How to stop boredom eating?

I totally understand boredom eating, I lose control as well. It just feels like nothing will fill my time unless I eat. There are lots of times like that. Especially during winter… How to stop it relies on your awareness I guess. It is considered as an emotional eating. And the solution is to bring back your awareness to food and to sense your internal signs of hunger and satiety… (read more in Are you really hungry? )

Why is boredom eating a problem? 

I never thought eating emotionally is bad and I believe I agree. Food is always linked to joy, memories, excitement, happiness. And to a lot of comfort as well. However, the problem relies when food becomes the ONLY way we know to respond to these emotions. If we have nothing to do except eating, then this is a problem because eventually you will eat more than you need, you are binging, and of course it has its consequences. 

And by the way, our problem isn’t only with emotional eating. It is the SNACKS. I remember reading a book that pointed out snacking as one of the new nutrition and health problems we are facing with this fast past world.  We are not having filling, satisfying meals anymore…All what we have is WHATEVER… whatever is available, whatever is easy, whatever is fast… we never give it a thought of what we want or what we actually need…

That’s why I mentioned above AWARENESS is what we need to bring back the right relationship with food and an be done as once said,  tracking your food and plan is one of the steps to start healthy lifestyle

Here are more ways for you to cope with your emotions

How to stop boredom eating?

1. Keep a food diary and plan your meals

It really helps in bringing back your awareness. You will know what you are eating and what you want to eat. You will know when to stop.I already told you, that its really helped me with my digestive problems and I noticed the changes, so could you. And by the way, still not consistent with this habit. But I truly believe that noting down what you eat and tracking your food intake impacts your choices, timings and habits as well. 

2. Brush your teeth

I do it a lot. It works.  Not all the time but at least I start eating with awareness. Or don’t eat because I am too lazy to brush them again 😉 I am not sure if it is scientific but the taste of toothpaste left in your mouth will suppress your appetite for other tastes and will make you less likely to snack.

3. Find hobbies 

“Eating due to boredom is a way of providing ourselves with personal fulfilment and satisfaction”. And it should never be food that brings that kind of satisfaction… because if it is, you are entering a non-ending, complex cycle… that will have expensive consequences.  

Ok, I agree that food is linked with emotions and it brings joy… Totally understandable. It becomes a problem when you lose control, and the joy of doing other things because food is not there… Find what you are good at and practice it. Do your chores, move, draw, read, write, walk, meet a friend… all of these will burn calories and make you want to eat eventually. But this time, you are eating with awareness and a need. And will bring joy for sure…

4. Drink water

One thing I noticed, we don’t differentiate between the feeling of thirst and hunger. Therefore, we respond wrongly. Drink water first and then think: Do I still need food?! And by the way, dehydration is what makes us hungry!

Moreover, Water fills your stomach and suppresses hunger. A lot of studies proved its impact on losing body weight as well. 

Remember:

GO EASY, changing habits requires a lot, however, what makes you stronger and willing to change is your awareness. And since you are aware, you are nearly there. and I believe that if we know hoe to stop boredom eating, there will be a lot fixed along.

We all go through various emotions and it is NORMAL to react to them with food. It is never bad to eat because you are excited, happy, sad, or stressed. I recently read Collen’s blog about boredom eating, and it was comforting to know that FOOD SHOULD BE EMOTIONAL. However, she said what matters is to understand the spectrum. WHY ARE YOU EATING?? Are you eating in response to hunger, comfort, distraction, sedation or punishment? It is totally normal to enjoy a brownie when you are bored, but don’t expect that this brownie will fix any of your problems and don’t let this brownie become too many brownies, then it will make you feel worse!!!. Food shouldn’t make you feel worse and to avoid that, there should be other coping mechanisms as she insisted. Examples are what are above and of course there are more… 

References

https://healthyeatinghub.com.au/8-strategies-overcome-boredom-eating

https://colleenchristensennutrition.com/boredom-eating-how-to-beat-it/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322296#six-reasons-why-drinking-water-may-help-you-lose-weight