How to stop eating when you are feeling bored…
If you find yourself eating when you are bored on a regular basis then this article is just for you.
Eating when we find ourselves bored is completely normal and most people tend to do this but if it’s happening all the time it can cause health issues. We may find we start to gain weight, which may then lead to low self esteem.
Overeating or boredom eating can also disrupt the bodies normal hunger cues which tell us when we need to eat for energy and to fuel our body.
Boredom eating is one area where my clients initially struggle with when they first come to me. This is before we set about using mindfulness techniques and learning new behaviours.
First off let’s look at why we eat when we are bored?
Chemicals released by our brains can be one cause. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in our brain that's strongly tied with feelings of reward and pleasure. When we're bored, our brains aren't stimulated, and this causes our dopamine levels to drop. This triggers us to take an action that will bring it back up, such as eating.
Another time boredom eating can happen is when we are lonely, unfulfilled or feeling emotional. Have you ever felt a little alone or upset maybe and found that yourself reaching for snacks?
Lastly it can be caused by simply not paying any attention to what we are eating, Maybe you’ve started watching a movie and fancy a few crisps…. This then leads to a full family size pack? Easy to do and kind of fun but in the long term not great for our health.
I’ve got a few ideas which might just help when you are struggling with eating in this way.
My first top tip is to eat a well balanced diet
When we are eating healthy, balanced meals we are unlikely to be tempted by snacking when we feel bored. Always fill up on healthy fruits and vegetables, good quality proteins and never allow yourself to feel deprived. This can lead to bingeing on unhealthy treats and looking for foods which will satisfy our sugar and salt cravings.
Check in with yourself before eating
This is a really a simple way to check if we are actually hungry or just feeling bored and mindlessly reaching for a snack. Drink a glass of water and then after a few minutes ask yourself if you feel hungry. Also replay your last meal in your mind and how long ago it was you last ate. Did you eat enough? When is your next meal? Questions like this will allow your brain a moment to slow down become more mindful and think about your actions.
Feel satisfied after meals
I think this one is super important, sometimes when we are concentrating on keeping our weight steady we don’t actually eat enough. I see so many clients trying to lose weight by just eating a salad for lunch and dinner with only vegetables and no proteins, fats or carbohydrates. This just isn’t enough food to be fully satiated, full and happy. We need some healthy protein, fats and carbs. If you are trying to lose weight just be careful with carb amounts but make sure you eat enough.
Alleviate the boredom factor
This is a sure fire way to avoid snack attacks if you never feel bored. With clients we look in detail at an example of a regular week. Monday through Sunday and we look at the areas where boredom strikes. For most people it’s the evening when we might also be tired or frustrated after a long day. All of these things can add up really quickly to become danger signs. We then decide several things which can easily and happily divert our attention and then put these new behaviours to the test over a few sessions.
As with anything it can be trial and error but if you practice a new behaviour that works and that you like it then it’s far easier and more sustainable for the long term. Some examples my clients use are, calling a friend after dinner. Taking a walk before you sit down for the evening. Meditation. Maybe staring a new online course in something you’re interested in. Lots of things can alleviate boredom and can improve our lives and our overall health and happiness too!
Sarah xx