Eating because you're bored/comfort food. Alternatives...?

I generally eat more than I need to because I'm bored and want some comfort food. Instead of making myself a sandwich or a bowl of cereal, what can I do instead? I tried not doing this, but I can never keep this up for more than a week.

What do you ppl do when you want to eat for fun and taste, but not for hunger? Do you have any things that you think of or do? Techniques that work are what I want to know.

Current Weight: 60kg (132 lbs) Rough Aim for Weight: 53kg (116 ibs) Height: 162cm (5"3)

I wish I considered comfort food a sandwich or a bowl of cereal.  If I did, I probably wouldn't have to lose any weight. =P  I really like oatmeal or popcorn (light butter or air-popped is healthiest) if I feel like I'm going to start grazing through everything in the house, basically something that will fill me up.  If you're really not hungry but want to eat anyway, why not try chewing gum?  Another food I really like is craisins.  They're really flavorful so I only eat them one at a time, and since they're kind of chewy they take a little longer to eat.  A serving is 1/3 cup, but I generally only end up eating about 1/4 cup.

I like your gum idea. Yeah, I have a weird idea of comfort food - but cereals like muesli, vita-brits, porridge (oatmeal in imperial terms) are my favorite foods.

haha, well the fact that you use the word porridge suggests you're probably not from the U.S, and we have a ridiculous idea of comfort food here.  It's a good thing to consider those foods comfort foods though, so don't worry.  

Yeah gum is good because it keeps you chewing but you aren't constantly swallowing food.

Original Post by linz1990:

haha, well the fact that you use the word porridge suggests you're probably not from the U.S, and we have a ridiculous idea of comfort food here.  It's a good thing to consider those foods comfort foods though, so don't worry.  

Yeah gum is good because it keeps you chewing but you aren't constantly swallowing food.

yeah, im from Australia (melbourne). Its very cold here at the moment, as its winter. 16 degrees Celsius (61F).

Cereal isnt the norm of comfort foods here though. Thats just me.

you could find a hobby like writing poetry, knitting/crocheting, doing sudoku puzzles or crosswords. 

go for a walk, do yoga, do some push ups/sit ups/jumping jacks

eat some baby carrots or other raw veggies, have some sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds still in the shell dry roasted...healthy fats and more work to eat than regular nuts

read a book, surf the internet, read a magazine

hopefully this helps!! :)

I always search for body types on the internet that I aspire to be like that works most of the time.  I look at Megan Fox!! Having a healthy snack like a salad without the dressing or fruit like pineapple will help curb temptation.

i hear ya!  sometimes i just want a snack that i can just eat without having to measure and is just... snacky.  my go-to items are those individual servings of kettle corn, a cup of dry kix (ok, guess i do measure that), or grapes, or if i want chips and dip, i settle for celery and salsa

Original Post by hollystevens:

I always search for body types on the internet that I aspire to be like that works most of the time.  I look at Megan Fox!! Having a healthy snack like a salad without the dressing or fruit like pineapple will help curb temptation.

But, she has toe thumbs...

Original Post by bmx419:

Original Post by hollystevens:

I always search for body types on the internet that I aspire to be like that works most of the time.  I look at Megan Fox!! Having a healthy snack like a salad without the dressing or fruit like pineapple will help curb temptation.

But, she has toe thumbs...

Lol.

But seriously, I don't think Megan Fox is a good role model, she admitted to losing weight by not eating for a role (Jennifer's Body) and that Transformers was 'the fattest [she's] ever been.'

I looove eating salads as snacks when I just feel like munching!  Another thing I found that works for me are those light soups from Campbells and Progresso.  The entire can is 100 calories and takes a while to eat (and they're delicious!).  I love the Southwestern Vegetable with some hot sauce :)  Also, fat free popcorn is great for munching!  I also like celery, sliced okra, and frozen grapes/blueberries.  Happy eating!

Try to find better snacks maybe? Like I picked up yogurt and Special K bars and almonds for when I just have to have a snack. Or get some 100 Calorie packs, those are delicious.

Also if it's possible, when you're bored, go for a walk, or maybe get a Wiifit. My boyfriend bought me a Wiifit, and it's changed my lifestyle completely. Ever since I got it I've been more strict on what I eat, I'm more conscious of my balance when I'm standing, and I'm just plain more happy.

Last thing, if it is possible, get a dog. When I was 15-16, I was having a hard time emotionally, you know, the normal teenager stuff. I was also overweight and really had low self-confidence. But my parents got me a beagle who I named Ling (Back then I played World of Warcraft a lot, and one of my friends in my guild on there was named Ling.) for my 16th birthday, now we've had her for about 3 or 4 years, and she cheered me up so much back then, and got me out of the house a lot. We got her when she was a puppy too, so I got to go through the whole process of training her too, she pooped in my room once! lol

Can somone enlighten me on frozen grapes? I've never heard of that til joining this site.

1) chewing sugar free gum

2) make crystal light or another juice substitute with less than 20 calories per litre-- drinking it fills you up FAST

3) chew on celery or small serving of air-popped popcorn

4) some kind of hot liquid-- vegetable soup or tea works well (flavoured teas with no sugar added)

5) frozen fruit -- anything you can just suck on without eating a ton

I am a major comfort food eater.  One of the hardest things is to recongize the difference between hungry and just wanting something.  Ice water is my at work go to.  If I am full of water, then I can't put anything else in there.  To stay away from the vending machines, I don't bring any change with me.  At home I keep the 100 cal packs of popcorn.  Sometimes I toss in a few chocolate chips with the popcorn or I have some of the caramel seasoning if I want sweet and salty.  The smartfood white cheddar popcorn is awesome.  I find it in gas stations when on road trips.  It's a big bag and only 300 cals for the whole thing.  I keep the fancy pants ghirardelli dark chocolate squares for when all I want is chocolate.  I just have to make myself eat it slowly and savor every nibble.  Since it's kind of bitter, I don't want to eat the whole bag like I do with milk chocolate.  I try not to eat anything after dinner, but if I start to crave something, I ususally make a glass of chocolate milk, with 1% milk and the light hershey's syrup.

If I have a bad case of the munchies, I eat 1/12 of a powerbar (quartered, then each quarter cut in three)  it's only about 25 cal (depending on the flavour) and will fill you up really really fast.  Plus, it's full of protein.  I like the Proteinplus type, personally.

They also come in surprisingly tasty flavours like Fudge Brownie

Original Post by runfun1:

Original Post by linz1990:

haha, well the fact that you use the word porridge suggests you're probably not from the U.S, and we have a ridiculous idea of comfort food here.  It's a good thing to consider those foods comfort foods though, so don't worry.  

Yeah gum is good because it keeps you chewing but you aren't constantly swallowing food.

yeah, im from Australia (melbourne). Its very cold here at the moment, as its winter. 16 degrees Celsius (61F).

Cereal isnt the norm of comfort foods here though. Thats just me.

 16C is cold?  You should come to Canada.

I haven't stopped eating for comfort or boredom, it seems.  I just choose healthier options that I log into my calories for the day.  Sometimes I'll have some steamed broccoli or some Trader Joe's popcorn (very low in calories for a large amount), or some other type of veggie or a cup of tomato soup, or a small cup of cold pasta, or sometimes I'll even go for a bit of a treat, but I always make sure I log it into my calories, and for the most part, go for something very healthy.

Original Post by lisacf:

Original Post by runfun1:
yeah, im from Australia (melbourne). Its very cold here at the moment, as its winter. 16 degrees Celsius (61F).

Cereal isnt the norm of comfort foods here though. Thats just me.

 16C is cold?  You should come to Canada.

 lmao, for us here in Melbourne thats pretty cold -> we have 30-40C+ summers

it can be 10C and stormy one day, then 25C and lovely the next xD

This is quite unrelated, but if you're in Melbourne there's so much to do! I just came back from another visit and I've been missing the city so much! Is the Salvador Dali exhibition still on at the NGV? And there's always a walk around that town, listen to the buskers, there's a lot of exploring to do!

... I don't know your lifestyle and what you're into (I was living on Flinders and being surrounded by that kind of food... yes, it's easy to gain weight) butbut. The city over there has a lot to offer - sometimes getting off binging involves some major "lifestyle" (that hated word) choices, but maybe being absorbed in some other thing (rather than the taste of food) will make it easier? I'm going to try this. Add some activities, minus some binges.

Sorry if that was completely useless! But there's burlesque on at the moment at fortyfivedownstairs on Flinders Lane and it's completely worth checking out :)

This is quite unrelated, but if you're in Melbourne there's so much to do! I just came back from another visit and I've been missing the city so much! Is the Salvador Dali exhibition still on at the NGV? And there's always a walk around that town, listen to the buskers, there's a lot of exploring to do!

... I don't know your lifestyle and what you're into (I was living on Flinders and being surrounded by that kind of food... yes, it's easy to gain weight) butbut. The city over there has a lot to offer - sometimes getting off binging involves some major "lifestyle" (that hated word) choices, but maybe being absorbed in some other thing (rather than the taste of food) will make it easier? I'm going to try this. Add some activities, minus some binges.

Sorry if that was completely useless! But there's burlesque on at the moment at fortyfivedownstairs on Flinders Lane and it's completely worth checking out :)