What do YOU do when you want to eat from boredom?

[ski_chick]

Just as it says. What do you do to keep yourself busy and keep your mind off of food?

I have no problem while I'm at work all day. Even when people bring in sweets to work, I can still resist, no problem! But it's when I'm at home, watching TV, or I get bored, it's like I can hardly control myself. I try to clean the house, or take the dogs for a walk. But sometimes after so much cleaning, there just isn't anything left to clean. LOL And walking the dogs sometimes isn't as satisfying as some yummie food would be. I need some other ideas. Reading probably won't do it, it's the same as watching TV. Mostly I find that it's the pysical activities that keep my mind off food best. On the weekend, we (boyfriend and I) try to work on the flower gardens, or projects in the yard. This weekend we're going to stain the deck. But it's usually the evenings during the weekdays.

What do YOU do? I need a little advice.

[Sammi]

Hi skichick! I am no expert, but I had a hard time even figuring out IF I was hungry for a long time. I had eaten so much from boredom or just for emotional reasons for so long, that my body didn't ever actually FEEL hunger. Did you know that sometimes if you have a habit of eating when you are not hungry, that you can THINK you are hungry, but are actually THIRSTY?

Alot of times I start with drinking a glass of water. I also walk my dog. Sometimes I do some stretching exercises or some type of physical activity: jumping rope, basketball, even just a walk around the block. I even ran up and down the stairs a few times once. If my kids would have been home, they would have thought I was losing my mind! LOL

Exercise does help curb an appetite but it doesn't always help a "boredom" eater. There are a group of us that check in with Wicca on Wednesdays. We let her know if we have lost any weight for the week and we have goals set for July 4th. It helps me to check in with someone because then when I want to eat for the wrong reasons, I think: Oh, I have to weigh in tomorrow and if I eat this it will probably show up on the scale..... I know that may sound silly to some, but it really does help me! I have lost 31 pounds since March 15th, and I don't even have a regular exercise habit yet. Not the way I want it anyway! Last week was the first week I ever gained back ANY weight I had lost and it was because I was out of town and ate out for every meal and didn't drink hardly any water. And by Wednesday I had lost the 4 pounds I gained over the weekend. I think it was just water-weight.

I really do believe these things work for me. I don't know if it would work for everyone, as everyone is different but you could give it a shot. I hope this helped, I sort of wrote a book! LOL

Good luck!

[ShannonP]

I usually get up and get going. To tell you the truth I watch less TV now than I did when I was working. Most of the time the TV is only on when my hubby is home. I turn it on only when I work out and usually it gets turned right back off when I am finished. When I get bored and want to eat I might come on here and check in. I try to get ocuppied with something that will not allow me to eat. I exercise. I also have several projects going on in my house at all times. There is never a spare moment to just waste. I am working on a quilt, preparing a wedding, preparing for an adoption and anything else i can think of to keep myself busy ALL the time. Best thing to do is to not get bored. i can't say that I have been bored in several months. Trust me there are things that can be done. Wash your curtains, paint a room that needs it. Find a old piece of furniture and refinish it (this is my favorite) you should see the room we have prepared for the daughter we are wanting to adopt. Get your self some hobbies. But don't be like me and never have a spare moment!! LOL right now i am wasting time that I need to clean my house before my sisters get here and I have to leave again. LOL so much to do!!!

Shannon

[nal]

I keep a basket of needlework by the TV chair. I knit, crochet, quilt -- anything to keep my hands busy. It helps! If you don't know how to do any of those things - LEARN! It's good therapy.

[louisianalady]

I pray. And then I try to drink a BIG glass of ice water. Sometime I will have a glass of iced tea with equal and lemon.
Sometime thirst is mistaken for hunger. I find that making a conscious effert to keep may water with me during the day keeps me hydrated and lees likely to go on an eating spree.

[GINNY]

Omg i had that problem last night. I was so bored I kept going to the Fridge and opening it up. I never did eat but everytime I picked something up I put it back down and drank a big glass of water and looked at my skinny picture of myself and drank the water down until my belly was full.

[squidgers]

I usually grab a big glass of water and get on here! We have a rule in our house: No food around computer! I a the only one who is allowed to drink around computer, bacause I use a cup with a lid and straw!

[Cynjo]

When you get the muchies, put a Crest White Strip on your teeth. You can't eat a thing for at least a half hour, and even then your mouth feels so good you don't want to eat.

[Blippo]

Hey, those Crest White Strips work pretty well at whitening your teeth.

[tooholly]

You got a lot of great suggestions from everyone. When I was in weight watchers they suggested we get something to do with our hands in the evenings even if it was something like folding laundry. I can't do needlework like Nal, but I tend to do crosswords. It keeps my mind busy and my hands somewhat.

When that doesn't work, I come here. This is the reason I have so many posts! Being here reading and posting helps me stay out of the kitchen!

Too bad phen keeps me awake at night or I'd take it in the afternoons! I'm fine all day long, its when I'm on the down time that I get in trouble!