Boredom Snacking - What do you do when you HAVE to be bored?

PeachyPlum
PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm pretty good at recognizing when I'm tempted to snack out of boredom and doing something else to counter the boredom, even if it's just getting out of the house and away from the #$%! fridge. My big struggle is when I have to do something boring - I find myself with the munchies because I hate what I'm working on.
I'm a grad student (and I'm totally over this whole grad school thing, but I've got another year before graduation). Whenever I'm sitting at the computer working on homework or writing a paper, I find myself snacking away just to kill the absolute drudgery. If I don't, I seriously can't sit still at my computer and my work never gets done.

I can't possibly be the only one who struggles with this. Does anyone have suggestions for how to cope?

Replies

  • keegannati
    keegannati Posts: 114
    Have you tried drinking water or other zero cal beverages? What about fresh fruits/veggies as a snack?
  • Hailei
    Hailei Posts: 86 Member
    Use fruits as snacks?

    Cut apples in nail-sized pieces, break some oranges/mandarins/grapefruits in slices or even smaller pieces, a bowl of pomegranade seeds so on, so forth...
    Because it's boredome eating, it doesn't really matter what you eat, after the first bites you'll probably even stop noticing that you're eating.
    I guess I should have said "Resist the urge of snacking!" but I know that it's easier said than done and sometimes we just have to find a way to deal with it in our advantage than risk not being able to resist and do something that's bad for us..
  • js370
    js370 Posts: 140
    I usually go for water first and maybe tea, if that doesn't work then I'll go for a fruit or cold glass of milk. Most cases, the water is all I need. I used to eat baby carrots and sliced cucumbers with lemon juice on them, but that got old after some time.
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,089 Member
    keep busy
    go for a walk
    do 100 sit ups
    take shower
    and then prepare snack (fruits cuted in tiny pices)
    works every time :)
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Microwave popcorn. I use a Presto PowerPop bowl. 1 teaspoon of butter flavored oil is all it takes for a huge bowl. You can also pop without oil - but the salt won't stick.

    There is information out there re: popping microwave popcorn in a brown lunch bag. I've not tried this.

    Veggies - cut them all up ahead of time. That way you can just grab it out of the fridge.
  • Kendralatricewilliams
    Kendralatricewilliams Posts: 55 Member
    Try brushing your teeth when u feel this way. It helps me a lot. Because I dont want to put anything in my mouth with that mint taste.
  • Ravenesque_
    Ravenesque_ Posts: 257 Member
    I julienne some raw baby carrots by hand - usually takes an age in itself! - then I eat them with yogurt dip :)


    My extreme boredom trick is to try to peel, derind, take apart and consume a satsuma with nothing but a knife and fork. Surprisingly amusing!

    If that doesn't work for you, try a pomegranate with chopsticks.
  • anemoneflynn
    anemoneflynn Posts: 87
    The tooth-brushing idea totally works for me at night. At work, I eat almonds for a snack - but I eat them so slowly that my 7 almond snack lasts a good 30 minutes. It's a talent!
  • PeachyPlum
    PeachyPlum Posts: 1,243 Member
    I've popped popcorn in the microwave in a brown paper bag - it totally works!

    I've been cutting up an entire cucumber into quarter-slices, it gives me a huge pile of snack for only about 50 calories. I just know it's a crappy habit to be in, and if I don't have something healthy on hand, I'll head right for something less healthy!
  • dawnrenee567
    dawnrenee567 Posts: 292 Member
    Gum!
  • Chelle_Davis
    Chelle_Davis Posts: 241
    OP- I totally feel you. ESPECIALLY when dealing with homework. *snooze*

    Carrots, cucumbers, fruits cut into small sizes so there's more to munch on... nuts are always a good go-to. Or if worse comes to worse, I get up and just make myself a salad. Crunchy stuff always works better for me.
  • jazzhottie
    jazzhottie Posts: 45
    Good tips everyone! I am going to try the tiny pieces of fruit idea. I quit smoking a couple of years ago, and I find that in general I have a hand to mouth addiction ... hahaha. I replaced the smoking with food, and now I am trying to replace the bad food with good food. Its a process... but I'm on my way! :-)
  • MrsLVF
    MrsLVF Posts: 787 Member
    Drink water, or chew gum, or both.
  • WhisperALullaby
    WhisperALullaby Posts: 67 Member
    Drink water, or chew gum, or both.

    I'd promptly choke on the gum :-P

    Gum was going to be my suggestion. Also, just...DO something! I play a lot of video games, and while not the healthiest activity, at least it keeps me from being bored and snacking.
  • meg7399
    meg7399 Posts: 672 Member
    girl you are stronger than me! I didn't start my weight loss journey until AFTER grad school for the same reasons you mentioned. When I was working on my thesis the only place I felt I could work was a coffee house...well two lattes and a muffin later and bam...I was fat! Everyone has good suggestions, I just want you to know I have been there too!
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    I'm in grad school too, just took off a month to study for orals and managed to not put on any boredom weight. I just snack on something with low or negligible calories. Like one day I ate an entire 1 lb bag of carrots... Or a huge plate of raw spinach. When I have the munchies, it doesn't really matter what I eat, so I pick the lowest calorie thing in my fridge and eat it all lol if it's something with more calories, I portion it out and count on myself being too lazy to get up to get another portion.
  • Kayley
    Kayley Posts: 327 Member
    keep busy
    go for a walk
    do 100 sit ups
    take shower
    and then prepare snack (fruits cuted in tiny pices)
    works every time :)
    This right here! :heart:
  • roxyblack
    roxyblack Posts: 23 Member
    Water. Iced coffee. A low fat string cheese! :)
  • korsicash
    korsicash Posts: 770 Member
    have you tried cheerios or cutting up things small or this sounds odd but I like the water bottles with the sport top when I am bored it isn't just taking a sip of water. I am now home all the time so I measure a bowl of cereal, log it and leave it on the counter as I feel the need to mindlessly snack I go to the bowl grab a bite and continue on my way.
  • reallyally1
    reallyally1 Posts: 82
    I feel your pain... I'm still an undergrad and homework snacking is the WORST.

    I've found that popcorn is the best option; you can eat a whole bag of low-fat popcorn for around 200 calories. Also try cutting up some red/green pepper and eating it with spicy salsa!
  • Feathil
    Feathil Posts: 162 Member
    Celery and sweet chili houmous is my go-to if it has to be food! But portions are important. It's just as easy to eat 100g of something as 50g of something, so if it's divided up, there's just as much psychological satisfaction in finishing a small snack as a bigger snack. That's why I never bought things like party bags of doritos, because I could so easily eat them all, just as easy as an individual bag.
  • agrzybow
    agrzybow Posts: 38 Member
    These are awesome suggestions! I drink tea when I am feeling the munchies coming on. I have a variety of herbal teas to drink in the evening, and my favorite is chocolate mint truffle! Smells chocolaty and is satisfying, and you have to sip tea sloooowwwwly. I keep the water hot on the stove, so I continually add water and sip.

    Gum and popcorn are great suggestions, too!
  • cristina_marie
    cristina_marie Posts: 83
    I definitely know how you feel! I sit for 8-9 hours a day in front of a computer for my job. I constantly want to snack, especially with an office full of people that love to grab fast food all day. It's a struggle! A BIG one! The best thing to do is drink LOTS of water! It really fills you up; so when you think of snacking you'll be to full to actually want to look for something. Other than that, keep the fridge and pantry fully stocked with easy to reach healthy snacks. Emerald coco almonds or the cinnamon ones, fruits, celery, peanut butter, balance and protein bars (half a bar is a snack). Stay away from diet sodas and drinks. Honestly water is the best, and you CAN have fun with it..add things to it! Its like have a water cocktail. I love water with strawberries and mint in it, lemon & lime, sliced blueberries and raspberries, whatever you want!

    Good luck! You can do it! :)
  • mmedina2300
    mmedina2300 Posts: 1
    I am a nursing student so I feeI your pain.. just started in the group but I couldn't help but to share what helps me...I chew gum or I sip hot tea...it keeps me busy while i'm studying and suprisingly full...GoodLuck!!!!!
  • sade717
    sade717 Posts: 16 Member
    I have been working at a resort for the last three years and the area where I work has endless shelves of candies and chips and brownies...and so on. I eventually resulted to bringing hoards upon hoards of healthy snacks with me so that I wasn't tempted, well TOO tempted :)

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