Any advice for someone stuck at home all day???

tobitude
tobitude Posts: 89 Member
edited September 25 in Motivation and Support
I am one of those unlucky unemployed spends all day applying for jobs, waiting for phone calls and taking a few on line courses. So I basically spend all my time at home at the computer, I do make sure I take time during the day to ride my bike for 40 minutes in the morning and take a break later in the day to walk the dogs so we are not locked in the house all day. My big problem is being in the house with all the food all day, I guess I get bored and go looking for something to snack on while I am taking my classes. I need some help and advice on the best way to stay away from the kitchen, and I guess at any time for that matter. The cravings are getting the best me and I want to know how everyone else deals with it.

Thanks in advance!!!

Replies

  • Jeanine_Colavecchi
    Jeanine_Colavecchi Posts: 185 Member
    I am one of those unlucky unemployed spends all day applying for jobs, waiting for phone calls and taking a few on line courses. So I basically spend all my time at home at the computer, I do make sure I take time during the day to ride my bike for 40 minutes in the morning and take a break later in the day to walk the dogs so we are not locked in the house all day. My big problem is being in the house with all the food all day, I guess I get bored and go looking for something to snack on while I am taking my classes. I need some help and advice on the best way to stay away from the kitchen, and I guess at any time for that matter. The cravings are getting the best me and I want to know how everyone else deals with it.

    Thanks in advance!!!

    Buy 30 day shred in amazon for 8.99.....great workout for 20 minutes :)
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,313 Member
    Start doing body weight exercises. You can find a bunch at bodyweightculture.com

    I posted a bodyweight workout here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/201749-strength-training-help

    And some help here if you struggle with push-ups http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/196286-help-for-those-who-want-to-do-push-ups

    I would suggest when you want to snack pick a body weight exercise and do as many repetitions as you can. Rest a minute and again do as many as you can. You may not want to snack then.

    Another thing I do while working at my computer is set a timer to go off every hour. When is went off I got up and run up and down the stairs as many times as I could. Or I did burpees as many times as I could. Then reset the timer and did it all again in another hour (or whatever time period I decided on.)
  • TashaP2011
    TashaP2011 Posts: 142 Member
    I stay home with my kids. It can be really hard to stay away from stuff in the kitchen if it is stuff I like. I tend to avoid stuff I don't like. Therefore, when I buy snacks for the family, I only buy healthy stuff I like, and if I am going to buy something unhealthy, I try to buy it in a version I don't care for. For example - my family wants chips - I buy corn chips since they don't appeal to me. The kids want fruit snacks - get the kind that sticks in my teeth - I don't like that. I also try to keep healthy snack around that I do like, so I will gravitate toward those.
    Seems kind of obvious, but it works for me. Good luck to you!
  • I am one of those unlucky unemployed spends all day applying for jobs, waiting for phone calls and taking a few on line courses. So I basically spend all my time at home at the computer, I do make sure I take time during the day to ride my bike for 40 minutes in the morning and take a break later in the day to walk the dogs so we are not locked in the house all day. My big problem is being in the house with all the food all day, I guess I get bored and go looking for something to snack on while I am taking my classes. I need some help and advice on the best way to stay away from the kitchen, and I guess at any time for that matter. The cravings are getting the best me and I want to know how everyone else deals with it.

    Thanks in advance!!!

    maybe try not keeping too much food in your house (like junk food) try going to the grocery store everyday or every other to pick up materials for dinner or lunch. not sure how much that will help, but it's just a suggestion :)
  • I would say you should start by buying all healthy foods so that if you do want snacks there are only healthy snacks in the fridge, it's always great to go outside for a walk and get some fresh air seeing as you are inside all the time.

    Good luck job hunting!
  • WildcatMom82
    WildcatMom82 Posts: 564 Member
    I try not to buy foods I know I'll binge on - for me that includes cereal, ice cream, and any trail mix containing M&Ms (to name a few!) I also keep a bottle of water near me at all times and drink from it constantly. It's something I can do mindlessly and not have it hurt me, unlike mindless eating. It was a struggle the first few months transitioning - I used to work full time until I had my daughter - but I've gotten used to it now. I think also avoiding grazing and eating only at set times helps. I eat every 2-3 hours: meal, snack, meal, snack, meal, snack and having that routine helps. Good luck!
  • sarahazelnut99
    sarahazelnut99 Posts: 307 Member
    youll get use to it if you stay strong-it sort of reminds me of quitting smoking
    buy an air popcorn popper (best investment you can make) and pop some popcorn, its so little in calories PLUS you can also have that with a pickle like i usually do or a cucumber if your trying to watch sodium.
    another thing that helps me is setting times, ill watch the clock and think ...man i really wanna eat something! but if i tell myself "okay self your going to eat at 10, 12, 4, then 7 for dinner" im okay..;, i do little meals through out the day too
    snacking is okay! just as long as you keep it under control
  • sarahazelnut99
    sarahazelnut99 Posts: 307 Member
    and btw, i have a degree and am wonderful and getting jobs-i just get fired from every single one due to my anxiety :-( i forget what im doing alot and get nervous easy
    wish i could help you!
  • neyes67
    neyes67 Posts: 161 Member
    Not sure if you're living alone or have a family, significant other or room mate but I would start with doing inventory of my fridge and pantry with the goal of throwing away food items that are not healthy choices if you can afford to do so right now. This would also be a great time to try new meals/food items and be creative with eating 4-5 small meals per day as well as explore the nearby grocery store for healthy options. You would be surprise how much is out there :happy: I would also suggest planning your meals ahead of time daily or weekly and focus on only eating what you have planned for the day. This plus working out at home with workout videos, such as 30 Day Shred with Jillian Michaels, would be a great investment of your time and would help you stay focused and on track, yielding the results you want in the end. Personally I think this down time would be the perfect time to jump start reaching your goals. I would try to create a workout schedule and meal plan that would help me maximize results using the down time you have while you're job hunting and taking classes... they say time is money but time can also be calories burned. Why waste this time adding calories when you can chose to burn & boost and lose the extra weight and inches while preparing for that great job opportunity you're about to receive...Good Luck! :wink:
  • tamanella
    tamanella Posts: 500 Member
    I have my meals broken down to 6 small meals a day and I preplan them the night before. I have them scheduled to eat at a specific time, like breakfast at 7am, snack at 10am, etc. This helps me out because I can look at the clock and say ok, I only have 30 more minutes till I can eat. Just an idea and feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like some encouragement. :0)
  • tobitude
    tobitude Posts: 89 Member
    I actually am married with two kids so some of the cleaning out of the fridge and cupboards I have done to a certain extent, but my husbands metabolism is off the charts compared to mine and so he eats what he wants and doesnt have to pay the price. I have made sure I have lower calorie and alot of better options available to me. I think I let the whole not having a job get to me and let my weight spiral out of control, and I think it is also a factor in the job market also. I like the idea of every hour on the hour getting out of the chair, or doing some kind of excersise if I want to start munching. I appreciate the advice from everyone that posted and will be sure to refer back in my most desperate times :ohwell: , you guys are awesome!!!!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,313 Member
    Hope it helps.
  • nerdyandilikeit
    nerdyandilikeit Posts: 2,185 Member
    i'm in the same boat! i have a hard time avoiding the munchies when i dont keep myself busy, either physically or mentally. i also make sure i set times to eat often like meal, snack, meal, snack, meal, etc. and i make lots of to-do lists so if i find myself not sure what to do next, i can look to those for something instead of mindlessly snacking.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    If staying at home all day is the problem, why not get out of the house? You can still do your job search at the local library or workforce center. Hopefully you have access to those. Good luck.
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