If you find yourself eating in response to feeling stressed, tired or bored, here are a few alternative “antidotes*” that might help. (Of course, this list is to help you find things to do when you want to eat but you’re not actually hungry. It’s about finding more productive ways to deal with unnecessary cravings or feelings. If you are hungry, eat to nourish.)
First step is “Check in”:
Identify the feeling and think of options that would help you feel better…
“I feel…?:” Name the feeling. Then ask: “What do I need right now?” See if you can use the feeling to help you identify an underlying need.
Note… a different type of your brain is in control when you are upset…
When you stop and try to label your feeling, you help to engage the “rational” or thinking part of your brain.
However, you are much more likely to want instant gratification and it may even be hard for you to access rational solutions…
That’s why you need an “antidotes” list (see below).
Are you hungry, yes or no?
If you hungry, are you stressed yes or no? This may affect your decision making as you choose to eat something unhealthy or healthy.
If you are not hungry, what do you really need, obviously not food, so do you need distraction or comfort?
If you need soothing or comfort… what are the other ways you can soothe and comfort?
If you need stimulation or distraction, how can you distract yourself while you surf the urge to eat?
Here are a list of antidotes* you can refer to.
1. Call a friend
Talking to someone close to you can help curve cravings big time. If you’ve noticed that you eat to “feed your feelings” (e.g. stress, feeling sad), next time instead, try talking it through with someone. Planning an activity with a friend can help too, it gives you something to look forward to and something else to think about and do that’s rewarding, instead of eating. Connecting with people that we care about, activates the reward centres in the brain, and so can actually tone down your stress response.
2. Get your blood flowing
Take a walk outside, go for a run, hit the gym or do some yoga. Even just 30 minutes of stretching can help. Exercise can definitely help curb those junk food cravings and even combat stress. When we move oxygen and nutrients are pumped around the body, making us feel more energised, we also release endorphins during exercise, so moving can take the edge off a low mood, even more effectively than eating a treat, and without the feelings of guilt that follow.
3. Have some ‘me time’
Instead of indulging in food, indulge in yourself. If you like baths, have a bath. If you like gardening, do some gardening. Give yourself a mini manicure or a little beauty treatment: face mask, relax, makeup, or do your hair in a new style. Sit quietly and read a book for 20 minutes with a cup of tea. Whatever YOU like to do, do it.
4. Have a rest
Perhaps you have been working long hours and not getting enough sleep. Make it a priority to wind down and catch up on some rest, have a lie down, or go to bed early. You could even put on some nice music and meditate, or simply just reflect on how you are feeling. Sleep deprivation and energy slumps can actually insight cravings… getting enough sleep is important if you want to get rid of unwanted cravings.
5. Do some diaphragmatic breathing
Take a deep breath, and feel your tummy rising. Slow your exhale, lengthen it, without holding your breath. This type of breathing has been known to strengthen the diaphragm, help with waste elimination, sleeping and movement, and to be a great way to turn down the “stress response” in the moment.
6. Chew gum
Chewing peppermint gum can help stimulate alertness. If you are feeling a little flat, and would normally reach for a coffee or look for a lolly to perk you up, try chewing on some sugar free minty gum instead.
7. Have a change of scenery
If you are bored or involved in a monotonous task, and you are looking for something to break the monotony. Try a change of scenery, it can be as simple as sitting in a different room, on a different chair or even outside. Having something new to look at should interest and distract you. Otherwise, try putting on some background music, or burning some essential oils, to stimulate your senses and provide positive distractions for the part of your brain that is bored.
8. Practice present moment awareness
Practicing present moment awareness. Spend a moment turning your attention to notice the different sounds you can hear, the smells you can smell and what your body is feeling, both internally and externally. This can help bring peace and calm to your life.
9. Build a complex jigsaw puzzle or solve some brainteasers
These things can keep you seriously distracted and are both wonderfully stimulating, as well as being rewarding as you master different challenges!
10. Find a “hands on” project to do
There are lots of projects you can do with your hands. Paint, colour, draw. Colouring books are trending at the moment, but if don’t want to colour you could make something instead. Alternatively learn to play a musical instrument.
11. Learn a foreign language
This is a great ongoing project that you could fit in here and there, in the car while you are driving, while out for your walk, or in your lunch or tea breaks… giving you an interesting and stimulating ongoing challenge, that holds your attention, while you might otherwise be tempted to do some mindless eating.
12. Plan a holiday
Research the destination, get some books out from the library to find out more about it.
13. Visit the library and pick out some new interesting books
Have a go at reading some inspirational books or listening to motivational podcasts.
14. Laugh
Watch your favourite TV show while painting your nails.
This is a great way to relax and unwind, and keeps your hands busy instead of snacking. Or google “jokes” or “funny videos” and see if you can have 15 minutes of laugh time. Laughing releases feel good chemicals and is also good for the immune system and blood flow. A great strategy for lifting a bad mood or switching you out of a brain state that might otherwise have you eating rubbish.
15. Donate to charity
Donating to charity activates the rewards system in our brain. Our brains are very social. If you can find a cause you really believe in, instead of buying that chocolate bar, spend the $4 on the cause. We promise that this one will make you feel very good inside a lot longer than the packet of cookies will!
16. Do something valuable and clean out your wardrobe, closets, kitchen cupboards etc.
If you are feeling overwhelmed with your life, reclaim some control over an area of chaos where you can. It is very therapeutic. And donate any unwanted clothes or items to friends, family or charity. You could even sell some things on eBay or GumTree and make some extra bucks.
17. Kiss someone
Kissing actually stimulates the brain the same way that chocolate does! By signalling alertness and relaxation it can be a great alternative to junk food.
18. Make a positive statement about yourself and believe it.
Being grateful, encouraging or acknowledging something positive about yourself is really great for your self esteem and releasing calming chemicals. Complementing others can be helpful, if you are battling to do it for yourself, you could make yourself feel good about yourself by helping someone else feel better about themselves.
19. Plan a healthy meal for your family
Use your creative energy to page through a healthy recipe book and see if there is something delicious and nutritious you could plan to prepare for dinners one night this week. (Or better still order yourself a break with an order of dinners delivered to your home, scroll through the plans and menus and see what you fancy: Healthy Meals To Your Door)
20. Volunteer in your community
Having a sense of purpose and helping others can help us feel significant and activates reward centres in our brains. When we are feeling good, we can’t feel bad at the same time.
And of course, you could always go shopping 🙂 Buy yourself some fresh flowers, a plant, perfume, some jewellery, a nice scarf, something to perk you up… that is colourful, new or smells good to activate the reward centres in your brain.
Hope you find a few ideas here to help you soothe, comfort, stimulate or distract yourself or meet yourself at the point of need, so you can be free from emotional eating, comfort eating and stress eating. The more you practice, the easier it becomes, because you can create new behavior chains in response to different stimuli. So take a minute to write down 5 antidotes* you would like to try.
*An “antidote” is something that counteracts a poison, or acts as a cure or a remedy. In this case, it’s a remedy for an unpleasant feeling or situation.
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