Mindless eating..how to stop it?

Being mindful in all things, including your consumption is a skill. Skills must be practiced in order to be improved upon. Practice being mindful in all things.

There's probably multiple things you need to address but for starters I'd try to identify what factors are involved in the choices you make about food.

For example hunger can be one reason that we eat. We can also eat for taste related reasons that are separate from actual hunger.

We can also crave foods simply because we see or smell the food and that forces us to decide whether or not to eat the food when we may not have thought about it to begin with were we to not have seen it.

Take for example, if you were to go home and see a tray of donuts on the kitchen counter. You will be forced to choose to either eat, or not eat one or more donuts. If your willpower is already depleted from all of the choices you've already made at work, you might then choose to eat a donut.

Had you not seen the donuts to begin with you most likely wouldn't have gone home and thought "damn I want to eat a donut right now".

So one thing you can do would be to restructure your living space so that your food environment is more diet-friendly. Move the energy dense, nutrient sparse foods to less prevalent locations so that you're not encountering them as frequently.

You may also benefit from food prep in bulk since this would make eating relatively healthier options more convenient.

There's several other things but this would be one starting point/idea to implement.

Preparation.

You are more than likely a lot like myself.. In the morning my will power and good intentions are clear and intact. I grab good choices for breakfast and lunch and I'm out the door for the day. Evening hits and I tend to slack. Don't want to cook after a long day and all the rest of the excuses that follow that

My suggestion is to make your evening meal when you make the others instead of having to prepare it when you get home. Make something you can just reheat and serve. Or, if you fancy a hot meal to come home to, there are tons of crock pot ideas all over this website and many more!

My will power normally fails me in the evening, so to curb that I just make sure I plan my whole day instead of reacting on a whim.

Best of luck! xx

I love to snack... I keep the special k cereal bar red berries in my car and in my purse. they're only 90 calories, I LOVE those bars! They are amazing! Try low calorie snacks, keep them everywhere, and really think about it before you eat it. I use mine as a daily treat, and I think to myself.. If I eat this scrumptious thing now.... what happens when i want one later??! Then I end up waiting. I know you live with other people, but you have to think of you!! You are the only one who runs your body, you have to think of your goals! good luck!!

ok fixxxxxx...

You dont think about food when you dont eat .....Stupido

You dont think about food when your keeping busy


DUHHHH

I second pre-logging the entire day's meals, including snacks. I do it the day before, so I know EXACTLY what I'm going to eat over the whole day, and I know it'll be within my calories and I'll get the protein, fat and fiber I want. If you really need that post-work snack, then maybe pre-log that first and work the rest of your meals around it. But I question whether you are really hungry, or just looking for some way to "celebrate" the end of the working day? In which case, figure out a different way of celebrating being home, like going for a walk or having a shower.

I work from home, my office is right next to the kitchen, and I have cookies, candy etc. all lurking about 4 feet from where I sit all day (I don't live on my own and I don't expect my daughter to give up her candy bag, which is teaching her self-discipline and moderation, just because Mommy doesn't have any self-discipline!). I used to graze all day, but it's a habit that can be broken. I relied heavily on drinking cups of tea. When I felt the twitch to graze, I would get up, make a cup of tea, walk around the house (get a fitbit/vivofit!) and then drink it. It took about 2 weeks, but I broke the habit, and haven't mindlessly grazed since mid-February this year. It absolutely can be done!

I find that eating a mint or chewing sugarless peppermint gum helps me avoid snacking when I'm not truly hungry. Very few things taste good after eating a mint - at least for me. I also agree with logging the snack before you eat it - seeing the numbers often makes me decide against it.

The best thing that has worked for (and not everyone supports this.) Is first, to not have those foods in the house. And second, to make a no snacking rule. If I'm truly hungry I'll add more food to my meals, but I am a well fed american who doesn't have medical reason that would make it unhealthy for me to stand being hungry until my next meal.

dopeysmelly wrote: »

I second pre-logging the entire day's meals, including snacks. I do it the day before, so I know EXACTLY what I'm going to eat over the whole day, and I know it'll be within my calories and I'll get the protein, fat and fiber I want. If you really need that post-work snack, then maybe pre-log that first and work the rest of your meals around it. But I question whether you are really hungry, or just looking for some way to "celebrate" the end of the working day? In which case, figure out a different way of celebrating being home, like going for a walk or having a shower.

I work from home, my office is right next to the kitchen, and I have cookies, candy etc. all lurking about 4 feet from where I sit all day (I don't live on my own and I don't expect my daughter to give up her candy bag, which is teaching her self-discipline and moderation, just because Mommy doesn't have any self-discipline!). I used to graze all day, but it's a habit that can be broken. I relied heavily on drinking cups of tea. When I felt the twitch to graze, I would get up, make a cup of tea, walk around the house (get a fitbit/vivofit!) and then drink it. It took about 2 weeks, but I broke the habit, and haven't mindlessly grazed since mid-February this year. It absolutely can be done!

good advice, thanks

I find that if I deny myself all treats I tend to fall off the wagon more. That said, if you DO have snacks in the house then NEVER snack from the bag/package. Just take one serving, put it in a dish, return the snack package to its out of sight location and head to the other end of the house. If you have a cookie a day habit, then take the one cookie, and a piece of fruit. When you get to the end of the cookie, eat the fruit and do NOT go back into the kitchen.

When you are eating, no matter what you are eating, try to STOP DOING ANYTHING ELSE and JUST EAT. Mindless eating in front of a tv or computer is too easy. Turn it off, focus on the food and you will eat less and be more satisfied for it.

Do NOT watch commercial TV (especially not in America). All that FOOD PORN will make you want food even when you arent hungry!

During my most successful weightloss regime (lost 100 pounds and kept it off for several years). I had a one a day chocolate habit. These are little mini candy bars with about 50 calories, I would save one for after dinner each night - PROVIDED I had met my calorie goals for the day. http://www.fatsecret.fr/calories-nutrition/côte-dor/mignonnette-lait/1-mignonnette After I had it, no more eating for the day. I would break it into six pieces and just savor it like it was a much bigger bar and let it melt in my mouth rather than chewing.

It probably sounds silly like that, but it did work for me and I will probably take it back up as I work myself back into a solid regime. Of course, you have to be willing to delay gratification but I found have something nummy to look forward to at the end of each day really kept me motivated. I didn't feel so "deprived" when I was dieting, because if i DO feel deprived I will fight myself tooth and nail (and lose a lot) and eat crap.