Overcome Boredom Eating to Remain Healthy

Do you eat only when you are hungry? The answer will be no. Besides hunger, most of us eat when we are stressed, bored and just don’t know what to do. In fact, DESSERTS spelled backwards is STRESSED. As a norm, eating due to boredom is unhealthy and chances are high that you might wolf down a jumbo pack of chips, a large slice of pastry and a bar of chocolate during those hours of boredom eating. Later, you repent and decide to eat healthy,  but only for a while, until emotional eating gets better of you.

WHAT IS BOREDOM EATING DISORDER

Boredom eating disorder is part of an emotional eating disorder, where a person uses foods to overcome, monitor or control a negative emotion, like stress. Many who struggle with weight loss know that boredom is the unspoken villain in their success to weight management. The virtuous plans of eating healthy and exercising fall flat before the real life challenges, like a difficult boss, deadlines, traffic and in such moments, we turn to food as a happy diversion. The typical symptom of boredom eating disorder is to open the refrigerator door and look at the foods expecting a decadent dessert to land from somewhere. In the higher stage of disorder, people polish off an ice-cream tub in the middle of the night, long after that healthy dinner, vegetating before the television.

HOW TO AVOID EATING WHEN YOU ARE BORED DURING THE NIGHT

Boredom-related eating in the night is a big time contributor to expanding waistlines. Hunger is your fuel gauge and before you grab a bite, you need to be absolutely sure if you are hungry or not. Eating late at night is not good for your metabolism either and unnecessary calories destroy the best-intentioned weight loss plans. Leave apart the misery and guilt that overpowers you after you have gone ahead and indulged in the midnight in that calorie-laden treat. Stop despairing and learn how to avoid eating when you are bored during the night.

10 STEPS TO PREVENT LATE NIGHT SNACKING

1. Assess your hunger before you raid the refrigerator. Drink a glass of water and deep breathe for five minutes. The urge to eat will go on its own.
2. Sleep early. Wind up your dinner by 8pm and hit the bed by 10 pm. Watching re-runs of your favourite show in the night time will make you edgy in the night and prompt you to grab that cookie. Moreover, when you sleep poorly it is going to hurt your weight loss effort.
3. Prepare a protein rich dinner. Protein is proven to increase satiety of foods which will keep you full for a longer duration and nix those nighttime junk food cravings. Choosing options like beans, cottage cheese, chicken is a healthy way to incorporate protein into your meal.
4. Focus on your fiber intake. Fiber helps you stay full. Therefore, you have fewer nighttime food cravings. 
5. Eat mindfully. Stop eating in front of TV. Eat slowly, relishing each bite. It takes your brain 15-20 minutes to register signs of fullness. 
6. Analyse your boredom eating pattern. Around a specific time, you will have the maximum urge to snack unhealthy. Keep a track of those times and have a safety plan for those. Distract your mind from those food cravings by moving out of the kitchen or doing something different, like going out for a walk. 
7. Eat a healthy breakfast. It has been scientifically proven that people who eat a healthy breakfast are less likely to derail from their diet plan. 
8. Drink plenty of water. Thirst often masks as hunger. Moreover, when you are dehydrated, you get stressed easily, and will reach out for desserts. 
9. Learn to manage stress. A mood based eating disorder is intimately linked to your stress level. Do something that you enjoy every day to remain happy without stuffing food in your mouth. 
10. Choose healthy nighttime snacking options. Denying a treat will make you crave it all the more. Listen to your craving, but be sensible and choose the healthier option like meal replacement drink to satisfy your taste buds. Rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, in a limited calorie package will satisfy your craving without destroying your weight loss plan.

The most important consideration to prevent night time munchies is to eat well. If you starve through the day, you will turn a glutton in the night. Eat healthy to get in the shape you love.