Utmost people have the habit of munching on something when they’re wearied and have nothing to do around.
Grabbing some snacks when you feel bored and hungry is pretty normal. However, this habit could turn into a binge or even an eating disorder.
Also, you could suffer from heavyweight gain and body issues.
So, to solve that problem of eating when bored of yours to some extent, we have listed 10 simple tips.
Before moving to there, let’s talk about boredom eating disorders first.
Boredom eating disorders
Boredom eating disorders is also known as an emotional eating disorder. Due to increase in boredom and emotional instability, people turn to foods as a comfort.
Slowly this comfort habit will turn into a binge eating habit.
Even though very little attention is given for boredom eating disorders and many don’t even see it as an issue.
Indeed there are many people who suffer from obesity and other health issues due to boredom eating.
Here, we have listed down 10 must read tips to prevent yourself from boredom eating.
10 must read Tips to eliminate boredom eating
Keep yourself active
One of the best options to stop eating when bored is to keep yourself busy.
Usually, people tend to binge and eat when they have so much free time.
So, you gotta engage in some extracurricular activities just to keep yourself active.
You know the saying “Nothing good comes from boredom”. So, it’s quite obvious eating while you are bored will only give you body problems and weight issues.
Watch some engaging videos, play sports, read books, go on a walk or do anything fun and light to keep yourself busy to prevent any boredom eating.
Eat good portions of meals daily
To reduce the boredom eating, you need to have a proper amount of food on daily basis.
Having 3-4 meals with good portions of a balanced diet will keep you full for the entire day.
Always remember food is never your enemy, you should just know how to maintain a healthy eating habits.
Add foods, veggies, and fruits that are more filling with less calories so you don’t feel like eating from time to time a day.
Don’t strict yourself
Being too strict and cautious about what you eat, counting every calories you take might develop a eating disorder.
Controlling your urge not to eat your favorite junk foods is a good thing, however if you overdo it you will surely binge on them later which can create constipation and unhealthy weight gain.
So don’t deprive yourself from those junks completely, instead try to eat them in moderation sometimes. This will surely reduce your chances of eating when you are bored.
Eat more filling and healthy snacks
Having snacks 2-3 times a day is quite normal and healthy. However, you don’t eat something more filling as snacks, there is a bigger chance of binging on those snacks later.
So, try to keep your snacks more filling and on healthy sides.
You can grab some nuts or have oatmeal as your snacks.
Or else, you can always go for fibre rich fruits like banana, apples, blueberries, etc. when you feel bored.
What to eat when bored
Some of the healthy and filling snacks you can eat when you feel bored are:
- Light popcorn
- Carrots
- Jicama Sticks
- Fruits like apple, banana, orange, strawberries, watermelon etc.
- Seaweed
- Dry Fruits and Nuts
- Salads
- Oatmeals
Stay hydrated
One of the great ways of keeping yourself away from eating foods when you feel bored is to drink lots of water.
Everytime you feel bored and feel like chomping on something, just grab a glass of water and sip on some.
Having glasses of water from time to time a day will surely make you feel full and you won’t feel like eating.
Know your triggers
You might feel craving for foods when your senses get triggered. It’s natural for humans to feel hungry after smelling the aroma of foods or seeing something delicious.
After watching a food show or mukbang, you might feel like eating even if you are not hungry.
Or if your favorite foods are in front of you, you must feel like jumping over it and devour it all at a once.
So, to avoid any boredom eating, try to get rid of the habits that trigger your fake hunger in your body.
Track your foods
Tracking your foods will somehow help you to know how much you are taking in per a day.
Noting down what you ate and how much you ate will help you stop snacking on something unnecessarily.
Chew and swallow your foods slowly
Many people have the habit of not chewing their foods that much and instantly swallowing it in no time.
When you eat your foods very fast, you tend to eat bigger portion or add more portion after finishing the previous one.
So, one of the better ways of not eating when you feel bored is to chew on your foods very slowly, take your time, and then swallow it.
Brush your teeth after meals
Brushing your teeth after finishing a meal can also stop you from eating foods due to boredom.
The minty sensation from your toothpaste will help you remember that you have eaten enough for the day.
Chew gum
When you feel bored and feel like eating something, you can grab some sugar free gums and chew on them.
Chewing gum will keep you busy and distracted. However, chewing on gum for a long time might trigger hunger in your body and make you feel gassy.
So, be careful and don’t just make it a habit.
Final Takeaway
Keeping your mind busy will be the best option to restrict yourself from boredom eating.
However, you can always for the given healthy options or tips to stop yourself from eating when you feel bored and lazy.
Always try to embrace healthy eating habits. Remember your body is an art and you are the artist.
Paint your body with the colors aka foods in a possible healthy way!