Be Mindful to Avoid Eating Out of Boredom

Right now, you are living through one of the most unusual times of your life. Disruptions to your daily and weekly routines can lead to boredom eating that is not driven by true hunger. Most people are spending more time alone than ever before. Once you understand what you are feeling that is causing you to snack, it makes it easier to deal with your exact emotions. If your stomach is growling or you feel like it is empty or hollow, these are normal signs that you are hungry and need to eat. Sometimes there are good reasons as to why you are bored and identifying causes may result in choosing options other than eating. Learning more about yourself can lead to greater emotional reasoning, and intuitive eating can reduce feelings of being out of control, which helps prevent eating anxieties.

Proven strategies for dealing with boredom eating…

Ironically, there has never been a time when our senses have ever been this stimulated. Too often, this leads to a misplaced need for instant gratification. Listed below are read flags to keep you from noshing for no reason:

• Be a Mindful Eater – To avoid eating out of boredom, practice mindful eating. Don’t eat distracted and make sure you enjoy every bite. That way you want blackout from eating the whole bag.
• Brush Your Teeth – Brushing your teeth or chewing a stick of gum with help satisfy any oral fixation without reaching for a snack. Any mint flavor will leave your palette feeling cleansed, which can reduce your cravings for poor food choices.
• Get More Sleep – If you do not have a sleep plan, there is no way you can blow it, but that strategy won’t lead to success either. It helps to set a regular bedtime that allows for sufficient amounts of restful sleep. This lessens the likelihood of having food cravings between meals.
• Drink Enough Water – As you drink more water, your kidney function, hormonal production, and hormone release will adjust accordingly. Your body will recalibrate and efficiently utilize the increased consumption of water.

Boredom actually stimulates creative thinking…

Whether you are at home or the office, your environment can fuel mindless eating. When boredom sets in, trying running errands, visiting with a friend, or walk your dog. Human behavior is filled with paradoxes. A recent study suggests that staying busy while doing anything will make you much happier that you would have been doing nothing. Moreover, staying busy is closely associated with staying positive. Cravings are a good cue that your emotions may be driving your hunger. People usually have stronger sensations and experience headaches or shakiness from true hunger. Nonetheless, when boredom adds a double shot of creative energy, the next thing you know you are day dreaming about all of your favorite food possibilities.

At Metabolic Research Center, we teach you how to recognize signs of real hunger by its subtle cues and to be mindful of all your daily hunger patterns. Snacks can play an important role in helping you manage boredom eating.