Boredom eating

jomarise
jomarise Posts: 10 Member
edited November 14 in Motivation and Support
I really struggle when at home on a Monday and Friday (when I am not working) and want to eat everything in sight. Is anyone else a boredom eater? Do you have any tips?

Feel free to add me.

Replies

  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    I am a boredom eater too. I have no tips but I wish I did. I have no idea how to cope with this. I am exhausted from keeping myself busy so I won't eat or smoke. (i do both when bored)
  • melly0405
    melly0405 Posts: 215 Member
    If you're lucky enough to like or be able to tolerate raw veggies they are great to snack on ( for me unfortunately I don't like raw veggies so I tend to go for something unhealthy. Try chewing gum, popcorn is a fairly decent amount of food to munch on for not too too many calories. Pre planning your meals and snacks and if possible rid your house of any unhealthy snacks if you can. If you can distractions such as phoning a friend, taking a walk, doing a puzzle or even taking a long hot bath. Whatever you do its a day to day struggle and all we can do is take it one decision at a time.
  • attemptingfierce
    attemptingfierce Posts: 23 Member
    I find that like PP suggested raw veggies REALLY helped me. I like carrots & cucumbers with hummus or a bit of ranch. Drinking water. Air Popped popcorn isn't bad either if you have the serious munchies.
  • jsobole
    jsobole Posts: 139 Member
    Easily my biggest struggle - when I'm busy I have to remember to eat! I'm trying to just drink water when those moods strike!
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I started to crochet to keep my hands busy and away from getting snacks.
  • vvallentyne
    vvallentyne Posts: 77 Member
    herbal tea helps me out.
  • ruthordare
    ruthordare Posts: 4 Member
    I am a boredom eater... and also a stress eater. While I certainly don't have it all figured out (down 14 pounds with 36 to go) what has helped me a lot was to simply decide I would not snack. If you get feeling shaky or light-headed, sure, your body is telling you it NEEDS food right now. (But 10 weeks in, and I haven't ever gotten to that point.) Otherwise, I only eat at mealtimes. I've found that drinking TONS of water helps, and chewing gum. I've discovered the Extra brand Dessert Delights- I quite enjoy the mint chocolate chip and cinnamon roll flavors! I also drink hot tea or coffee when I am really craving something snacky. Especially at night, I'll brew a small pot of decaff coffee, add a little Splenda and some coffee creamer, and I feel so much more satisfied. But so much of it is the mental battle!
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
    I m a boredom eater too, I try and keep busy, but sometimes it is the boredom at work...when I have plenty to do, but its the stuff I don't want to do, so I find something else to do, which is eat. This problem is in the mornings, between breakfast and lunch. In the afternoon, after lunch, I am fine. Most likely because I have to do all the stuff I put off in the morning. It is a horrible cycle that I need to break.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I found a decaf tea that I like to drink in the evenings. No special properties, it just gives me that same hand-to-mouth feeling that boredom eating would without the calories.
  • nono706
    nono706 Posts: 25 Member
    I have a list of suggestions posted on my fridge for when I'm feeling snacky.
    Go outside
    Meditation
    Manicure
    Drink water
    Take vitamins
    Drink tea

    If I try all those things and I'm still hungry, I fix myself a snack. Lately I've been entering my meals into my diary in the morning, so I have a plan for what I'm going to eat and know how many calories I have left for my mid afternoon snack. Then I look at my macros and see what direction I need to adjust.

    I often have dark chocolate, air popped popcorn with nutritional yeast, or a frozen yogurt bar.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    If you are bored, figure out how you are spending your time that is boring. For me that means that I do not watch T.V. I read great books, knit, play the piano, walk my dog, zentangle, do Rosetta Stone language programs, practice photography. I do not understand boredom.
  • yayamom3
    yayamom3 Posts: 939 Member
    Lizzy622 wrote: »
    I started to crochet to keep my hands busy and away from getting snacks.

    Me too! I went to the craft store and bought a hook and yarn. Then got on YouTube and learned how. It occupies both my mind and my hands.
  • natboosh69
    natboosh69 Posts: 277 Member
    Having recently quit smoking, I make sure I have a constant supply of chewing gum, which also helps the urge to snack and pick.

    I also agree with doing something to prevent boredom like reading, starting a new TV series, gaming etc.
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    best solution i have found is to stop being bored, find something to do

    going for a brisk walk helps me, something to do and exercise is usually a temporary appetite suppressant for me
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    I guess the only tip that worked for me is to be aware of my behavior. Ask myself am I really hungry or am I thirsty or just bored. Drink a big glass of water first, or a hot cup of black tea, then reevaluate. If it's boredom I find something to occupy myself. Read, go for a walk, do something that needs to be done, etc.
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
    i have a similar issue i eat out of boredom or avoidance. its not that i have nothing to do but i want to avoid my to-do list.
    i find trying to maintain an eating schedule like i would on a work day helps. eat a normal breakfast eat a normal lunch instead of snacking. plan for an afternoon pick me up snack. sometimes when i have a plan as simple as that it helps.
    and keep busy. maybe thats getting out of the house. library, shopping, walk outside, sit outside, listen to a podcast.
  • kamakazeekim
    kamakazeekim Posts: 1,183 Member
    I cut up celery, bell peppers, cucumbers, melons, apples, grapes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, pineapple, oranges and pea pods and snack on them when I feel like boredom eating. If I can, like when I am at home, I will go for a walk, read a book, knit, clean, or go on mfp forums to help prevent me from eating.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    Sucking on a lemon drop helps. Its in the mouth, keeps the saliva going, and its not that many calories. I like to go for 3-4 mi walks too. Gets me out of the house. Put in an iPod & listen to talk radio.
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
    ditto pp. forgot about the hard candy. i will do that sometimes too..curbs the sweet tooth and it takes awhile to finish.
  • missmegonline
    missmegonline Posts: 15 Member
    Unfortunately, I'm also a stress and boredom eater. There are a lot of good suggestions on here. I know diet soda is the devil around here but I sometimes sip on a Diet Dr. Pepper or fountain drink and it feels like I've got a treat for the afternoon. Herbal tea is great and gum. Utilizing both of these tools at the moment! :) Getting moving and out the door or focused on a task will keep me busy, too.
  • mcgra263
    mcgra263 Posts: 23 Member
    I used to be REALLY BAD about this. My biggest thing that helped was not eating 3 large meals a day, but rather eating 5-6 smaller meals a day. Same amount of calories, but it kind of feels like I'm snacking throughout the day so I have lost that feeling of boredom. And if I do feel like extra snacking, I always ask myself "alright well are you willing to eat fruits and veggies?" and if the answer to myself is "no" I tell my inner fatty to shut up, drink some water, and continue on with my day. If my answer is "yes", then I have some fruit or veggies because I probably actually needed the fuel! Also, I have a tendency to not keep any sort of junk food around my apartment so that helps in a sort of "out of sight out of mind" way.
  • ilovetenerife2013
    ilovetenerife2013 Posts: 2 Member
    edited March 2015
    A workout of 30-60 min.'s in the morning helps me a lot; my body gets an energy boost that seems to last all day. Also not starting *anything* with sugar (or chemical replacements) and even cutting it completely out my diet made the strongest cravings go away. And yes, finding destractions such as doing a free online course (Google free MOOC), putting on nice energetic music and *start* whatever it is you have to do, read up on procrastionation etc. has helped me :) good luck!
  • megewyman0815
    megewyman0815 Posts: 1
    I boredom eat a lot and lately I have been taking advice and staying active but the hardest is when the kids are in bed at night that is when I really tend to go for all the bad snacks that I have been scoping out throughout the day... I have tried everything I can think of and nothing seems to work....lately I have been forcing myself to go to bed early so I'm not looking for the snacks
  • AugustCountdown
    AugustCountdown Posts: 26 Member
    My downfall too. Especially cause I go to bed late when 'm not working so tempted to eat or eat really late. :(
  • jomarise
    jomarise Posts: 10 Member
    So many great suggestions here, Thank you all so much. I have written loads down so that I can try them and see which works the best for me. I suppose on the days that I am busy - I am really busy so on my day off I just want to stop, sit and not move (And that's where the food comes in) I have had a good week though and have just booked a holiday for October so am now highly motivated to eat healthily. Thank you all again :)
  • Nataliegetfit
    Nataliegetfit Posts: 395 Member
    I used to do this a lot. Hot tea works great. I also can now have a cup of tea without thinking I need something sweet with it. Just the tea.
    Also, when you realize this, just get up and find something to do. find a hobby, call a friend, go for a walk, clean out a drawer or cupboard. Sometimes I find I am doing this even on a healthy thing, and I realize, hey, I'm not hungry, what the heck am I doing?? I have to tell myself, the things I were eating were not my friend, weren't doing anything good for me, were hurting me. Start making better habits when You get that feeling and you can stop it. Be mindful when you're doing it and get up and move on... It's these bad habits that got us where we are now, make good habits and get where you want to be.
    Good luck and keep up the good work everyone, be patient, it's a slow process, you can do it. Just start, tell yourself you're worth it.
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