Ways to conquer bored eating/strengthen willpower????

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  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    edited December 2015
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    I like to drink tea it takes awhile to make and then you have to let it seep and then it takes awhile to drink. Also try chewing gum.
  • melonaulait
    melonaulait Posts: 769 Member
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    Trust me, when you get really into using MFP and also the "delay" method, you'll find it easy to leave your cravings for another day the same week, for example. Budgeting calories throughout the week for treats here and there becomes kinda fun!
  • target2015150
    target2015150 Posts: 4 Member
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    Wonderful advice on this board
  • oolou
    oolou Posts: 765 Member
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    For many, losing weight is a struggle and hard work. For others, it is easy once they have a routine. I find weight loss a struggle, but I found giving up cigarettes easy. I know others who have had the opposite experience.

    Everyone is different and in the end it's about discovering what works for you.

    I don't understand why some dismiss those who come to the site looking for encouragement, help and practical suggestions, as not ready. Yoda complex may be? *grins*
  • ryry_
    ryry_ Posts: 4,966 Member
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    I have also struggled with boredom eating, but its mostly paired with when I'm being sedentary. So like tonight, if I just went home and planned to sit on the couch and watch TV all night I would probably have several thoughts of "Yum Popcorn!", "Yum Beer", "Yup Egg Nog", etc.

    But tonight I'm going to go home, cook some ground turkey and prep my lunch for the next two days, go to the gym and lift, come home and shower, do some dishes and get in bed. A lot less time to think and also I've just spent the day doing things that are good for me so I don't mess them up.

    Also, I know a lot of people are hesitant to recommend this, but if you are consistently going into your day with a plan of action, and you find yourself consistently going off your plan and eating certain foods out of boredom, I would recommend you try not keeping those foods handy in the house all of the time.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
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    What I do:

    1. I plan my meals in advance, and set aside calories for snacking.
    2. When I go to work, I bring the snacks I want to have that day. I never have any other snacks with me. I can eat them whenever I want during the work day, but if I eat them at 10 AM, I am done, so I usually end up saving them for later in the day.
    3. Likewise for my post-dinner snacking, I plan out the calories, and I tend to delay eating the snack because I know they're my last calories for the day.
  • Lucille4444
    Lucille4444 Posts: 284 Member
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    1) Sugar Free jello
    2) A beverage, iced tea or water with lime, one of those 32 oz ones so it takes a long time to finish. Sometimes when you are hungry you are actually thirsty.
    3) The thought of a nude picture of yourself on the refrigerator (not the actual picture, many people have others stop by for a visit)
    4) Exercise- if I go for a bike ride I forget all about being hungry.
  • loserzack
    loserzack Posts: 10 Member
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    i try to go for a walk
  • ajmiller1987
    ajmiller1987 Posts: 48 Member
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    Aside from some sort of other distraction or keeping yourself busy, I find the easiest way is to just not buy snack foods/prepared stuff.

    It kind of works out anyway as I mostly purchase vegetables, minimal dried goods (pasta/rice/beans), and some fish/eggs/meat at the store, so pretty much anything I eat has to be cooked or is just raw vegetables. The few exceptions might be some hummus or cheese, but those are usually kept at home and planned to be used in a meal.

    If you don't have a stash of chips or cookies or whatever, even if you do feel some sort of urge to eat a bunch of garbage, then you don't even have to make a good decision to not eat it, because it isn't there.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
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    Self-control is like a muscle-the more you use it, the stronger it gets. Start small and celebrate every victory.
  • robs_ready
    robs_ready Posts: 1,488 Member
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    olivia_roland wrote: »
    I always start the day off really well, then I end up bored eating throughout the day. I've discovered I have little to no willpower and it's stressing me out. Any good ways to overcome this?

    Nothing wrong with eating throughout the day if you're eating the right stuff, I got over that by getting my carb cravings from fruit, just swap foods out and replace them with healthier options. Do it for a week and you will retrain your mind

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