Apparently i eat out of boredom. What are you doing to curb this habit?

I'm about 5 weeks post op, and i'm bored, so the first thing my mind thinks about is food. Not that i even intend to eat anything, because i'm too lazy to prepare food only to eat 3 bites.  I've been doing good with my mind thanks to the perscripyion meds that keep me from going to dark fantasies, but today is PMS day and all i want is ice cream. 

My friend, who lost all her weight a couple years ago, insists that i must change this habit now bc if i dont then later i'll just eat the same ice cream in bigger portions. So i'm here facing my laziness and boredom and wondering what you've done to cope and overcome. What are you telling yourself to get over eating from boredom or eating your emotions? 

Can you replace that behavior with something that is better for you? Those times were when I started walking. It accomplished a couple of positives 1)It physically removed me from the food 2)it helped rebuild my strength post surgery 3)It made me so darn tired that I wanted to sleep and didn't care about food again!

Different things will work for different people though. Maybe listening to music will be yours, or coloring or playing cards. I'm not sure what might flip the switch for you but try different things. If you stick with it you will start to build your toolkit. 

My mouth is always hungry. Gum helps me!

Try to not let yourself get bored. Stay as busy as possible. You can even use that time to try new HEALTHY recipes! Spend time finding new ones and then preparing them. But if your still weak around food you may want to try more activity based things to do to occupy your time. Walking, yoga, zumba and even just dancing around the house while you clean! My house has never been cleaner since my surgery! haha

take a walk - go to the gym - drink hot herbal tea - do your nails - color in adult coloring books - anything to keep busy!

First, Good for you for resisting the urge to eat out of boredom.  that's quite an accomplishment. 

I try to keep myself busy - I knit, or read, or sometimes I walk around the house for 10 minutes every time I'm tempted to eat between meals.  (I haven't been doing this lately, but I would benefit from starting again.) 

Eating from anxiety is a little harder.  I can usually manage to substitute another way of self-calming.  Like talking to a friend, watching an uplifting movie, reading inspirational literature, etc.  But for the BIG stresses, (like my daughter's cancer scare,  death of a friend, major political upheavals, etc) I haven't found a substitute for food.  But hopefully, these things don't happen too often, and we can overcome the negative side-effects of over-eating.

Best of luck with your journey,

Carol

Your friend is spot-on. Ice cream is a slider food, and once your stomach is healed up, you'll physically be able to eat quite a lot of it. The sooner you work on this habit, the better off you'll be.

If you want ice cream, how about some Greek yogurt with SF preserves? Substituting something "healthy" isn't always the best strategy, but it may be helpful.

Don't eat ice cream this early out, you don't want to repeat the behavior and choices that got us overweight.  Gum helps and I keep my hands busy.  Knit, color, crochet call/skype a friend.  If sitting is a problem, remove yourself from the house. Walk, bike.  If you can't go out put on some music and move, have fun.  A lot of weight loss members love the wii and all the games you can play.  It's fun, burns calories and takes your mind off eating.

honestly? I cook... but then I am never bored.. not really... 

I find new recipes for old "fave foods" and try to make that. 

i.e. - ice cream - I used to make protein ice cream.. in summer I still make that and popsicles.. I use WLS friendly food.  I bake "cookies" - again - using WLS friendly stuff.. (nuts, protein powder, eggs or egg whites...unsweetened coconut or almond milk..etc etc..)  

there is a need and a will - I can find a way and ..recipes on line. 

check eggface blog. 

Your friend is definitely correct.  How about you alleviate your boredom with cooking?  You can freeze things.  Work to fix the boredom now.  Replace the eating with healthy activities.  Read, go for walks, you're almost at the point where you can do other exercise like fitness classes.  Get out and spend time with people.  There are tons of options out there :)