4 Ways to Stop Yourself from Eating Out of Boredom
Frustration, stress, heartbreak...we know these emotions can send us straight to the freezer for a bite, or if we’re honest, a whole bowl of ice cream. But there’s an often overlooked emotion that triggers eating for many of us: plain old boredom.
If you reach for food out of boredom repeatedly, your brain can start to associate that feeling with eating, creating a habit. And, since nothing-better-to-do noshing is often unplanned and unintentional, it can easily take you outside your SmartPoints Budget. You might be hard on yourself afterward, which only makes things worse! As your Weekly explains, however, you can change a boredom eating pattern, or stop it before it starts.
Waiting it out
The urge to eat when you are bored can feel pretty strong, like there’s not much else you prefer to do. It feels good in the moment because, let’s face it, food is distracting and entertaining, while it lasts. The secret to overcoming the urge is creating a new habit loop, intentionally doing something other than eating when you feel bored. The more you swap in a new behaviour in response to boredom, the more you’ll want to do it instead of grabbing food.
Start by asking yourself the following questions:
After I finish eating, will I feel less bored?
Is there anything other than eating that could help me feel more engaged?
This week, try the “wait it out” technique in dealing with boredom eating. First, identify a situation when you are likely to eat due to boredom. Then, think of 1-2 non-food activities you can do instead.
It’s best to identify activities that you can do easily and almost anywhere, like take a quick walk, call a friend, practice mindful breathing, play a game on your phone, read an article, or go on Connect. More complicated activities, like getting a massage or going to the gym, are great ways to take care of yourself, but can be harder to do right in the moment when boredom or procrastination strikes.
With your list in hand, throughout the week, when you notice yourself reaching for food in a moment of boredom, follow these steps:
1. Call out the behaviour as it’s happening. Say out loud (or to yourself in your head), “I’m having the urge to eat because I’m bored,”
2. Spend 10-15 minutes doing one of the activities you identified.
3. After that time, check in with yourself. Do you still have an urge to eat? If not, go on with your day! If you do still want to eat, you have two options:
Try the activity for another 10 minutes.
Go ahead and eat! You already disrupted the pattern by trying something different first, so that’s a strong step in the right direction.
4. Repeat these steps as often as needed to create a new healthy habit loop when you feel bored. And P.S.: Try to be self-compassionate about boredom eating. It’s a habit, not something you’re choosing to do. When you’re kind to yourself instead of judgmental, you can respond to the situation in a more helpful way, and keep moving toward your weight and wellness goals.