Snacking beyond your designated meals is not so bad in itself. It is a good idea to have a healthy snack on hand to avoid feeling famished throughout the day. But if you find that your between-meal-snacks are becoming more regular and are even taking the place of your pre-established mealtimes, this could be a sign of an unhealthy extreme.
It is not uncommon for many people to eat as a way of satisfying other needs, namely being stressed or bored. This is nothing to be ashamed of, we all know how effective a chocolate or crunchy treat can be as a mood lifter. The danger, as in so many human activities, lies in excess.
Overeating to counteract the effects of boredom can result in several serious health conditions including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc. The worse thing about the vicious cycle is that it becomes harder to break as it is continuously practiced.
Consider the typical sequence of events: the subject is sitting in their house alone probably flipping through channels or looking for some other form of amusement. Then out of nowhere they get an urge to eat, head over to the kitchen and grab something from the fridge. Most of this process just happened subconsciously and without the actual feeling of hunger being challenged or examined.
This is why it is essential to become more aware of each moment when committing to change this negative health habit. While there are several ways to approach boredom eating, the best approach begins with awareness.
Carefully Examining Your Eating Habits
The best way to improve your eating habits is to keep a careful record. A food diary is not just a good idea for those wishing to optimize their consumption for maximum physical output, it can be used by anyone to improve their lives by making adjustments to this basic activity.
Record what you eat over a few weeks. Write down what you eat, what time you eat it as well as why you were eating it and how you felt at the time. Nothing fancy something as simple as “poutine, 4:30 pm, everyone else was eating, felt left out.”
Review your notes. What times do you eat when truly hungry? What times did you eat when you were just bored? What patterns do you recognize during this time? After you have recorded your eating habits over a few weeks you will have a better idea of how to counter this trend in both the long term and the short term.
Following are some helpful tips that you can apply to optimizing your eating habits. Working to avoid boredom eating can be done with long term goals and projects as well as quick fire responses to the sudden urge to eat.
Let’s begin with some long term approaches to boredom eating.
Long Term Approaches to Boredom Eating
Preemption is the name of the game when attempting to interrupt this habit. Looking over your food journal may give you glimpses of times when you eat out of boredom. Once you recognize the habit, it stands out from necessary eating.
Find a Hobby - If you see you have too much time on your hands and are often met with 15 to 45 minutes or more between activities, get a hobby. Hobbies only take 10 to 20 minute of undivided attention each day to produce spectacular results. Puzzles, blogging, self-education, physical exercise and more only require a few hours a week to perfect.
Get More Exercise - Regular physical exercise naturally sets your body into a rigid eating schedule. This is a great way to improve self-esteem which leads to a more active lifestyle and reduces boredom altogether. Then even eating your favorite snacks is more enjoyable.
Capture the Mind - Being more mindful of the moment will allow you to consider a few options before instantly reaching for a Twinky. Maybe there are some odd jobs that needed to be done? Perhaps a co-worker could use some help on their work? Look for alternatives to twiddling your thumbs and inviting an impulse to eat.
Quick Fire Responses to Crush the Urge to Eat
Sometimes the moment is already there and bored or not, it sure feels like we’re hungry. But wait, here are a few alternatives to raiding the fridge that can save you from gaining pounds and sharpen your resolve.
Drink Water - Many times dehydration is experienced as hunger. This can be made worse by reaching for salty chips or sugary soft drinks. Add a note in your food journal that says “no less than 3lt. of water each day”. Next time you are hungry reach for a tall glass of water.
Take the Time to Plate your Food - Don’t eat food from the bag, box or container. This shortens the impulse satisfaction time and further consolidates the behavior. Take the time to set your food out on a plate and gain a grip on what you are doing. This will allow you to consider portion sizes, anticipate your feeding and improves digestion if you are truly hungry.
Call a Friend - There is no support like a friend. Whether you choose to inform them of your plans to reduce boredom eating or not is your choice, but having a friend to call up if you are feeling peckish can give you the distraction you need to push past the moment and wait till suppertime.
Chew Gum - Chewing gum relaxes the jaw muscles, releases tension and also pulls the mind into the moment. If you have a pack of gum closer to you than a yummy snack you can distract your desire to feed with the non-fattening chewing action.
NeuroGum Nootropic Sugar free energy gum gives your brain the boost it needs to function at its best. These energy gum pills give you a fresh breath of energy without the jitters or crash.
In Conclusion
Don’t assume that because you find yourself eating outside of mealtimes that you are boredom eating. Those with active lifestyles need more fuel than most. Hunger pangs can strike despite your best efforts to distract yourself.
When this happens be sure to have a wealth of good nutritious food stuffs on which to chow down. Popcorn, nuts, carrots and hummus are all high in nutrients and a great way to beat back the munchies without incurring health problems.
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