what activities help you with bored eating?

tiffanycompton33
tiffanycompton33 Posts: 56 Member
edited November 9 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm starting to get the hang of eating better and exercise. I've managed to for the most part kick of my soda addiction. But every once in awhile I find myself eating somewhat mindlessly an array of not that exciting food. A slice of bread, some ritz crackers, some other processed snack and before you know it I've had a meals worth of calories and a days worth of carbs. To make it worse when you eat unexciting boxed carbs your hungry soon after. I am now more mindful of this. A year ago I literally didn't care. What I ate was simply determined by how much money I had and what I was craving.

But I have found that if I start cleaning I have no interest in snacks (maybe cause I feel dirty and I'm using chemicals).

A mindless activity I find I eat less playing video games (as opposed to TV). I'm not going to pause for a snack if I am involved in a game. Also if I do I actually pause and I'm physically watching what I put in my mouth.

So my question to you (besides hitting the gym) what activities help you with bored snacking?

Replies

  • Jagerin
    Jagerin Posts: 68 Member
    I force myself to write a short story. I won't let myself eat till I finish whatever I'm writing. Usually by the time I'm done writing, I'm not hungry anymore. I'm forced to focus my mine on what I'm writing and it keeps me from boredom eating once my mind is active.
  • _runnerbean_
    _runnerbean_ Posts: 640 Member
    I sing- you can't sing and eat at the same time. Going out to choir practice is even better!
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    Most of my mindless snacking is done at the computer, so I make sure I don't keep food in my office anymore. I find if I have to interrupt what I'm doing to get up and walk downstairs to the kitchen, I'm a lot less likely to do so just for a snack.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    I stretch and/or drink a huge cup of water. One of my main goals is to be more flexible and strong - and I really love stretching.
  • allanakern
    allanakern Posts: 245 Member
    I chew sugar-free gum, or like you said, I clean. Reading helps too cus I get cozy in bed and don't want to make a trip to the kitchen :)
  • amykuh
    amykuh Posts: 27 Member
    I don't have any particular set thing, but I have noticed the same thing that you are describing. Anything that keeps me occupied and disrupts my thinking pattern when it is stuck on food-food-food-food though I am not truly hungry, is a welcome diversion: a walk, a nap, cleaning, a phone call, a phone call while cleaning...
  • tiffanycompton33
    tiffanycompton33 Posts: 56 Member
    These are all great suggestions. I'm almost thinking about moving things around in my house. I have a basement and I watch tv down there sometimes but its not as cozy as the main living room (which is right next to the dun dun dun kitchen!). But doing mindless stuff in the basement would be a good buffer. Just got to make it cozier down there.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    I like to knit. Hands are busy. It's hard to put work down in the middle of a row:)
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    I like to knit. Hands are busy. It's hard to put work down in the middle of a row:)

    I want to learn to knit so bad! I've tried to teach myself via YouTube vids, but after cast on, I get so confused.
  • JessaWannaEatEverything
    JessaWannaEatEverything Posts: 106 Member
    I drink tea. Soooo much tea. Chai when I want something like chips or candy. Peach when I want something sweet. If I'm rrreeeallyy craving more I add milk to it or coconut creamer.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    If my hands are busy, I can't boredom eat. Crocheting and drawing are both great ways to keep myself from eating mindlessly. Especially because I don't want to get grease or crumbs on them.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Chewing him helps me.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Ack! Thanks auto correct but no thank you. No cannibalism today lol. That was supposed to be gum.
  • acorsaut89
    acorsaut89 Posts: 1,147 Member
    edited January 2015
    Reading for me. Mostly because I still read actual books (as opposed to an e-reader) and usually hold with one hand so it can be more difficult to snack on or eat something. If I am eating something, I will usually have to stop reading, look at the bowl/plate/bag/etc, pick up some food and then try to find my place again - it's not usually worth it. I do drink tea, or sometimes a glass of wine, but that's it. Plus I'm a little quirky and do not, in any way, shape or form, want greasy/crumby books. I'm slightly crazy in terms of having mint condition, no rips, stains or tears books.

    I also happen to have two big dogs who join me on the couch all snuggled up and they like to be pet lol. They also don't enjoy being disturbed once snuggled up so kind of a deterrent to get up and find food . . . as they're like my children and I feel like I don't spend enough time with them/can't get enough of them :) so we spend a lot of nights snuggled up on the couch after a walk
  • doty0815
    doty0815 Posts: 68
    Coffee
  • tiffanycompton33
    tiffanycompton33 Posts: 56 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Ack! Thanks auto correct but no thank you. No cannibalism today lol. That was supposed to be gum.

    Cracking me up :)
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Ack! Thanks auto correct but no thank you. No cannibalism today lol. That was supposed to be gum.

    That was an amazing typo.
  • 0somuchbetter0
    0somuchbetter0 Posts: 1,335 Member
    I log every bite. I eat a Wheat Thin, I log it. I eat a piece of cheese, I log it. When I see the numbers adding up it gives me pause.
  • dawnmcneil10
    dawnmcneil10 Posts: 638 Member
    A suggestion once was to paint your nails. Personally I like to get up and brush my teeth, not much I want after a fresh brush of the teeth than ice cold water.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    TheVirgoddess wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Ack! Thanks auto correct but no thank you. No cannibalism today lol. That was supposed to be gum.

    That was an amazing typo.

    Lol it wasnt even a typo. I wrote the word gum and when I hit the space key it changed to him. I didn't notice before I hit post lol. But I watched it do it again when I was correcting it lol.

  • LiveLoveRunFar
    LiveLoveRunFar Posts: 176 Member
    When I watch tv, I try to stand. If I sit, I get up every commercial and do squats. I don't eat at all now watching tv. Not the way it used to be 4 months ago.
  • tiffanycompton33
    tiffanycompton33 Posts: 56 Member
    edited January 2015
    Thanks for all the suggestions. I have used a few of these. I put a couple weights next to the couch for mindless strength training. I drink more tea. I make myself cozy as possible doing whatever activity where I don't want to get up and eat. Also, more recently I decided to start taking care of my beaten up callused feet. I bought a cheap ped egg thing and somewhat mindless buff the bottoms and lotion them up. I've lost a couple pounds since this post and feel like I'm heading in the right direction. Here's to taking care of yourself. Self-love.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    I like to knit. Hands are busy. It's hard to put work down in the middle of a row:)

    In a similar vein, I cross stitch. I can get lost in cross stitching for hours and I certainly can't eat while I do it. I don't want to get my fabric & floss dirty!

    I second everyone that says keep your hands busy. If you can find something that keeps your hands & your mind busy, double plus.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
    Yes, knitting or other yarn crafts when I'm just sitting around the house. I learned to knit when I finally gave up smoking (for good, forever, YAY!), and I've continued to do it to keep myself busy when sitting in front of the boob tube in the evenings.

    My "bored" eating typically involves finger foods, and I'm not going to get my yarn greasy/sticky/dirty. And creating lovely, beautiful gifts for friends and family is much more exciting than overindulging in more treats than I need.
  • thecraftinista
    thecraftinista Posts: 66 Member
    TheVirgoddess wrote: »
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    I like to knit. Hands are busy. It's hard to put work down in the middle of a row:)

    I want to learn to knit so bad! I've tried to teach myself via YouTube vids, but after cast on, I get so confused.

    Try crocheting instead! I knit and crochet but I find crochet is a little easier to teach and you don't have to learn how to cast on!
  • mwm158
    mwm158 Posts: 30 Member
    I work 70 hours a week, and spend an hour and a half at the gym (including transit time) everyday. It leaves me with very little time to be bored. The rest of my time is spent completing tasks on my todo list. If you're bored, you need to find more stuff to do.
  • katherine_startrek_fan
    katherine_startrek_fan Posts: 425 Member
    Going for a jog or run helps zap my appetite as well.
This discussion has been closed.

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