Tips on how to stop mindless eating?

healthyhappyme143

Hi all! For some reason I can't stop mindless eating. I find myself nibbling on random foods, anything in sight. I'd have a few dates, then some nuts, then some cookies, sips of chocolate milk,fruit and cereal. Even though I'm not hungry i still do this. I've gained back 20 pounds from doing this. My out of control eating is usually after college or work and not so much on the weekends. Any advice?

dakotababy

Yes - only eat when you are physically hungry. Focus on when you are hungry and ask yourself "am I REALLY hungry, or am I just pretending to be hungry?"

Typically, feelings associated with mindless eating is often boredom, anxiety, fear, or you are tired...just to name a few.

mengmoua2010

Here are three things that helps me the most.
Force yourself to eat something really nasty to turn off your appetite (this helps me the most). Don't buy food that you nibble on. Drink zero calorie drinks such as crystal light, diet soda, etc.

lynn_glenmont

I find committing to logging everything I eat helps stop me from "mindless" eating. If I think about having some snack just because it's there or I'm bored or I have a momentary urge for something, I remember I'm going to have to measure or weigh it, go on to MFP, find a matching entry or create a new entry -- and it doesn't seem worth it for something I don't really want or need.

Gingerspice45

Maybe planning ahead with where your going to spend your calories would help. Log everything you plan to eat for the day and then stick to it. If you feel hungry then stop what your doing and change activities to distract yourself.

fruttibiscotti

If you eat it, log it. Track everything. You cannot fix or improve what you do not measure.

MoreBean13

If you eat it, log it. Track everything. You cannot fix or improve what you do not measure.

^^^This. The act of logging every bite will cure it. There's no such thing as mindless eating when you log everything.

FitnFeistyLyness

look up beck diet solution.. she helped me so much..

the other posters are right on.. you bite it you write it.

seeing it in a list is eye opening.

be active. join a group for support.. feel free to join mine

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/18785-motivation-support-and-accountability

WonderChicana

Try drinking ice water through out the day instead of room temperature water.

jonnythan

Plan the following day the night before.

Log everything before you eat it.

caffeinekandie

I have a rule: I eat nothing out of a package (and the packages never leave the kitchen), I need to at least put in on a plate or bowl. Also I don't snack in the kitchen, as I'll just snack on things while trying to figure out what I actually want.

CaliforniaAJ

I find keeping busy helps. If I go to the kitchen for food, I clean something instead.

If I am sitting on the sofa and I feel like a snack, I reach for my laptop and send a friend an email, or log on here at MFP!

Weekends when I am home alone with my elderly dog (OH is at golf), I tend to do chores, crafts or workout at home to keep busy.

A good phrase to keep in your head "Little pickers wear big knickers". This is a British phrase, knickers = underwear. There is nothing like that image for motivation not to snack!

madaleingericke

Have you ever tried analyzing exactly what triggers the "mindless eating?"
There is usually a cause - boredom? frustration? - and once you identify the cause and deal with that, the mindless eating can become controlled.

dejamos

I have a rule: I eat nothing out of a package (and the packages never leave the kitchen), I need to at least put in on a plate or bowl. Also I don't snack in the kitchen, as I'll just snack on things while trying to figure out what I actually want.

This works for me! And I have one other rule - I don't do anything else when I eat at home. No TV, no reading, no computer, nothing. I give myself a few exceptions so I don't go crazy, but it's only foods I know I can control. The best way to stop mindless eating is to start mindful eating. This is what got me started: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/dining/mindful-eating-as-food-for-thought.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=dining&adxnnlx=1387380058-u/BuA7kGvuDnfsRpB3kzaw

NRSPAM

Make sure you're not confusing mindless eating with cravings. Mindless eating is when you eat things without really even paying attention, and possibly without even noticing that you're doing it. Don't eat in front of the TV. Don't leave food sitting out, like chips or cookies. Put the high calorie foods up and out of sight. You can put lower calorie, healthy foods in sight, so you will be more likely to eat them, like baby carrots, or other cut up fruits and veggies. Make sure you log everything, and weigh your foods. Once you become more mindful of what you're eating, it will become habit, and mindless eating will become less of a habit. Good luck! ))

chelstakencharge

Just say no!

1ZenGirl

Are there certain things that cause you to do this? Things like stress or boredom or stuffing your emotions down with food (my personal nemesis) may be a culprit. Once you become mindful of what is happening in those moments inside your head space it may change how you use food.

Abilene_Stars

I have this problem, too. Especially if I don't feel SUPER full after a meal I'll just keep snacking and snacking without really thinking about the calories involved.

One of the things that helps me is to make sure there are no high calorie snacks in the house. I have no ice cream, donuts, cake, cookies, nothing like that in the house right now. Because of this, when I did my after-dinner snacking I had three rice cakes with jam and about 15 baby carrots. If I'm being honest, the reason I don't have any of those things is because we're dirty poor right now and I simply can't afford the non-essentials.

But here's my main point: I realized a long time ago that if I keep my hands busy I'm less likely to do the mindless snacking. I found crafts that required the use of both my hands to keep me busy. I did latch hook for a while and I currently have a cross stitch I'm working on. Though, I'm getting a little bored with it and need to find something else to work on.

Is there a specific time of day that you find yourself snacking? Perhaps set aside that time as craft time (or reading time, or something else you enjoy time). Focus on that. Put a laaarge glass of water next to you to drink so that you can satisfy the hand-to-mouth impulse. Give it a shot See if it works

dianed1974

What i have done in the past is to keep things out of sight. I am less likely to go digging through cabinets and the refrigerator to find something to eat but if it out in plain sight the temptation is greater.

uconnwinsnc

You can try logging what you were going to eat before you eat it, just to see how badly it will destroy your diary for the day. Or you can try to keep busy. I know if I get bored for an extended period of time I will start munching on food.

SLLRunner

Here are three things that helps me the most.
Force yourself to eat something really nasty to turn off your appetite (this helps me the most).

That's silly to eat something nasty to turn your appetite off.

OP, start logging everything you eat into MFP and you will have a visual of how much you are eating. Once you do this, you can decide what to stop eating so much of. It really helps to weigh and measure all food and to log every single thing you put into your mouth.

Once you have the logging down, work very hard to stay within your calorie goals. Soon it will become an old habit to eat whatever you want while staying within your calorie goals.

new_bella

One thing I learned about myself and mindless eating is that often I mistake thirst for hunger. I like green tea so when I "feel" hungry when I think I shouldn't be, I"ll have a cup of green tea instead of reaching for food first. It seems to work well for me. I also keep almonds or walnuts at my desk and low fat greek yogurt in the fridge at work so there are healthy options for me for those times when I really do need to have a snack.

jtyler83

Sugarless gum is your friend

You will fight cravings for a looooonngg time

dittmarml

Agree with (a) logging everything BEFORE you eat it; (b) staying hydrated (drink plenty) - and if all else fails, you might try fasting for a day - pay attention to what actual hunger feels like…and once you break the fast, look for that feeling before you eat.

CrystalStarstorms

Ok... First off you dont need to STOP mindless eating because if you like mindlessly eat lettuce... 0 Cal. Broccoli unknown but my point is if it has 0 cals then go for it carrots are great raw veggies are my FAV but i mean come on. Also Go for a walk,You could be a volenteer? Get apart time job like me. Get a friend and say hey can you be my buddy? I had a workout bud and she was AMAZING We would talk about everything, We ended up being like Sisters because we were so much in each others life. I know how hard it is being inside and board trust me a mother of 4. a wife and To give you an idea i got a part time job to get out of the house okay. So i know boardem. Anyways, in the summer i have a 200 ft by 60 ft Garden I love it but thats my hobbys you just have to figuare out what you want? and GO FOR IT!!! With all your heart

gypsyone96

Keep food out of sight! It's the only thing that works for me.
I used to work on the dining table and found that working on the couch makes me think of food less. Especialy because I'm also farther away from the kitchen (no smells)

meshashesha2012

get busy doing other stuff. are you doing it because you're bored? if so then get some hobbies .

it also helps to not keep food you can easily snack on in the house. for instance most of the food i keep requires me to cook it or assemble it. the reason i dont buy chips, cookies, candy, etc anymore (unless they are the snack sized bags) is because they are too easy to mindlessly eat.

kezzola

Try brushing your teeth. I find that stops me from snacking afterwards because food tastes terrible with a mouth full of toothpaste flavour.

hol_lou85

i agree with Kezzola - thats exactly what i do - or i will log snack foods first - and then distract myself or drink some water - if i still want it it could be because im hungry - but most of the time its because im bored.

animatorswearbras

Step 1) get rid of all junky snacks out of your house full stop, even things like cereal so you actually have to prepare food if you want to eat it, easy access food is such an easy trap to fall into.

Step 2) (what works for me) is get some sugar free gum, lollypops, fruity ice lollies (check the cals or make your own) in which are usually only a few calories a pop (these are full of sweeteners though so not technically healthy but this is what helps me) I also have low cal hot chocolate in so I'll have a 40cal mug of that to stop chocolate bar cravings. If you want to chew on something substantial raw veggies like carrots, cucumbers, peppers and celery are okay as you have to eat a shed tonne before they add up to triple figure calories.

Step 3) occupy your hands if you're watching telly, whether it's playing a 3DS, reading the forums on MFP or knitting, alot of eating in front of the tv is just out of boredom or restlessness.

Also don't eat again until 30 mins after dinner so your body can register with your brain that you are no longer hungry, and also make sure you have plenty to drink and have a full drink next to you, sometimes you may just be a little dehydrated rather than actually hungry.

linsey0689

I do the same thing so firstly don't buy the cookies and stuff like that all the time. And log it before you eat it. It helps me at least