Lyn2007's blog is truly awesome and inspirational! (Here's the link: http://www.escapefromobesity.blogspot.com/)

She has a series of posts on her blog called The Habit-A-Week Challenge. This week's is Alternatives to Eating. It has inspired me to make my own list:

Drink water
Chew gum
Play piano
Surf the net
Post on 3FC (and other places)
Pet the animals
Read a book
Drink hot tea
Hop on the treadmill
Take a walk outside
Clean something (there's ALWAYS something rto clean!)
Make a vision board
Brush teeth
Use whitening strips
Sing some karaoke songs
Chat on IM with friends
Play computer games
Play with my Wii
Have sex
Meditate
Study
Practice dance steps

Now it's YOUR turn!! (Thanks Lyn for a great blog!)

Good Post! OK I thought of a few.

Read a Book
Have a Diet Coke
Play with my kids
Paint my nails and toenails
Give myself a facial
Clean somehting, like you said there is always something that needs it.
Rearrange my drawers and closet,inspires me to want to fit in all of those things that I can't right now.
Surf 3FC

Jen

So glad you found my blog to be inspirational. I love your list... excellent ideas! This is a tough week to eat right but with the right *tools* we can pull through it.

I'll second that "have a walk outside." I'm really lucky, too: there's a library on my usual circuit.

When I want to binge, it's usually a misguided attempt to comfort, treat or reward myself. So I try to do something that I don't usually make time for, that feels decadent instead of tasting decadent - bubble bath, mani/pedi/facial, curling up with a book and a cup of tea.

Or rather I read the title of the post right but got it out of context! I was thinking *insert dumb voice here* "Um, what is this anorexia stuff doing here?" and was thinking, "We need to eat!", as I clicked to open the post....


I get it!! The alternatives to eating like we used to eat or eating off plan or over eating!! Duh.

One thing that has really helped me is just not buying the stuff that are triggers for me AND coming here to read, post, vent, etc!

I've felt a difference in the last week in not being here as much! I have my daughter here from out of town and can't be online as much. I've missed it.

I have been thinking a lot about this lately. My friend triggered something inside me when I told her that I eat really well when I visit my parent's place, I never feel the need to overeat, they cook healthy and I eat healthy.

She agreed and said "yes, it's like when at your parent's place there's less stress and no need to fill that hole".

Now, this is coming from someone who is 5'7" and about 120 lb.

I found it interesting because we have never spoken about this issue before, and I have been thinking about why I eat or overeat or eat when I'm bored, etc. Really start thinking about WHY I eat when I eat.

Because, when i think back, even at 120 lb I was unhappy. So it's not just being overweight that makes me unhappy, it's like this obsession with food, or obsession with food being exciting and making me happy that I really have to start looking into.

This is a great thread, and I'm going to start thinking of my own list. Thanks!

~CGH~

My thanks to Lyn also.

Jen415 - what is a vision board?

great post. now time to read her blog!

Web Rover: A vision board is a technique that helps you focus on your goals. (I believe it originated in the book The Secret, but I know lots of others who use it, including Oprah.)

It can be done by cutting out pics and words from magazines, or by finding images online and printing them out and putting them on a poster board. You can also write affirmations or encouraging words and put them there too.

You can also do it by making a slide show with Microsoft PowerPoint. There's even software for techie types that want to make an even fancier one. The idea is to get something visual in front of you to encourage you to stay on track.

And the bonus? It's fun to do!!

Jen - Thanks for the explanation.

that's a great idea Lyn!

here's my list:
plan an activity with my daughter
look online for a good recipe
write to my boyfriend
listen to my ipod
write things in my planner
pick out my clothes for the next day
drag kate outside for a walk
clean for 10 minutes
take a nap
surf 3fc and facebook