How to stop eating when NOT hungry?

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i_love_vinegar
i_love_vinegar Posts: 2,092 Member
in Chit-Chat
Hey everyone,

I have a real problem, that I am sure others have, which if fixed would really help us to lose weight -- I eat when I'm not hungry, out of boredom, hunger, stress, and habit.

My issue is I love the taste of food, and it is very rare that I ever feel hungry (If I ate based on hunger, I would most likely only eat 1 medium meal per day).

I could REALLY use some help to stop eating when I'm not hungry. Please help with some INNOVATIVE IDEAS and thank you!!!

Replies

  • waverly9876
    waverly9876 Posts: 605 Member
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    Someone wrote on here to brush your teeth. U wont want to snack cuz then you will have to brush your teeth again.
  • NA_Willie
    NA_Willie Posts: 340 Member
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    Start smoking.

    Or drink a lot of water when you get hungry.
  • falloncarrier
    falloncarrier Posts: 9 Member
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    well keeping busy with a hobby is one idea but I found that if I am absolutely bored and all, drew out all I could, ran out, yoga-d out, and read all I could then herbal teas help. A yummy chocolate mint tea backs 0 calories, green tea, mango tea, mango strawberry tea, mint tea, etc. :).
  • thisisme33
    thisisme33 Posts: 8
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    I'm the same way and I struggle with it ALL of the time because when I DO snack like that, it's always junk food lol. My suggestions would be (if you eat junk like me) try to keep healthy food in the house and less snacks. Reach for some fruit or veggies if you find your bored and want to eat. Try to keep busy so that you don't have as much time to be bored. I'm not sure what you can do about stress eating except maybe keep some gum handy and just chew on that? When I get stressed or mad, I have a tendency to clean which in turn keeps me busy and not eating. I know my ideas are very unique and you've probably already thought about these kinds of solutions but I hope it helps somehow!!
  • bjclaywell
    bjclaywell Posts: 165 Member
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    I always try to find something to do with my hands that I don't want to get dirty - like knit, or cross stitch, or go through old pictures, something like that, because when I want to do the whole "not hungry but going to snack" thing, it is almost always something salty or greasy that I'm headed for (ie - chips, cheezits, etc), so I generally won't eat those if I'm doing something that requires my hands to remain clean.
  • falloncarrier
    falloncarrier Posts: 9 Member
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    well keeping busy with a hobby is one idea but I found that if I am absolutely bored and all, drew out all I could, ran out, yoga-d out, and read all I could then herbal teas help. A yummy chocolate mint tea backs 0 calories, green tea, mango tea, mango strawberry tea, mint tea, etc. :).

    I know this isn't proper grammar...Sooo sorry.
  • RoseVernon
    RoseVernon Posts: 88
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    I chew gum to keep my mouth moving and occupied. My favorite gum is Trident Layers Wild Strawberry and Tangy Citrus flavor. The flavor lasts a long time and it can blow bubbles which keeps the fun involved in the chew. :-D
  • vicky_unni
    vicky_unni Posts: 24
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    You can also drink a bunch of water before you decide to snack.
  • meggamix
    meggamix Posts: 496 Member
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    I chew gum. It keeps my mouth busy, which for me is what I really need to distract. Once my mouth is chewing on something I forget about eating. Try a bunch of different flavors and find a few you really like!
  • JennieD2
    JennieD2 Posts: 66
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    I am definitely an emotional eater. Try this - each time you eat, stop whatever else you are doing so that your mind is entirely on your food. Focus for a moment on what you are about to eat, and on why you are eating it. If you are not hungry then make a conscious decision whether or not to eat. A litttle self awareness goes a long way. We are natural multitaskers, but when distracted or busy doing something else while eating, we are unlikely to actually enjoy our food or even notice that we have eaten at all. I know that when I eat through stress or boredom I can reach into a bag of jelly babies and be surprised to find that they are all gone already. I can't have enjoyed them because I didn't really consciously register that I was eating so many!

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