Beating Overeating!

What triggers you to overeat?  Stress?  Boredom?  Holiday or other "special occasion?"  Figuring out triggers is part one of our on going battle. 

Starting with boredom....am I really eating because I am bored???  Well then what's a girl to do?  First we need to identify the time of day we fighting the boredom most.  Is it a daily occurrence?  Or maybe just weekly?  Once you have established your pattern, you can work to change it.  Did you know you have to do something 21 times to make it a habit?  Remember that while you are making new ones.

Kim from WW sent me a list of things to do to combat boredom and I am going to share them with you.  I will also add my own commentary to the mix.

If you have ten minutes:

• Write down the foods you've eaten so far today.  This I can do.  Even if you don't follow the program.  Grab a piece of paper and start writing.
  
  
• Make a grocery list of healthy foods.  Now this I haven't tried, but I am always trying to remember to buy healthier foods.  Not just for me, but for the family as well.  Now's my chance.
  
  
• Schedule your next exercise session.  Okay for me that is PT.  If the time you chose isn't working...try and come up with an alternate.  I hate making schedules...but honestly life runs a little better with them.
  
  
• Write an email to a friend you haven't caught up with in awhile.  I get so behind in emails sometimes I am buried in them.  Or how about a good old fashioned LETTER! 
• Shop online for a fitness gadget.  Why does it have to be a fitness thing, Kim?  How about going shopping to dream.  I made my Christmas list this way last year.  Plus the families.  It was great.  I registered with Target and went to Town.  

If you have 30 minutes:

• Go for a walk.
  
  
• Look through past weeks in your Weight Tracker. If you don't use a tracker or food journal get one started. Check out weeks that worked, and see if there's anything you did then that you can do again this week.
  
  
• Check out the Message Boards in the WeightWatchers.com Community section. I am not positive, but I do believe anyone can be on their message boards.  You don't HAVE to be on the program.
  
  
• Read a favorite book or relax with a magazine.
• Take a bath complete with candles and some soft music.  

If you have an hour or more:

• Look through healthy recipe ideas.  I have done this...you can also look up old favorites and think of ways to make them healthier.
  
  
• Clean out your closets. Throw away clothes that are now too big, or donate them to charity.  My mom did this and she found stuff that finally fit her again, plus she was able to give stuff to my sister.
  
  
• Go for a long bike ride.  I just ride around the culdesac with the kids.  They enjoy it and I am getting exercise.  (My bike needs new tires tho)
  
  
• Start a new project. Whether it's fixing something in your house, building a bookshelf or starting a garden.  I have a craft project screaming my name and I haven't touched it!!!  I need to get busy!
  
  
• Take your kids to the park.  I am not a big fan of this idea.  However, if it fits into your boredom time, then by all means...go for it. Bring a notebook and write down some blog ideas!  ;)
  
  
• Spend the afternoon at your local museum. This will get you out of the house and walking around, and what better way to get your mind off food than to absorb a little culture? well why not?  Now most of my boredom strikes at night.  I get a little ravenous.  But am I hungry?  A lot of times I am simply tired.  If I find that I am legitimately hungry I try to remember carrots. They are also great for stress eating.  It will keep you from clenching your jaw as much.  Don't chew ice--this is for my mother--it is not good for your teeth! Popcorn...or as Kim calls it, " naked"   popcorn.  Spray it with butter spray and add salt or some other kind of seasoning.  Wally (Wal-Mart) has many popcorn flavorings.   
• What about special occasions and holidays.  The really neat thing is we have a little more control over these things.  While we don't always know what another person will be serving, we usually have an idea.  We can also eat a snack before we go.  And by snack I mean a filling one.  An apple is a good choice, but dip it in yogurt or add peanut butter to it.  (1-2 Tablespoons)  and drink a tall glass of water.  Bring a mint to eat after you're finished with your food.  Watch your portion sizes:
• a deck of cards is about equal to 3 ounces of meat
• a DVD is about the same circumference of a large bagel
• a small serving of a side dish(such as coleslaw) is about the size of a computer mouse(a basic one)
• A tennis ball is about a cup of rice
• A light bulb is about the size of a large potato
• What are you going to do beat overeating?