Bored Eaters

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Slaci_Jo
Slaci_Jo Posts: 69 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How many of you are out there? I catch myself eating because I am bored all the time. I don't usually do it when I am home, mostly at work ( i have a desk job). For example last Friday I ate 6 peppermint patties at my desk because they were sitting there and I was caught up on the day.

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  • xXxHBICxXx
    xXxHBICxXx Posts: 370 Member
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    I'm guilty of this. I'm a stay at home mom of two boys a five year old and six month old, and when i'm making my five year old his lunch or a snack I will pick at it and not because i'm hungry but just because its there and I have nothing else to do. Sucks
  • Labluver17878
    Labluver17878 Posts: 4 Member
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    I too am a bored eater. I am not working at this time having just moved. I find that I eat all the time just because I have nothing else to do. The house is pretty much set up, I work on my hobbies but that gets tedious after a while. Watching TV all they do is put food commercials on and that makes me go looking for something to eat. Help!!
  • AllTehBeers
    AllTehBeers Posts: 5,030 Member
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    I do this at work too. I run a convenience store so "because its just there" was one of the reasons I gained so much weight. Now, I pack a lunch and lots of snacks that I can eat as much or little as I want. It helps limit what I get to eat from the store.
  • kellybean14
    kellybean14 Posts: 237 Member
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    Last week at work I found myself mindlessly placing chocolate covered gummy bear after chocolate covered gummy bear in my mouth... I don't think I even tasted them. I know I should substitute the hand-to-mouth motion with something else (maybe filing my nails or doodling?), but bored eating is habit I've been developing my whole life and it's hard to shake. I'd love other suggestions too!
  • maryannsaunderspreston
    maryannsaunderspreston Posts: 26 Member
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    I know exactly how you feel! My problem is that I get bored at home, because I sometimes just decide I don't want to do anything. So, when there is nothing to do, I eat. Not because I am hungry, but because I am there and so is the food. It gives me something to do! UNFORTUNATELY!! At least I will be going back to school in a couple weeks, and will have plenty to keep me occupied.
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
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    My dangerous time is at home in the evenings.

    Here are some things I do:
    - don't have any junk food in the house (I live alone so it's easier for me)
    - have healthier snack foods available
    - take a single serving with me, NOT the whole bag
    - I've found that I like eating dinner later in the evening, 7-8pm, because it keeps me from being hungry befroe bedtime.
    - If I am hungry at bedtime, eat something with protein like a cheese stick and a piece of fresh fruit
  • _Peacebone_
    _Peacebone_ Posts: 229 Member
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    I keep sugar free gum and water at my desk to stop myself from eating when I'm not hungry. It helps keep me from mindlessly snacking, and drinking all of that water really helps keep me full and hydrated.
  • Slaci_Jo
    Slaci_Jo Posts: 69 Member
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    Those are definitely good tips! Thanks!
  • extraleggy68
    extraleggy68 Posts: 7 Member
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    I am most definitely a bored eater. My critical time is 3-4pm in the afternoon. Mornings I can manage by a cup of coffee at 10.30am then lunch between 12.30-1pm-ish, but between lunch and getting home at 6.40 then cooking and finally sitting down to eat dinner at 7.30pm... it's a long time. And a long work day.

    Following the Slimming World plan again so I must find something with me that I can pick at.... Grapes are most definitely on tonights shopping list....

    So glad I am not alone in my boredom :-)
  • YoungDoc2B
    YoungDoc2B Posts: 1,593 Member
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    Try snacking on healthy things when you're bored. Cut up cucumber slices, tomatoes, baby carrots, etc and snack on those. They're low calorie and good for you,while also satisfying your need for oral fixation.
  • MiTime2016
    MiTime2016 Posts: 50 Member
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    Last week at work I found myself mindlessly placing chocolate covered gummy bear after chocolate covered gummy bear in my mouth... I don't think I even tasted them. I know I should substitute the hand-to-mouth motion with something else (maybe filing my nails or doodling?), but bored eating is habit I've been developing my whole life and it's hard to shake. I'd love other suggestions too!

    Ahhh, I love chocolate covered gummy bears. What an evil invention.
    The one way I can avoid eating when I'm bored (mostly at work when I'm all caught up) is to have no food around. None. Then I'll just have a cup of hot tea because that's my only option.
    Now if I could just get everyone at work to keep no food around too I'd be all set :smile:
  • amyann2
    amyann2 Posts: 69 Member
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    I do this in the evenings. It's not always boredom (though sometimes it is), but also that I've "trained" myself to expect an evening snack, and usually not the healthy kind. I really plan to work on this now.
  • lovetiffany
    lovetiffany Posts: 43 Member
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    I'm guilty of this as well. But I just recently fell in love with pomegranates which has saved my day lol. Perfect snacking food!!
  • MellyLikestoRun
    MellyLikestoRun Posts: 83 Member
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    The worst time for me is at work, too. The guys have containers of pretzels and cookies and stuff around. I am now bringing baggies of veggies, an apple, and greek yogurt to work so I can eat these instead. It's a struggle. I find my job to be very boring (currently looking for another one) so that doesn't help.
  • frecklegrrl
    frecklegrrl Posts: 11
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    I am definitely a notorious boredom eater! And a tv/film/mindless time eater.

    I've started knitting a lot more and working on some new art projects to keep my hands busy. It's definitely helped a lot!
  • extraleggy68
    extraleggy68 Posts: 7 Member
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    I am definitely a notorious boredom eater! And a tv/film/mindless time eater.

    I've started knitting a lot more and working on some new art projects to keep my hands busy. It's definitely helped a lot!

    I have started making jewellery to keep my occupied/hands busy in the evenings after dinner. Unfortunately, the only thing I have in the afternoons at work is brute force and ignorance - afternoons are so dull...
  • pinkfuzzyllama
    pinkfuzzyllama Posts: 4
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    I'm overcoming binge eating...generally triggered when I'm bored. I think when I first started it was more of an emotional trigger, now it's just my mind saying "it's okay, you can eat it, you'll do better tomorrow" PSH. Learning to stop that.

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