Fighting Boredom
 

The excess calories that I take in come primarily from post-dinner eating and drinking. I can easily manage 2000-2500 calories from sun up thru dinner, but after dinner I get bored. Then I drink beer, which stimulates my appetite and then I eat something else.

Anyone have any tips or tricks for things they do when they are bored to divert the mind from the easy answer of beer and leftover pizza?

I drink iced green tea. Just put a couple teabags in a pint and top up with water, then set in the fridge for a few hours. I love it because when it's that cold, the bitterness and color are reminiscent of beer, so it gives you that subconscious satisfaction, but it works as an appetite suppressant instead of a stimulator.

Beer and weight loss do not go well together! I am not drinking any on the weekdays so i can concentrate on losing more weight.

So what are you doing now on the weekdays when you used to drink beer? Last night I tried watching some TV. I have HD, premium cable, etc. probably 200+ channels to choose from. The more crap I watched the more I wished I was having some beers instead. I guess I am more easily entertained after a few beers.

But you're right, of course. There's no way to drink beer 7 nights a week and still lose weight. I just need to find something to do that keeps my mind from thinking about the beer I'm not drinking.

I have been staying away from everything. I figured most of my life has been adictive somehow cigerettes, beer ,food. Quit smoking 4 mths ago gained weight (a lot) since dieting I dont drink anymore, which meens i dont snack at night. I seem to want to sleep more to stay away from everything.

I can identify! I think this is actually a very common thing. Probably there are multiple reasons for this. I have found that television is not my friend. When I sit down to watch the tube at night, I am almost obsessive about needing to have something to drink and/or munch. I think part of it is boredom and part of it is all the commercials that feature food and beverages. For me, the best solution is to get up out of the recliner and do something! Take a walk, find a hobby, anything. But being active definitely takes one's mind off of eating. Also, I have learned to really enjoy water -- just plain old H20. I now drink around 100 ounces a day and hardly drink anything else anymore. At first I almost had to force it down because I was not used to drinking it "straight". Now I find if I go a couple hours without drinking any water, I not only get thirsty but I actually crave the water itself.

Why don't you go for a walk...exercise suppresses hunger cravings and if you're not around, you wont be tempted for a beer. Either that, or what I did when I started was to cut out soda and go for water instead. Don't drink beer much (or at all now), but I could go through a 2 liter bottle of soda in a couple of hours. Water replaced it, and I was able to get over the 'want' quickly (I heard that drinking water instead of smoking helps with stopping smoking, and I figured if it works for people with a smoking addiction, it would probably work with me eating all the time). 53lbs and counting now, so I'd say its working.

I am a visual person so I learn, remember and develop behaviour based on what I see.

I am not sure if it is deliberate or subconcious but when I see a beer (or anything else bad for me) I can see the fat it creates in my body. I know that on a weekday, when I need to remain strong with my consumption, I find it easy to picture what it does to me.

Other people use sounds and other ways of learning - think of your way and think of a way of reminding yourself what Beer does to your body. You should also have to hand an alternative to beer that is good for you (others have given their examples, I drink fruit teas - there are loads of varieties) and find a way of letting yourself know that you made the right choice. Once you start down this path it gets easier and you can even have that beer at the weekend knowing that because you have been good, beer at the weekend (in moderation) does not create fat, its a reward.

Also if you want to avoid left-over pizza, either buy a smaller one (no leftovers) or have an alternative healthy snack available.

OK, all good stuff. I think I'll try a combination of all the above.

Having a substitute beverage is probably a good idea. I think some of the "habit" is just lifting a glass to my yap in the evening, and I can replace that with a healthy alternative.

I ABSOLUTELY need a hobby. Don't know what that will be, yet, but something that gets me out of my chair would be good.

I usually exercise earlier in the day. If I waiti until evening I am very prone to not doing it at all.

"Leftover pizza" was just a euphemism for eating something. I rarely have actual pizza in the house, but the larders are never bare here.

Boredom??
 

Hi guys, I lost over 5 stone in 3 months, from 15.5 stone to my 10 stone 4lb weight, i was a size 36 waist and know am an amazing 29/30 inch waist, from a xl shirt to a small, am well proud of my new life style. I just started by taking regular exercise and watching what i eat. I couldnt run 100 metres when i started and now i compet in triathalons, duoathalons, half marathons etc. my dream is an iron man. so the best way to beat boredom is to exercise regulary it worked for me.