rest of the time is not for eating. This eliminates the endless row of questions - do I want to eat, should I eat, how long can I wait, am I hungry now, what about now, or just bored, and so on. I also plan meals I look forward to eating, so waiting for a meal becomes meaningful - no more diet foods.

JeromeBarry1

Exercise. I have a couple of cardio machines I can use while watching the TV. It's a 2-step-plus-1. Step 1, recognize the drift toward excessive eating. Step 2, create calorie deficit. Plus 1, eat excessively, which is now redefined as 'eat back calories'.

cejones1980

I found a saying on pinterest(my life)..."There is a difference between being hungry and bored. Drink water and figure out the difference." The other one said, "If you are not hungry enough to eat an apple, your not hungry." I often will look up motivational sayings on pinterest for when I am hungry, or I will go on a walk. I clean when I am hungry or sleep. Remind yourself that some of your "hunger pains" or "wanting to eat for no reason" is mind over matter. Tell yourself you are not hungry. Trust me, I fight ghost hunger as well. I want to eat all the time. That's all I use to do. Bored, I eat. Hungry, I eat more. Tired, I eat. Stressed, I eat. Happy, I reward myself with food even if I'm not hungry!! You got this!!

mmblarg

On days I don't work out (or can't) I usually eat a rice cake (chocolate or cinnamon sugar ones are 50 cal each! woo) and then down a bottle of water. This tricks my brain into thinking I had something sweet and terrible and the water makes my tummy feel full.

Fighting cravings though... that's a whole other story...

Chantaljg

Hey .. I know this sounds silly but it has worked for me ... Cross stitching or knitting ... You become super focused on what you're doing and it requires both hands!! Hands busy = can't be snacking
Other crafts and hobbies work well also, drawing, painting, scrapbooking etc.

Hope that helps and you find something that works for you

rickiimarieee

I clean, play with my little one, don't think about food, watch an interesting show on tv, do laundry, play video games, play on my phone, work out/exercise, or if none of that works I will brush my teeth to deter cravings!

cecil_hall

Try to stay busy doing anything.

lili200

Find the reasons you are needing comfort and support from the food and get that by other things.

riffraff2112

read the forums at mfp, go for a walk.
Chew gum so I cant eat anything!

NewTnme

It depends on the time of day. In the evening I go to the gym in bed at night I get on forums or if I can't win. I take a super small piece of what I'm craving. Good luck

cricket_hackmann

I chew gum, eat a slice of dill pickle, check out the message boards on MFP or remind myself that hunger pangs is the feeling of my body getting slimmer!

shenanigans_

Guzzle some water so my stomach is temporarily full and then try to snack on something healthy.

rundgrenrocks

I've somehow decided that it's okay to be hungry sometimes.

tracylp6178

I have a serving of metimucil weight management right when I get home from work. It's added fiber to my day and helps me feel full. I also eat a mini bag of 100 cal popcorn while watching tv. It does the trick

stepea83

workout and/or drink pint of water

Iamnotasenior

Number one, DO NOT WATCH FOOD NETWORK or other cooking shows. Those will make me want food even when I'm not hungry. Number two, find another activity, i.e., do a crossword puzzle, take a walk, clean out a junk drawer, dust the furniture or call a friend and have a chat.

timtam163

I agree about watching too many cooking shows/following too many foodstagram accounts etc. Start knitting or something in front of the TV so you have something to do with your hands; better yet, watch less TV and go for more walks. Once you break the habit of mindless eating, it gets easier.

grannysmith54

If I feel hungry I know I losing weight

LZMiner

Get away from the kitchen! I tend to go somewhere I don't snack...like my bedroom, and read.

KosmosKitten

I knit in an upstairs room away from the kitchen. If I actually want food, I have to be willing to go down all the stairs to get it and bring it back up stairs. Not to mention, I despise eating while I knit or crochet, so it seems to work.

Sometimes.. too well. I knit until I forget to eat and then I get ravenously hungry, lol.

pogiguy05

SheilaTrueLove wrote: »

I'm just curious and wondering if anyone can give me some ideas on how they distract themselves from eating when they know they're not hungry?

I know that feeling exactly. I would be making something to eat at night even though I was not hungry and eating it. All the while talking to myself yet still making and eating it.

You just need to get to that point where you say enough is enough. No one around me is very supportive and I am surrounded by junk food I cannot remove. You just have to make a conscious choice to work at getting yourself healthier.

In no way am I saying it is easy. The one thing that does help me is going to the gym almost everyday. Also documenting EVERYTHING I eat good or bad. That way I can see what I have been eating and how many calories. Plus a bonus of going to the gym if gives you extra calories burned. My goal when I do go to the gym is to burn 1000 calories and that takes some time to get to that point. I do weight lifting and cardio and I do it myself.

No one is perfect your going to have days you may slip up, but what is important is to get right back at eating healthy for YOU.

DebLaBounty

I hold an apple, pear or banana in my hand and ask myself, "Do I want one of these?" If not, I'm not hungry and pour myself a large glass of water with slices of lemon and ice. If I'm craving a chocolate treat I revert to my childhood days. I'll make myself a batch of Chocolate Sugar-Free instant pudding. One half-cup serving is 80 calories. I make sure it fits within my daily calorie allotment, and I slowly savor every bite. If it doesn't, I brush my teeth and decide that I'm finished. I quilt or knit, which requires clean hands. Or I take a walk outside, then drink a cup of tea or a glass of water when I get back home.

Sunnybrooke99

I’ll try drinking coffee, and water, bc I might just be tired or thirsty. If that’s not it, I just eat and eat. Maybe, I’m not “hungry,” but I can probably use some nourishment. I try to eat low cal volume stuff at times like this. Stuff like skirtake noodles w some marinara, canned greens w hot sauce, miso soup, raw snap peas, and steamed asparagus or artichoke. I’ve noticed that I eat like this before my period, but then I’ll hardly have an appetite for the next few days.