Eating when bored

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Lauzibob
Lauzibob Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Can't help but to dive in the fridge and get something to nibble on when I'm bored. I try to do something else but keeps going back to nibbles :(

Replies

  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
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    That's one of the actual advantages of having to log everything you eat. When you face the thought of having to take the time to look it all up and write it down, it sometimes doesn't seem worth the effort to eat anything! Be gentle on yourself - this is probably a long-time habit of yours (or you wouldn't want to be losing weight now). It will take time to make new habits and substitute something else to do. Maybe drink water instead? Or indulge in a hobby that requires the use of your hands? Or (what I do in the evening that helps) brush your teeth and rinse for the night? I just can't eat once my teeth have been brushed and I've done my fluoride rinse!
  • oolou
    oolou Posts: 765 Member
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    If it's boredom and not hunger that's the problem. Two tactics to suggest.

    1) Have something low cal in the fridge ready to nibble on. Carrot sticks, airpopped popcorn, or something like that.

    2) Delay. Play a game with your mind. Go to the fridge and then say to yourself - okay, I'll have a snack in half an hour. Then go do something else. Then do this again. On the third time, have a snack. Practice this, increasing the length of the delay.
  • michael_jordan7
    michael_jordan7 Posts: 176 Member
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    oolou wrote: »
    If it's boredom and not hunger that's the problem. Two tactics to suggest.

    1) Have something low cal in the fridge ready to nibble on. Carrot sticks, airpopped popcorn, or something like that.

    2) Delay. Play a game with your mind. Go to the fridge and then say to yourself - okay, I'll have a snack in half an hour. Then go do something else. Then do this again. On the third time, have a snack. Practice this, increasing the length of the delay.

    I like #2. I eat when bored too, one tactic I use is to take a walk instead, fights boredom and burns calories.

  • reyeswanda151
    reyeswanda151 Posts: 9 Member
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    I use to do that so much but I found ways to stop. Here's what i did:
    1.) Distract myself with something. If I feel like Ima start eatting out of boredom I immediately find something to do like play a game on my phone or platstation 4, drop and do some pushups, go for a jog, or even drink a whole lot of water so I wouldnt have room for food.
    2.) Eat a low calorie snack. I would have a whole crate of fiber brownies and if I really couldn't stop myself I would eat 2 or 3 of those, which didnt hurt me because theyre only 90 calories eat. I'd also eat other stuff like a cup of cereal or half a banana. Another big tool was kosher spears, their like 4 calories each so I'd just a crap load of those. Therea a whole bunch of zero calories drinks, I personally like vitamin zero.
    3.) If all fails, keep nibbling and keep recording. Eventually I found that snacking can take away way too many calories if done improperly, and I'll have to stop eatting by like 4 or 5 pm. Maybe then youll stop because you rather lose weight then nibble
  • terbusha
    terbusha Posts: 1,483 Member
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    If you like to snack in the evening, for example, just save some calories for that time outside of your main meals and work those snacks into your daily plan. If you account for it and make it fit, it's no problem :smile:
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
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    Try making some green tea it's great for you and then you have soemthing to do, you've gotta boil or microwave the water let the tea bag seep and it's fun dunking it up and down lol and then it takes awhile to drink. My other advice is try getting some suagr free gum. I'm on a very low calorie diet so I feel the pain of wanting to snack to combat it I drink 2 cups of tea and when I'm not doing that I'm chewing gum.

    Goodluck
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,526 Member
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    I'm guilty of this, I like to eat and drink when I play video games. It's hard to curtail sometimes, so what I normally do is try to find low-calorie high-volume snacks I can munch on while I game. Carrots are good for that.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    Before I had a family, I would go window shopping to try on clothes. Made me stop munching every time, lol. Also, second the chewing gum. It's really gross to take a bite of something while you have gum in your mouth.
  • Frelise
    Frelise Posts: 80 Member
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    I used to be really bad with snacking in boredom, but I've gotten a lot better. Not quite sure what changed... routine, I guess? I also started to drink protein shakes, which really keep me full. Maybe give that a go? :P Good luck, we're rooting for you!
  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
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    Raises hand. In for the ideas. I had to lighten my dinner due to boredom bites.
  • cbtebb
    cbtebb Posts: 34 Member
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    I struggle with nibbling all the time... I live in a flat with my uni mates and they constantly tease me with all the delicious (and unhealthy) snacks they eat. I've found it really hard and occasionally slip if I've had a really good few days, but it's just a lot of restraint and especially when I'm bored and want to eat I grab a piece of fruit or a glass of water. Different things work for different people, so maybe if you're bored and want to snack, make yourself not bored! More than anything using MFP and counting everything that goes in my mouth has stopped me snacking as you can see all the contents of that and how it can throw your day off. The best of luck to you!
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    I've certainly done my share of eating for no good reason, but I don't understand the concept of boredom. I have so many hobbies to squeeze in outside of work that I can't remember being bored. It seems to me that frequent boredom is a sign of needing to add something useful and engaging to your life. It's the only life you have; don't waste it!
  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
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    SherryTeach wrote: »
    I've certainly done my share of eating for no good reason, but I don't understand the concept of boredom. I have so many hobbies to squeeze in outside of work that I can't remember being bored. It seems to me that frequent boredom is a sign of needing to add something useful and engaging to your life. It's the only life you have; don't waste it!

    True this. I'd say in my case it's really picking while procrastinating.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    Yeah that was a big issue for me too. I try and drink water when I know I'm not hungry. I also like the low calorie snack idea.
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
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    Lauzibob wrote: »
    Can't help but to dive in the fridge and get something to nibble on when I'm bored. I try to do something else but keeps going back to nibbles :(

    I've learnt to train my mind to eat nuts when I'm bored. It's like an automatic process, try and set something in place that triggered you to eat healthier nibbles when you get like that.

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