This post may contain affiliate links. Disclosure here.
Despite our best intentions to eat healthy and choose proper food portions, it is easy to go astray when we have too much time on our hands. Read these strategies on how to stop eating out of boredom and gain back that control when the munchies set in.
The little handfuls we grab here and there add up, and before we know it, we have consumed much more than we intended. This mindless eating most often happens when we are bored, usually occurs in the evenings, and sabotages all the hard work we’ve put in to flatten our stomachs, reduce our love handles, and pursue that healthy weight we desire.
By understanding the triggers behind boredom eating and implementing alternative strategies to cope with idle moments, we can cultivate healthier habits and foster a more positive relationship with food.
Drink Water
I’m sure you’ve been told to drink water before, but did you know that dehydration is a common cause of hunger? Most of us aren’t even aware that we might be dehydrated.
Ghrelin is the hunger hormone that is produced in the walls of the stomach when empty. 1 big glass of water is all it takes to turn off this hormone and keep you full for another 30-60 minutes.
Aim for 1/2 fluid oz per 1 lb of body weight. (Example, a 150 lb person should drink 75 oz of water per day.) Fill up a pitcher of filtered water first thing in the morning and ensure it is empty by night. And ensure you always take a water bottle with you when you leave the house, so filtered drinking water is readily available.
Eat Low Cal Soup
Soup takes longer to eat than many foods, which gives the brain time to process signals from our stomach that we are satiated. Plus the time it takes to eat the soup will distract you from eating other more caloric food items.
These soup recipes are healthy and low cal. Have a batch ready in your fridge or freezer and thaw it when you have cravings. By the time you finish eating it, you may have satisfied your temptations.
Do Not Keep Tempting Food in the House
Sometimes we have great intentions, but when faced with boredom, we may start scouring the cupboards for things to munch on. Do not buy chips and candy or other tempting foods, so you can’t get into trouble when bored. It’s simple, do not keep these items in your house. If you want a treat on occasion, you can buy that one item.
Keep Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Washed and Prepped
If you are bored and looking for snacks, having healthy foods readily available may help fill the void. Ensure you alway have a bowl of washed and cut veggies and fresh fruit available.
A veggie soup or smoothie may do the trick. It’ll help fill you up with more nutritious and less caloric food.
Also, eating a fruit may actually curb your sugar craving. Give it a try the next time you start thinking about eating something sweet.
In fact, as part of my nutritional program, I encourage my clients to eat an apple every day. This helps curb the sweet tooth, and provides plenty of fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
Engage in Self Care
Add other self care acts to your daily routine to reward yourself and enjoy your time away from overeating. Some examples are scheduling manicures and/or pedicures, taking long walks, reading a good novel, getting a makeup demo or a blow out, booking a massage, whitening your teeth, learning a new skill, getting a facial, buying yourself new clothes, volunteering, joining a gym, and the list goes on.
Not only will this distract you from eating, but it also reminds you that you are taking steps to care about yourself.
Start a Food log
Log what you eat during the day. Try to determine the times that you overeat and come up with a plan to avoid it. If your overeating time is in the afternoon, eat a breakfast and lunch rich in protein and have a healthy snack handy for the afternoon to ward off cravings.
Try a different routine in your day. Perhaps go for a walk at the time of day you usually overeat.
Don’t Eat While on Electronics
This habit will set you up for failure. If you link the behaviours of watching TV or surfing the net with eating food, you will think of nothing else every time you turn these things on. On top of it, you won’t be focussing on your food and will be mindlessly overeating.
Practice Mindfulness
Think about the foods you are preparing. How do they nourish your body? What vitamins and minerals are in the food? Putting thought into your food will help you stop putting garbage into your body.
What is the junk food doing to my health? What foods will help give me energy? What foods will make my skin healthy? Is this food making me tired and bloated? What can I eat that makes me feel good?
Get Enough Sleep
If you do not get adequate sleep, your hormones are disrupted. Ever notice how you eat more when you are tired?
The hunger hormone Ghrelin is activated and the satiation hormone Leptin is not. Try to get a quick nap in if you can and ensure you get more than six hours of good quality sleep each night.
Have Low Cal Alternatives Handy
If you cannot help but snack, have low cal options on hand. Have sugar free gum, herbal teas, crunchy veggies, broth soups, and/or low cal popcorn ready to access.
But sometimes giving in to one snack leads to losing all control. So it may be better to try and implement other options.
Plan Something Fun
Often we just need an exciting event to look forward to doing. Plan a movie date, a trip, time spent with a friend or another activity you enjoy. The planning can occupy your time instead of eating and you have something exciting to look forward to doing.
Call your Nutritionist
Despite our best efforts, sometime we need to have advise from nutritional experts. Perhaps our macros and caloric intake is off and causing us to overeat or binge. Maybe we have some issues with emotional eating and need to talk to someone that can help.
Or possibly we just need to go over strategies, tips, meal plans, and recipes that can help us with our overall nutritional and health and wellness goals.
I’d love to coach and guide you on your weight loss and healthy living journey. You can contact me for a free 30 minute consultation to discuss my nutritional program. See About Me to learn more about my nutritional background and credentials and refer to this page to read about my nutritional program.
