Tips on how to stop mindless eating?

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.

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.

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

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

Plan the following day the night before.

Log everything before you eat it.

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!

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

Just say no!

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

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.

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.

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.

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)

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

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.