Fighting the Urge...
 

I'm currently fighting the urge to snack like crazy. I'm not hungry-at all. I'm just bored. I'm at my mother's house and I don't really have a lot to do here-aside from eat. Its usually why I end up breaking my diet when I visit her. But I'm determined to fight this. I do not need to snack!! But I want to sooo badly.

I've tried gum, tea...ugh. Does anyone have any ideas? What do you do to fight the urge to snack?

If possible, I go for a walk. If that doesn't work, I do something that prohibits even the possibility of eating--taking a long, luxurious bath, for instance, or giving myself a complete mani/pedi. Anything that you do with your hands is good, I find; focusing on doing something takes my focus away from snacks.

If I still want to nosh on something after all that, then maybe the answer is that I really am hungry. Bodies aren't machines and use fuel at irregular intervals; sometimes the 400-calorie lunch that fills you up on Tuesday doesn't do a thing for you on Friday. Snacky urges are genuine hunger sometimes, though it's sometimes tough for me to tell the difference (one of the things I'm trying to learn).

If I decide not to fight the urge, I dawdle over my food. The more I play with it--slicing fruit into thin slices, cutting carrots into matchstick-like strips, tying my string-cheese strings into knots before eating--the more satisfied I am when done.

Instead of snacking on things that are bad for you, snack on low cal crunchy veggies!!!

Oh and try learning to knit. Your hands are kept busy!

Hm, I gave myself a manicure. I think it worked because I couldn't pick anything up until my nails dried. Lol. And now my nails look pretty to boot! Lol. Thanks for the tip! I may just start knitting too!

Clementines. I just ate 4 of them. (140 calories total) My belly is full now.

It is so hard to visit home and not eat everything! I hear you. Try healthy snack or hot tea/coffee.

I like the clementines idea. If you are able to eat a certain about of fruit find something that is filling. I like Asian Pears (Apple-Pear) or just a regular sized orange. Peel the orange yourself, gives you something to do with your hands and then take your time peeling off the gross white stringies. I do this at work when I'm bored and have nothing to do. Then I peel each individual slice and eat one at a time. It usually works pretty well or I drink a cup of fat free milk. That usually fills me up. But I also like the idea of painting your nails. Since you are visiting your mother you might consider the walk as well. Usually cravings when you are bored will only last a few minutes so distracting yourself in the meantime is best. Do anything and everything that can keep your hands busy and force your mind to focus on something else.

I did the mani pedi thing yesterday, highlighted my hair, then dried it and styled it (kids were gone at a relatives until like - 8). Worked pretty well! I also knit or just gnaw on my own arm.