Avoid Eating When You're Bored

Are you really hungry? Or just bored? At times, we eat because we have nothing better to do. It's something a lot of us do without thinking. Here are a few tips to help you establish a new routine and new habits:

1. Make a hunger diary. Record your daily intake. Include a list of calories, if desired.
2. Recognize patterns of eating. Do they coincide with boredom? Is there a time of day when you are more likely to be bored?
3. Identify if you are actually hungry. Ask yourself, on a scale of one to ten, how hungry you feel. If the answer is seven or more, you should probably eat something. Otherwise, refrain from eating until you reach this point of actual hunger.
4. Satisfy feelings with other interests. Find other interests that are just as rewarding. Have fun with a friend.
5. Make an activity hat. Fill the hat with different activities and pull one out to do. This should relieve your boredom and the urge to eat.
6. Find an activity that occupies your hands. Try a manicure, needlework, typing or if you do play an instrument this is a good time for practising. You can only do one activity at a time.
7. Concentrate on what you are doing. Force yourself to become preoccupied until the hunger subsides.
8. Go for a walk. This will take you away from the kitchen. Once your scene has changed, your cravings should subside.
9. Avoid buying certain foods. Identify the foods that you most commonly reach for and avoid having them in your home.
10. Avoid having food in your bedroom. Eat only at the dining room table. Stashed snacks can be a big temptation.
11. Choose nutritious food. Choose replenishing whole foods. Processed foods are deprived of natural vitamins and nutrients.
12. Schedule a small nutritious snack between meals. This may keep you from indulging at meals.
13. Eat celery or watermelon. They are mostly water, low in calories and can quench your thirst. You may burn as many calories as the celery contains just by chewing it. The sweetness of watermelon is very satisfying. They're both pretty healthy.
14. Drink a glass of water. Water is filling and may satisfy you for a period of time.
15. Chew a piece of gum. It's refreshing and low in calories. It may help to curb your appetite and actually burn a few calories.

* Enjoy eating. Savor your food.
* Formulating healthy eating habits takes time, planning and discipline.
* Periodically adjust to a more realistic diet routine throughout your life:

Give yourself a little freedom to indulge once a day or once a week. Try a small piece of chocolate or a smoothie. Exercise may require an extra snack or a few more calories. Calories may need to be limited later in life to prevent weight gain from a slower metabolism.

Consult with a dietician to formulate a plan suitable to your needs. Everyone needs professional direction now and then. Overeating can be a symptom of underlying stress. Eating releases endorphins and provides for needed comfort. Weight gain and lack of control can lead to depression. Seek the help of a pyschiatrist, if needed. Consult your physican with weight gain before it becomes a more serious detriment to your health. Consult your physician with binge eating and other eating disorders.