To ask you to help me find ways to stop eating for the sake of it

[eyesbiggerthanstomach1]

I've been trying to shift some excess weight for a long time and I'll do well for a while but I struggle to gauge when I'm not hungry any more any keep eating (was brought up to think I should always clear my plate however much is on it)

I often eat out of boredom or "in case I get hungry later" if others are eating, I feel obliged to have something too.

I find myself eating something and then thinking why did I do that? I didn't need it.

Are there any tips anyone can give me to help me stop repeatedly consuming food I didn't need for the sake of it?!

I know the obvious one is don't bloody eat it then, but it's much easier said than done!

Thank you

Have a drink instead (tea or coffee no sugar).

If I feel like eating something when I’m not really hungry, I tell myself to wait 20 minutes, and if I still want to have it then, then I’ll have it. More often than not I forget that I wanted something.

Maybe get into the habit of asking Every time you eat something: "do I need to eat this? Am I hungry? I could just eat it later." . Later congratulate yourself on your earlier decisions :)

Maybe if you get into habit of pausing and thinking Before you eat that will be good? Sounds like you realise Later so just change the time of that thought process.

I'm a bit chubby too so I know how it is by the way. Good luck. Dont be hard on yourself ,use he the phrase "I could choose not to eat this.." rather than "I should not eat this..". Simple trick of the mind.

Don't put it on your plate to begin with and you won't feel obliged to eat it.

You need an addictive craft activity to help tackle the boredom eating. Can you knit or crochet? Is there anything you have always wanted to learn?

Will power!
Maybe plan what you are going to eat in a day and when thatd been esten, stop. No more.
Plan it down to every snack.
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
Bed

I recently started losing baby weight. The main thing that has worked for me is cutting out the sugar. I had a HUGE sweet tooth and would constantly munch on chocolate, biscuits, cake without thought. It was when I scoffed an entire Easter egg that didn't taste of anything that things started changing. Can honestly say now that it's helped to curb my eating.

I switched to some good quality dark chocolate which I have a square or two of Every night. Stopped having honey etc. I had some strawberry yogurt the other night and it was far, far too sweet and borderline inedible.

I'm still eating carbs, just watch the amount of added sugar. A piece of fruit satisfies my sweet tooth now.

I prefer nice cheese and plain full fat Greek yoghurt instead, and snack on boiled eggs and fruit in between meals if I get peckish which isn't often. Also drink plenty of water. Check out MFP to log calories.

I feel ace and am down nearly a stone in 6/7 weeks.

Learn not to fear hunger. If you know you’ve eaten well recently, you aren’t really hungry. You are bored, or wanting to eat out of habit.

It’s good to be a bit hungry for your next meal, tell yourself you are ‘working up an appetite’. It’s necessary to tolerate mild hunger to lose weight.

What’s with the “in case I get hungry later”? It suggests a real fear of hunger. If you have eaten nutritious food already in the day, hunger poses no risk (esp if you are carrying extra weight). Sounds like you need to reassess how you think about eating.

Before you make yourself something to eat,have a glass of iced water. Someone suggested that to me when I started to adjust my eating/food.
I find that it does help,I've lost 3 lbs this last week.

Decide in advance what you’re going to eat.

So, if someone serves you a plate of food that’s more than enough, decide how much you’re going to eat before you pick up your knife and fork.

Or, if you’re planning what to eat that day, make provision for when you’ll have a snack. For example, I always had a 5 o’clock snack as well as 3 meals, we eat quite late. So I would plan it in, at around 100 calories.

I’m finding that rigorously writing down what I eat stops me eating crap. I also don’t have anything easy to eat in the house - everything, apart from the fruit bowl and veg draw, needs cooking or some sort of preparation.

This is me. Eat well all day, kids go to bed and I'm up and down to the snack cupboard eating rubbish all night. I'm not hungry, I'm even hoping i don't get too full so I can have that ripple once I finish these hula hoops after I've already had a packet of McCoy's.

I know people say, don't buy the stuff and you wont eat it. True... but how do I stop myself buying the stuff in the first place cos I want to buy it so I can eat it 😭

So in short, I don't know what u can do but I hear you. For me it's emotional. I eat if im bored or anxious, but even from low key boredom and anxiousness that I don't even notice. Maybe you're similar and you need to address the underlying issues that eating is a response too rather than focusing on the eating?

I try not to have chocolate, crisps, ice cream etc in the house as I if I know its there I will eat it but wouldn't usually w a lk to the shop to get it.
I find keeping a pint glass of water with a slice of lemon in it at the very front of the fridge helps as well.

Clear the house of all the crap that you reach for when you have the munchies! If there are no biscuits in the house then I just have to go without!!

You need a chart with different scenarios and action plans of how you'll cope with the situation.

Example 1. Reason for eating - everyone else is eating. Solution- say you are not hungry but have a drink with them.

Example 2. Reason for eating - you think you might be hungry later. Solution- think about your eating options later. If you might not easily be able to access food pack a snack bar. Etc etc

Do not keep biscuits, cakes, chocolate or crap in the house. Have healthy snacks available. It is down to will power.

Download my fitness pal and put in every single thing you eat. You’ll be shocked at how you’re overeating. And the calories in things. That’s enough to stop me.

I'm trying to lose weight too.... What's helping me is 1. Buy a smaller plate and put less on it. 2. I have cucumber carrot and pepper chopped up in the fridge, if I feel munchy I think do I want my veggie sticks. If the answer is no I'm not that hungry. If the answer is yes I have an easy snack ready to go. 3. Have low calorie sweet snacks on hand for when the need strikes. Low cal jelly pots, yoghurt, fruit, pink wafer biscuits, popcorn etc. Good luck x

Download a fasting app like Zero and ‘fast’ for 4 hrs between meals. The app will time it for you.

Evenings are my worst time to. Think I'm bored so i read, crochet or cross stitch to keep me busy.

It is hard when there is always sweets in the staffroom or someone brings in cakes etc I find it difficult to walk past the crisps in the shop when I only popped in for milk. Some days i succeed others I fail miserably and eat more than I should but I'm getting there so thats all that matters

Cleaning my teeth when the kids go to bed and using a strong mouthwash means I don't snack in the evening because nothing tastes nice after mouth wash. I suppose you could have some strong sugar free mints during the day.

Have exactly the same problem and would love to have a solution!!
I'm struggling this week and next as I've had a minor knee op and can't get to the gym so the stuff that I would normally eat for the sake of it will do more 'damage' than it would if I was working out!

Smaller portions
Do not keep or buy snacks for yourself in house. I get the dc snacks but I dont eat them.
Start a hobby to take your mind off food.
Have a cup of tea instead of eating

Go for a walk and buy yourself a cup of coffee.

Just keep busy, busy, busy and it will become a new habit.

Oh and yes, brushing your teeth is excellent, no matter what the time of day.