What do you do when...
 

you are not physically hungry and just want to eat? I am having a hard time because I tend to eat because I'm bored, upset, etc. What are some of the tricks you all use to avoid caving to temptation?

The one thing I have just discovered recently that helps is rinsing with mouthwash. I know that sounds really odd, but with that gross minty taste in my mouth I wouldn't dare try to eat something lol.

I'm same as you! Eating = pleasure, comfort, distraction, etc.

I tell myself, "wait 5 minutes and see if you still feel like eating" - this seems more tolerable than "you're not hungry, you can't eat!" then when the 5 minutes are over, I say, "well, wait 5 more minutes" etc., until either I have built up enough 5 minuteses that I know I can withstand the urge to eat, or I can tell I'm actually hungry, not just emoting, and then have a healthy snack.

Other tips for not eating (or for waiting out the 5 minuteses!): Drink a glass of water to feel full or in case you're actually thirsty.

Change position to distract your body - if you're sitting on the couch reading, get up and go sit in a kitchen chair or on your bed. Take a little walk. Go get the mail. Load the dishwasher. Even if you end up eating, at least you burnt a couple calories!

Find a replacement activity to distract your mind - new channel on the TV, different book, phone call, chores, whatever it takes to engage the part of your brain that's prompting you to eat.

I'm all about the five minute battles. I backfire on myself if I say "YOU WILL NOT EAT UNTIL DINNER TIME" but I can do really well hanging on just a little longer. Carrot and stick, baby! (Just make sure, if you get there, that you eat a carrot and not a cookie :D

i will have crystal lite..or go for a walk, or i also have a before and after pic on my fridge..and that helps to..but if i really want to eat..i will have veggies

ang

I will do something to keep me occupied- specially with my hands- like play a video game or play with my pets, read a book, take a bath, work out, anything to just keep me from being bored!

Gum, Gum, Gum ....I stopped smoking one year, one month, and 27 days ago. I went from 145 to 165,agh!! Now, I have to have gum in my house at all times. The minty works best for me and if u have gum in your mouth u tend not to slide litttle nibbles in when preparing the food too!!

I use gum too, or I "give in" to some snacking with a couple strawberries or some grapes.

I normally get the munchies after supper when I am winding down to go to sleep. Normally while we watch some tv. So I just make sure I have some healthy snack options :)

I have that sameeee problem. Eating just because. You could try drinking a glass of water, to help yourself realize that you're full. Another good tip I've learned from these message boards is to clean something out.. like a junk drawer or a box in the top of your closet, or heck, even your whole closet. Orrrr you could take a walk around the block, or call up a friend to just chat.

Good job coming here though :) Just try to listen to your body and keep yourself busy. You can do it!

My mantra --

"Only BIG people eat when they aren't hungry, and I'm not a big person."

I've been doing this since the beginning, because I'm trying to train my brain into understanding that I AM NOT A BIG PERSON. Even if I was/am, I am consciously reminding myself that I AM NOT A BIG PERSON. The theory is that IF I can do this, by the time I am a regular weight, I will BELIEVE that I am not big, and I won't fall back into the BIG PERSON habits...

Sounds weird, I know, but I really believe that I have in the past lost weight without training how I THINK, and if I want to BE a regular-weight person, I gotta THINK like one and BEHAVE like one. And eating when I'm NOT hungry is NOT something a regular-weight person does.

:D

Kira

I make a cup of herbal tea.

Water, tea, and gum are lifesavers. I usually drink 16 ounces of water, follow it with a mug of hot tea, and then stick a piece of spearmint gum in my mouth. The chewing gives my mouth something to do and the water and tea make my stomach feel quite full, usually to the point where I don't even want to eat anymore.

If I have an extra strong craving, I usually go exercise outdoors. Going for a walk takes my mind off of food and I don't bring my wallet so even if I want something, I have no means of getting it.

Take a walk, drink a glass of water, chew gum, sliced apples, or baby carrots. I usually want to munch when I am working on the computer or at my desk. When I started tracking what I eat and when, I found I usually want something to crunch on while working at the computer so now I eat sliced apples or baby carrots for the crunching effect. Otherwise I drink a glass of water and chew gum.
Taking a walk is also helpful and it motivates me to keep going and not give in to temptations. However, sometimes it is really hard to get up and start walking. I am finding that losing weight requires me to work my brain as much as my body. I have to reprogram my brain to think differently about things.
I am trying really hard to be careful about what I buy at the store and bring into my house. My kids aren't happy about it but it sure helps me when I want to munch on something and the only things available are healthy items.
I really like your idea of mouth wash. I am going to try it.
Good Luck

Gum works pretty well at keeping my mouth occupied

I see how many calories I've eaten for the day, and if I've reached my limit I simply tell myself that I've given my body all the fuel it needs for the day, that it's ok to want to eat but it doesn't mean that I'm going to, that not eating won't kill me or harm me. I just keep reassuring myself that I've had all I need today.

And then I go do some yoga.

Haha. I don't keep any real snack food around. Everything I have takes a lot of preparation to make. So, if I'm really hungry, I'll go through the effort. Otherwise, it's just not worth it.

I personally use gum to keep my mouth occupied when I get hungry. This way I'm not bored. OR I'll mix some calorie free fruit punch or lemonade flavorings into my water.

Some great suggestions!

For me: hot tea, pickles, or Tic Tacs. Also distracting myself with laundry, cleaning out a cupboard or something like that. I work from home so the kitchen is always calling!

I also wanted to mention that when I totally give up sugar, I don't get that feeling of wanting to eat when I'm not hungry. I'm working on quitting sugar again becuase it makes me feel really out of sorts.

Yes!
 

This ^^ is so true for me too. I've switched from calorie counting to South Beach, and don't have that always-wanting-to-eat feeling that I always had before. I can even feel hungry without getting frantic!

Gum helps me take my mind off the need to have food in my mouth. In fact, I chewing some right now because lunch is going to be a little later than usual for me.

I've recently learned about the 4-4-12 approach. 4 hrs btwn breakfast & lunch, 4 hrs btwn lunch and dinner, 12 hrs btwn last food and breakfast. It allows my body to get into the fat burning mode.

Warm tea.. breathing exercises to relax (if I'm stessed)
If I'm bored *my MAIN trigger to eat when I'm not hungry* then I try to clean or watch a movie or read.. sometimes it doesn't compare if the craving is really for something tasty, so if its something sweet, I'll have a teaspoonful of honey.. and I also squeeze lemon into water and the taste assuages whatever cravings I have.. sometimes I'll even dip a finger in ground up garlic if the craving is for something salty or zesty.. I know it sounds weird but it all works for me! Sometimes it is just the texture of something, and chewing gum helps with that.. or sugar free mentos! Of course, this always follows with water.

I have recently lost about 20 pounds with WW and my rules are - don't eat in front of the tv, don't eat in front of the computer, keep frozen grapes (for sweet), 100 cal packs of micro popcorn (for salty) or drink a cup of coffee or tea if my energy is lagging.

I have a three year old and I find that snacky feeling comes when I just want a BREAK to be alone, have a snack, and enjoy the silence (she's such a good kid but she never stops chatting!). Sometimes I can put off a snacky feeling by telling myself I'll have popcorn or grapes after she goes to bed - really I only have to save like two points for a satisfying quiet snack and it's something to look forward to at the end of the day.

Probably the best thing is to break that "eating because I'm bored' habit but right now I'll settle for taming it or making it managable!

And hello, this is my first post!