what activities help you with bored eating?

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tiffanycompton33
tiffanycompton33 Posts: 56 Member
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?
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Replies

  • Jagerin
    Jagerin Posts: 68 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    Chewing him helps me.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    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
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    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
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    Coffee
  • tiffanycompton33
    tiffanycompton33 Posts: 56 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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.

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