Managing Boredom Eating

Find yourself staring into the fridge or pantry when we are feeling a little bored or at a loose end?

Find you are ‘hungry’ as soon as you sit down to relax, or don’t have anything in your hands?

Eating is an easy time filler. A convenient, simple way to occupy your hands, making boredom eating an easy habit to slip in to. Unfortunately, if not addressed, it can get in the way of your best intentions.

Stop for a moment and consider if boredom is a trigger for you to eat. Try pausing before eating and ask yourself “Am I hungry?”.

If the answer is no, stop and evaluate why you are planning to eat.

Remember if the trigger is not physical hunger, the answer is not food.

If you are boredom eating, the following strategies can be useful:

1. Get out of the kitchen. It sounds simple but it is so important – you are not vulnerable to boredom eating if there is not food in your environment.
2. Don’t keep food in sight. Biscuit barrels or lolly jars on benches, fruit bowls on tables.
3. Keep yourself busy. Read a book or magazine in the garden, go for a walk, sort photos, tidy a cupboard that could do with your attention. For more ideas, check out this great list of ‘101 Things To Do Besides Eat‘ from the Am I Hungry Mindful Eating Program.
4. Use the time you have to make healthy choices easier. As we say so often, planning is one of the keys to success.
5. Write out a plan of your meals for the coming week. If you need inspiration, search for new recipes online. Head to www.taste.com for lots of inspiration, just keep in mind that the recommended serve sizes will be too big after weight loss surgery. Only ever eat an amount that is comfortable.
6. Use your meal plan or new recipes you find to write your grocery list.
7. Always try to prepare some meals you can freeze for later.

Identifying your eating triggers is so important to help change your habits. If you would like some help with your key triggers for eating and how you manage them, check out our Support Options here.