Mindless eating..how to stop it?

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l1h2s3
l1h2s3 Posts: 9
in Getting Started
I could always have a healthy breakfast...a healthy lunch (at work that I made at home) BUT...when I go back home after work..it is like I forgot to eat healthy. I want to sit in the couch, relax, but I grab anything that is in the kitchen to eat. Sometime, I pick chocolates, make a sandwich with lots of cheese, drink tea with sugar and lots of cookies, etc. Then, I feel bloated and guilty and I say "tomorrow I shouldn't do this" "I will be more careful" etc.
What can I do to stop doing these.....I have gained weight doing that for the last 5 months....
Please, any help will be very appreciated. Thnks.
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Replies

  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
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    Snack on healthier things that are really low calorie, like cucumbers and celery. Lower calorie things that are more time consuming to eat, like edemame or snow peas.
  • holagatita
    holagatita Posts: 1,785 Member
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    Drink tons of water and coffee
  • Zerodette
    Zerodette Posts: 200 Member
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    This was a big problem for me! Also, I live with others and can't control 100% of what gets brought into the house. So "don't buy cookies" isn't good advice for me. I just had to work on not eating mindlessly. Self-control is like a muscle, you have to exercise it. So if I'm thinking about snacking out of boredom, I do this:

    1) Make myself drink 20oz of water before grabbing ANY snack.

    2) Complete a chore or task before eating a snack

    3) Log the thing I'm thinking about eating BEFORE I eat it. So many times, I decide the calories just aren't worth it.

    An important thing to do, is allow yourself a treat every once in a while, even every day, but only if it fits into your calorie limit.
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
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    Use your mind.
  • l1h2s3
    l1h2s3 Posts: 9
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    Thanks a lot for the advice...
  • X0X0NikkiX0X0
    X0X0NikkiX0X0 Posts: 3
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    Distract yourself, I find walking, reading, painting my nails (can't eat after either because you can't do anything with wet nails, and also, nail polish remover tastes nasty and is all over your fingers.) cleaning, looking at gross pictures can make you lose your appetite, studying, and doing sit ups really quickly especially after drinking a glass of water can make you feel sick just thinking about food, and spinning around, you don't want a cookie when you're dizzy. Lol Just a few things I do. :)
  • l1h2s3
    l1h2s3 Posts: 9
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    successgal1 wrote: »
    Use your mind.

    I guess after work I am tired and my mind doesn't function properly.
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    Pre log your food and stick to it! Ask yourself why you're eating and/or stay out of the kitchen :) It's hard for a while but you can do it!
  • Zerodette
    Zerodette Posts: 200 Member
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    X0X0NikkiX0X0 wrote: »
    spinning around, you don't want a cookie when you're dizzy. Lol Just a few things I do. :)

    Picturing this made me laugh really loudly.
  • l1h2s3
    l1h2s3 Posts: 9
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    Cortneyrenee04 wrote: »
    Pre log your food and stick to it! Ask yourself why you're eating and/or stay out of the kitchen :) It's hard for a while but you can do it!

    Thank you...I will try to pre-log everything.

  • l1h2s3
    l1h2s3 Posts: 9
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    X0X0NikkiX0X0 wrote: »
    Distract yourself, I find walking, reading, painting my nails (can't eat after either because you can't do anything with wet nails, and also, nail polish remover tastes nasty and is all over your fingers.) cleaning, looking at gross pictures can make you lose your appetite, studying, and doing sit ups really quickly especially after drinking a glass of water can make you feel sick just thinking about food, and spinning around, you don't want a cookie when you're dizzy. Lol Just a few things I do. :)
    good thanks....I will fill my ipod with music and start dancing may be!!

  • l1h2s3
    l1h2s3 Posts: 9
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    Zerodette wrote: »
    X0X0NikkiX0X0 wrote: »
    spinning around, you don't want a cookie when you're dizzy. Lol Just a few things I do. :)

    Picturing this made me laugh really loudly.

    True!!
    haha
  • funchords
    funchords Posts: 413 Member
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    In your home, create some traditions around meals --

    You eat at the table.
    You set a place.
    You have fresh flowers there.
    There is a candle that you light before being seated.
    You play soft music, but neither TV or other devices are involved.
    You serve your meal. You focus on the foods' tastes and textures and smells.
    You take at least 20 minutes to finish.
    You clear your place, extinguish the candle, and go about the next part of your day.

    This is for food in the home. It's a tradition, a little lighter than a rule but generally something you observe.

  • Zerodette
    Zerodette Posts: 200 Member
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    l1h2s3 wrote: »
    X0X0NikkiX0X0 wrote: »
    Distract yourself, I find walking, reading, painting my nails (can't eat after either because you can't do anything with wet nails, and also, nail polish remover tastes nasty and is all over your fingers.) cleaning, looking at gross pictures can make you lose your appetite, studying, and doing sit ups really quickly especially after drinking a glass of water can make you feel sick just thinking about food, and spinning around, you don't want a cookie when you're dizzy. Lol Just a few things I do. :)
    good thanks....I will fill my ipod with music and start dancing may be!!

    You could think about how much time you'd have to spend dancing to burn off whatever you were gonna snack on. 45min of dancing for 3 cookies?!! No thanks.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,531 Member
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    Get a kitty. Playing with kitty, you'll have so much fun & forget about snacking. Throw the kitty toys and watch him/her pounce. Also, you'll have to pet kitty & get snuggles. Kitty fur & chip-eating fingers don't jive. And with kitty, you'll have to clean the box. Kitty likes a prestine litter box. Scooping out kitty poo poos and washing out the box change the litter all the time makes for a busy evening. But mostly, just chasing kitty around your home is lotsa fun and your mind won't be on the snacks. :smile:
  • sugarandopium
    sugarandopium Posts: 8
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    dont keep food like that in the house?

    and i second the get a kitty post!
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    I have that problem as well. I get off of work at 4pm, and I have dinner at 7pm when my bf gets home. I will snack if I just go home after work, so I've started going to the gym for some extra cardio before I make dinner. It helps kill the cravings and time.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    Perhaps start using your mind and get some mental discipline or common sense.
    For goodness sake invest some time in understanding a looking at what you are trying to achieve, how and look at the things that set you off course.

    Preplan and sometimes pre prepare your meals if you cant trust yourself. Maybe start shopping so you have on site all the ingredients you need.
  • KJ4health
    KJ4health Posts: 16 Member
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    Just like many others have said, pre plan your meals and stick to your plan. If you are hungry, eat....if you are not- then why are you looking twords food. Are you thirsty? Are you bored? Eating mindlessly is simply a habit that we need to be more aware of and change that behavior.
  • Derp_Diggler
    Derp_Diggler Posts: 1,456 Member
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    Want it more than you want that snack. It's really that simple.

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