Not hungry, but I WANT to eat!

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mvexplorer
mvexplorer Posts: 37 Member
in Motivation and Support
I know I'm not hungry. I've had enough calories today (about 1650), but all I want to do right now is eat! Anyone else have this problem? I know it's purely psychological and a habit I need to break, but I deal with this all day long. What do you do to combat it? I feel like this desire just to be eating is the reason I have failed so many times before at this.

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  • psych101
    psych101 Posts: 1,842 Member
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    I get this - but sometimes it is that I need to have more calories that day for whatever reason (if I deadlifted the night before, I'm almost guaranteed to want to eat all the foodz!!).

    Most of the time though for me its boredom or habit. Can you go for a walk? Have a nice cup of hot tea?
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    It gets easier. I was just wishing to be hungry so I could eat... But I'm not so I won't. Just find something to occupy yourself til the urge passes :)
  • kkimpel
    kkimpel Posts: 303 Member
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    celery.. that's my go to when I just want to crunch crunch crunch
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    that's what put the weight on me. what i do now, and it works 95% of the time for me, is i focus on one of my interests - photography, bass and guitar and fitness equipment, and i let myself obsess. i read lots of user reviews on amazon and elsewhere. i read stats on the manufacturer website about the item i'm researching. i do comparisons between cameras or basses or FID benches on lists or spreadsheets. i wallow in my favorite things, 'cause i also love research.

    it helps me replace the urge to eat and eat, and when it's time to buy something, i've got the research already done.
  • 2essie
    2essie Posts: 2,864 Member
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    I usually have a low calorie hot chocolate. I make a big mug full with double the quantity for a small cup and for 80 calories it usually does the trick.
  • Zerodette
    Zerodette Posts: 200 Member
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    Drink a bottle of water.

    I've replaced probably 75% of my boredom eating with planning ridiculously detailed itineraries for trips I'd like to take someday. I also do online window shopping- looking at things I'd like to buy. YMMV.
  • aarho
    aarho Posts: 2 Member
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    I get this everyday and it's a constant struggle.

    One thing that helps with me (sometimes) is what psych101 suggested, having a cup of tea or water. It drives my girlfriend crazy when I tell her to have a glass of water when she's hungry for no reason, but there have been studies that found that sometimes when people are slightly dehydrated it can feel like they're hungry (especially in North America...something to do with our diet).

    I don't know if this applies to everyone but it works for me quite often.
  • inkedmommy67
    inkedmommy67 Posts: 198 Member
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    I drink either coffee or water to occupy my boredom and if that doesn't work, I pick up a show that will gross me out somewhat and watch it. Usually gives an ample distraction =]
  • Shirotora88
    Shirotora88 Posts: 121
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    I have this problem all the time, I tell my workout buddy that I need to go to Overeating Anonymous. he says I don't lol.. anyways how I deal with the issue is drinking water
  • TheKingsChampion
    TheKingsChampion Posts: 120
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    I usually chew gum :)
  • mvexplorer
    mvexplorer Posts: 37 Member
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    Thanks all! I suppose I already knew the answer to my own question, but I was hoping there was something I hadn't thought of yet. As with all things diet/lifestyle related I will just have to buck up and use the willpower!
  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
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    I've had this problem a lot - some days I just want to keep eating and eating. It's usually tied to my emotions. I want to use food to feel happy because I'm having a bad day, missing my daughter, and I often don't realise I'm feeling this way because my instinct is to push it down and put food on top of it. It also often masquerades as boredom because it makes me want to just sit and do nothing.

    So on days you just want to eat, it may be useful for you to investigate your emotions and see if something comes up - from stress at work that day or something that happened a while ago. Then you can face it or write down how you feel, instead of turning to food. If it is purely boredom, definitely get up and do something to be occupied :)
  • akshngrl
    akshngrl Posts: 27 Member
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    I ask myself, why do I WANT to eat right now, when I am not hungry? It's almost always stress related. Eating is a sensory distraction then. Is there another way for me to deal with this stress? To feel and work through it rather than distract myself from it?

    Hmmm... I sound like the social worker that I am!

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