How to Stop Eating When You’re Bored

As if the pandemic hasn’t caused enough grief already, it’s also wreaking havoc on our waistlines; a recent study revealed that 61% of Americans unintentionally put on weight in the past year.

Instead of weekends out shopping and weekday evenings hanging with your friends and family, you’re stuck at home with nothing but Netflix, the fridge, and your boredom.

It’s no wonder that so many people have taken up the hobby of noshing on whatever is around.

What Drives Us To Eat When Bored?

For most of us, food is more than just sustenance that keeps us alive.

We have an emotional attachment to food and find it brings us comfort, especially in stressful times. In other words, eating when bored is mostly a coping mechanism. But it’s also something that can quickly become a frequent - and fattening - habit.

The thing is, it’s not healthy food that we crave when the temptation to snack strikes. No, it’s the sugary, fatty, and salty morsels that give us that hit of that feel-good dopamine in our brains and has us reaching for cake instead of carrot sticks.

The good news is that you don’t need to remain a slave to this habit. There are several practical strategies that can help you replace your boredom-eating tendencies with healthier and more mindful practices.

1. Portion and Swap

Instead of grabbing the whole bag of Doritos, take a small bowl and count out one serving of chips. This way, you still get a taste of what you crave but will avoid mindlessly binging the whole bag in one sitting.

Better still, swap out your treat with something that’s satisfying but less calorie-dense. Think popcorn instead of chips, greek yogurt instead of ice cream, or a handful of dates instead of a chocolate bar.

2. Limit Your Access to Snacks

While some health gurus will tell you not to stock your house with any unhealthy foods, I don’t think this is a very realistic approach. In my experience, depriving yourself of treats altogether is likely to result in a meltdown binge before long.

That said, sugary treats are a rare commodity in my house. I pick up one Merci bar at the grocery store and I ration that chocolate for the whole week. This way, I think twice before reaching for a treat as I know that once it’s gone, I have to wait for the next grocery run before I can get another taste.

3. Meditate

Mindfulness is the name of the game when it comes to eliminating your boredom-eating habit, and nothing makes you more mindful than a good meditation session.

You can try meditating whenever you are craving a snack, but I also recommend doing it once a day as a regular practice.

There are meditations you can do specifically to address emotional eating, like this free guided meditation on YouTube. However, even a standard meditation practice can bring more mindfulness into your daily eating decisions.

4. Try Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting may seem like a fad, but there is some sound science behind this practice; not only does it help stabilize your hunger hormones, it can also improve your overall health.

In terms of curbing the munchies, IF is a fantastic tool because it discourages snacking after your eating window has closed. This is an especially great option to try if you tend to do a lot of your boredom-eating at night.

I use the Zero Fasting free app that keeps track of my fasts. As soon as I hit that “start fast” button, I’m committed to not eating anymore for the day.

Don’t feel like you have to jump into an 18-hour fast to get the benefits, either; even a 12-13 fast can help align your hormone cycles and facilitate weight loss.

5. Log Your Calories

Mindless eating is almost guaranteed to blow up your daily calorie budget, so take control of your snacking by keeping tabs on your calorie intake.

We are notoriously bad at estimating our own calorie consumption, and when done properly you will likely see you are consuming way more per day than you think.

To keep myself on track, I use a free app called Cronometer, which has a massive food database and barcode scanner that makes calorie-tracking a cinch.

Believe me, when you become aware of just how many calories are packed in that box of chocolate-covered almonds, you’ll think twice before eating them.

The key with calorie counting is to be brutally honest when recording the portion size. Fibbing about how many brownies you noshed on after dinner isn’t hurting anyone but yourself.

It’s not a bad idea to invest in a small food scale and measure out your foods for the most accurate results.

6. Get Minty Fresh

One tried-and-true hack is to simply pop a stick of gum in your mouth instead of a snack whenever you’re feeling munchy. (Just make sure it’s sugar-free gum!)

Chewing gum helps to suppress your appetite; one study found that people who chewed gum for an hour after breakfast ate less at lunchtime than they did on the days they didn’t chew gum.

Another tactic is to brush your teeth to discourage snacking between meals. Although there is no scientific evidence backing this strategy, many people find it works, including myself. I like to brush my teeth shortly after dinner to discourage the temptation to snack later in the evening when I’m watching TV.

7. Drink Lots of Water

Water naturally suppresses your appetite by taking up space in your stomach when you drink it, sending a signal to your brain that you are full.

One study found that overweight women who drank 500 milliliters of water half an hour before mealtimes lost weight and weren’t as hungry.

Further to that, feeling snacky is often a sign that you are dehydrated, not hungry. So next time you feel like grabbing a slice of leftover pizza, guzzle a glass of water instead and see if you still feel hungry after fifteen minutes.

8. Eat Enough Protein at Mealtimes

Satiety is an important factor in curbing calorie intake, and getting enough protein at mealtimes is the key to getting you through the long hours between meals without feeling hungry.

Each meal should have a significant protein source, such as chicken, tuna, eggs, greek yogurt, or legumes. Not only does protein make you feel more satiated, it increases thermogenesis, which essentially translates to a higher calorie burn.

But how much protein is enough? While the exact amount varies from person to person, 0.8 - 1 grams per pound is a good target for optimal satiety, according to this study.

9. Get a New Hobby

Swap your eating hobby with a non-food-related activity.

Watching TV doesn’t count.

Ideally, it should be something that keeps both your hands and your mind busy. When you’re about to reach for a pint of ice cream, pick up a book instead. Some other ideas include painting, knitting, starting a new project, gardening, or volunteering for a charity. The options are endless!

Not only will it help you control your boredom-eating, but taking on some new hobbies can make you an overall happier person too!

10. Exercise

Next time you’re bored, go get your blood pumping with a workout or even a walk around the block. This is a double-win because not only will you distract yourself from eating, you’ll be increasing your calorie expenditure too.

Believe it or not, exercise can also act as an appetite suppressant. Studies indicate that aerobic exercise, in particular, reduces the “hunger hormone” known as ghrelin.

I can attest to this; about a year ago, I started doing my high-intensity workouts about 1-2 hours before dinner. I find that I’m not as hungry at dinner time as I am right after work, even though I finish lunch by 2 p.m. every day.

Final Thoughts

Although it may be a little while yet before we move past COVID-19, you can start tackling those pandemic pounds right now.

Mindfulness is the key, so to get the most out of these tactics, give your plan a tangible form. For example, you can journal about how you intend to stop boredom eating, or schedule exercise, meditation, or a new hobby by writing it down on your calendar.

Give it an honest effort and you’ll be kicking boredom-eating to the curb in no time!

Author’s Note

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