Boredom is one of the major problems the young generation is facing and sadly, a cure has not been found yet.
Unfortunately, boredom is equivalent to inactivity most of the time.
When you get bored and have nothing to do you tend to open the fridge, eat a sandwich, open a can of cola or some chips or a bag of popcorn.
Eating when you’re bored comes naturally.
It is a kind of activity that makes you forget about your problems for some time.
If on the other hand, you consider the effective ideas presented below, you will know how to combat boredom and will not be tempted to eat that much.
For example, when you are bored you could go out jogging in the park or you could go out for a walk in town or just visit a museum or something similar.
Here are the tips on How to Stop Boredom Eating
1. Avoid eating when you’re bored
First, you must understand that when you are bored, you tend to eat a lot of unhealthy foods.
They’re delicious, and they also give you a temporary feeling of satisfaction, but in the long run, they will do nothing else but making you put on weight.
2. Eat a Fruit or Tuna Sandwich
If you simply cannot resist the temptation of eating, try sticking to a fruit.
Banana is recommended because it gives you a feeling of fullness quickly, similar feelings are also offered by watermelon, so eat a slice with confidence.
If you prefer something salty, opt for a sandwich with bread and tuna.
Do not use mayonnaise, but try lemon juice instead of in order to avoid unnecessary calories.
3. Find something to do
Instead of thinking that you’re craving a snack, it is better to try and find an activity to keep you busy.
You could, for example, arrange the clothes in your wardrobe, give yourself a manicure or read a book.
These activities seem trivial and totally uninteresting, but they are very successful when it comes to helping you accomplish the goal of staying away from the kitchen.
4. Chew Gum
Excess gum chewing can cause some stomach discomfort, but occasional gum chewing is ideal when you’re bored.
When you chew gum, the feeling of hunger disappears at least temporarily.
It is not healthy to rely on this trick on a long term basis, however.
5. Drink a glass of water
If you drink a glass of water instead of eating you will feel full for a while.
Water cannot indefinitely postpone the craving for a snack, but if you eventually adopt this habit this could actually be the case.
6. Get out of the house
It is always good to find some outdoor activities that could prevent you from eating an unhealthy snack.
Go shopping or just go for a walk in the park and you will feel better.
7. Better your thinking
If you are confounded in situations that give rise to boredom (like an hour of stop-and-go traffic every day), focus on doing something to better your mind.
For instance, you can download inspiring speeches on your Mp3 player or purchase audio books.
Listen to funny speeches or gain knowledge on how to stop boredom eating.
At the current state, there are many audio and informative video resources.
Evidently, it’s a much healthier alternative to nothing.
8. Reflect on your dreams
Many times we find ourselves bored for we’ve settled in life.
We are no longer after our dreams.
We`re contented with `just getting by`.
Idle snacking and eating becomes an inadequate transposition to pursuing our dreams.
At times we should ask ourselves what we’d really love – what are the ambitions that might have slipped through your fingers?
Then we can lay steps (no matter how small they may be), then evidently we can take to settle back on track to pursuing our dreams and engineering the life we`d really love!
9. Try something out of our consolation zone
Attempting a new activity or task that you’ve never undertaken before is comparable to nothing.
All the same, it might feel uncomfortable in the beginning – but that’s how you will come to grow.
Perhaps you’d want to learn a new language or take gardening lessons.
Whatever it is, let it be something you have always wanted to do, but never had the nerve to attempt.
Taking a step off your comfort zone not only terminates boredom but it also boosts your self-confidence to try other projects as well.
10. Quit too much TV
As hard as this could be, turning off the TV – even if it’s for a week plays an instrumental role in suppressing boredom eating.
Though watching TV isn’t necessarily unfit, it does influence boredom and boredom eating.
We find ourselves watching too much TV due to habitual tendencies.
Consequentially, we indulge in episodes of endless eating to better the experience.
Whenever you get the urge to reach for a snack while watching, ask yourself why.
If it’s because you are bored, turn off the TV and try out something more occupying like taking a stroll or calling on a friend.
Lastly, how to stop eating when bored depends on individual discipline and commitment.
Boredom eating is a prime variety of emotional eating.
Dozens of times we don’t even realize we`re doing it.
We have to change our perspective and try something different.
Only then, will we take steps to put an end to boredom eating.
Now as an adult, you accept that you eat because you are bored – but you’ve stopped feeling in control of the decision to manage your boredom in the way that’s best for you.
You prevent yourself from thinking about what you really want to do – and taking action to make it happen.
And no-one is preventing you from doing what you want to do except you.
Boredom has become an excuse for eating.
Yet it is eating that is your excuse for not tackling the boredom.
As long as you mask your feelings with food, you can avoid thinking about what it is you really want – like the company of friends, like playing sport, reading a book, writing a book, going out, learning a new skill or just taking a walk.
Next time you are bored, ask yourself one question.
What would I rather be doing than this?
Eating is a poor substitute and consolation prize for not having what you really want – the interests you want, the freedom and fun that you want and the weight and shape that you want.