I eat when I get bored. I eat when I'm watching TV. Basically, I munch a little something every time I go into the kitchen. And I'm never really hungry when I do it. I've tried a lot of things to keep me from doing this: reading :book: , playing my guitar :guitar: , putting a hair tie around my wrist and snapping it :whack: (what broke me of my thumb-sucking when I was little.... it was worth a try!), hiding all the junk food, etc... Nothing helps. I always end up eating healthy until I get home in the evening. Then I have a nice dinner, and then I start munching until bed. It makes me feel really bad, not only mentally, but physically. I feel TOO full, but I can't seem to stop munching. Anyone got suggestions?

Drink lots of water!! It sounds gay but it makes a world of difference! and make sure your munching on dense low calories type things. mushrooms and stuff. mmm :)
or have a dessert after dinner. and then maybe u just wont want to? eating dessert made me LOSE weight because of that! lol.
um...and...and...stay away from sugary munchies coz they drop ur blood sugar and make you hungrier.
what are you eating for dinner? maybe its not enough?

Maybe you're not eating enough during the day.

Try not being around food during the time when you'd normally eat mindlessly. Maybe take a walk, do a yoga class, or spend time at the library in the evenings.

1. After dinner just sort of "close" the kitchen. Turn off the lights and don't return except for water.
2. Just don't buy any junk food!
3.Put on a face mask so you can't eat (if you're truly not hungry. If you're hungry, eat!)
4.Water, Water, and more Water! Supposedly, sometimes our bodies crave food if we're dehydrated.
5. Exercise

What about what April said? Are you eating enough during the day? Try to remember that food is only one part of life. Try to get engrossed in your tv show or book so that you can relax without snacking if not hungry. :)

3.Put on a face mask so you can't eat (if you're truly not hungry. If you're hungry, eat!)

I reccomend this one.

http://www.frightcatalog.com/Halloween-Masks/Personalities/Nixon+Mask-1210013/?utm_source=pf&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=froog

There's stuff you can snack on, and pretty much never worry about over-doing.

Like radishes, cellery, and steamed refrigerated brussel sprouts. Vinegary cabage coleslaw (the kind without the mayonaise).

Instead of trying to stop the urge, you may want to try letting yourself munch on some of these.

I want to recommend to you the book The Yoga of Eating (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0967089727/qid=1136470490/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-0539809-9129506?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) by Charles Eisenstien. It's not a yoga book, or a diet book, but uses the term "yoga" to denote a process of mindfulness and intuition to our eating practices. It's not necessarily pro vegetarianism either.

one of the teachings that comes out of the book is the idea that 'self control' is actually part of the problem. When we seek to 'control' ourselves, then we're actually working against desires--which may be natural and even appropriate. we may be working against our spirit self.

by coming into contact with the spirit self and understanding what we truly want and need, it's easy to avoid what you don't really want. Most of us do not want to eat 'junk foods' because they are not nourishing to the body (and therefore the spirit). But, it takes practice to deeply listen to what hte body wants, and then nourish it accordingly.

So, check out the book. it's an easy read.

I second not buying junk food. Sure you'll run out and buy it when you want it but it'll save you more often than not.

buy fruit instead of junk food. If you feel like eating, tell yourself you can eat any of the fruit... if you dont' want it, you're not hungry - you're bored. :)

>>It sounds gay but it makes a world of difference! >>

drinking water is totally gay, yeah.

ebola

my gay friends drink water. it must be.

<_<

Maybe you're not eating enough during the day.

This seems a likely culprit. Are you eating a decent breakfast and lunch?

Mindless eating is just a bad habit and perfectable breakable.

1 -be sure your eating enough calories throughout the day (as previously stated)
2 -drink plenty of water (as previously stated)
3 -only eat at planned meal times and only in a controlled evironment (i.e. the kitchen). Do not allow food in any other room of your home. Remember it takes 21 days to break a habit, the first week will be the toughest.

I don't keep snacking type stuff in my apartment. It makes it really easy not to snack where there's nothing there to munch on.

... except that it's easy to go to the corner market and buy munchies :p

not that I would ever do that... *whistles*

'Self control' is actually part of the problem. When we seek to 'control' ourselves, then we're actually working against desires--which may be natural and even appropriate. We may be working against our spirit self.

By coming into contact with the spirit self and understanding what we truly want and need, it's easy to avoid what we don't really want.

I LOVE THAT.

Drink lots of water!! It sounds gay but it makes a world of difference! and make sure your munching on dense low calories type things. mushrooms and stuff. mmm :)
or have a dessert after dinner. and then maybe u just wont want to? eating dessert made me LOSE weight because of that! lol.
um...and...and...stay away from sugary munchies coz they drop ur blood sugar and make you hungrier.
what are you eating for dinner? maybe its not enough?

I am saying this just to help you, because when I was younger "gay" was commonly used slang for "stupid" and I thought nothing of it when my friends said it. BUT you should know that it is very, very offensive to many people, not just the gay community. If you really must say it, make sure you are surrounded by people who are either homophobic or truly do not care about political correctness at all. It is probably best to break yourself of the habit completely because you don't want it to slip out at a bad moment like a job interview, meeting your new boyfriend's parents, etc. Once again, I am NOT judging you because I know many people who have used it and continue to do so, people who I love and respect and just do not know better.

That would be better off in its own thread.

Have you tried chewing gum? It might not be the food you are after, but wanting to keep your mouth busy.

Ask yourself if you would eat some green beans, carrots, broccoli, and/or spinach if someone offered it to you.
If you would, most likely you are truly hungry (considering the fact that most people would not want to snack on veggies unless their stomach really is hungry..they'd prefer to snack on salty/sweet/processed items).

If you wouldn't, then you most likely are NOT hungry and just want something to do or distract you.
At this point, you can chew some gum..or drink a diet/sugarfree somethingrather...or suck on a hard candy. Even a sugarfree popsicle or an ice cube might do the trick.

The important thing is, I think once you realize that you truly are not hungry, you will not force food into your body.

Also, you might want to try avoiding the kitchen or brushing your teeth before you go into the kitchen. You could also make sure your hands are full and you cannot grab any food while entering the kitchen.

marguerite: I know it's offensive to many people. It is offensive to me, but I understand when and why people use it. One of my very good friends is gay, and he doens't appreciate it either. Thank you for apologizing, and for you help!

When I crave junk food, I serve myself a reasonable portion and put the rest away, before eating any. When my dish is empty, no more junk food for me.

A friend of mine will do the same, but if she wants more junk food, she will allow herself to have it, IF she eats an apple or whatever, first. To her, eating an apple (when she isn't hungry) is usually enough "work" to prevent more junk food eating. Even so, a night of over-snacking for her might end up like this:
A bowl of Tings, a serving of raw broccoli & carrot sticks, 2 Newman O's, an apple, small bowl of Soy Delicious, a bowl of grapes...

My weakness isn't junk food...it's bread. Good bread.

When I crave junk food, I serve myself a reasonable portion and put the rest away, before eating any. When my dish is empty, no more junk food for me.

A friend of mine will do the same, but if she wants more junk food, she will allow herself to have it, IF she eats an apple or whatever, first. To her, eating an apple (when she isn't hungry) is usually enough "work" to prevent more junk food eating. Even so, a night of over-snacking for her might end up like this:
A bowl of Tings, a serving of raw broccoli & carrot sticks, 2 Newman O's, an apple, small bowl of Soy Delicious, a bowl of grapes...

My weakness isn't junk food...it's bread. Good bread.

actually, if you consider it though, you might end up getting MORE calories that way.

you might eat less calories if you just satisify the junk food craving and eat your fill of it, instead of forcing yourself to eat what you don't want (veggies, fruit, etc)...

because even fruit and veggies have SOME calories...

Do Jumping Jacks!

when u wanna eat, just SAY "no" outloud and do 50 or so jumping jacks:vebo:

stop watching tv!:no:

*make wat you eat, don't buy processed foods

make something complicated (takes long time to prepare) but make a tiny little portion for 1, it'll take all night!:up: