Can you share your tips to prevent "boredom eating"?

So I'm feeling pretty good at the almost one year mark- have done a great job getting my emotional eating under control (eating when sad, frustrated, mad, when celebrating, etc.) but the one thing I'm struggling with is boredom eating. I have three young kids, not a whole lot of money, so I struggle to find "free" things to go out and do with them all the time, but very often we hang out at home and go to the park, etc. When I'm at home- I can't STOP snacking/eating. What things do you guys do to help yourselves stop? Thanks! 

Are you watching TV or surfing the web while snacking? If so, STOP!! Stop watching TV and get off the Web. Get a library card if you don't already have one and read. Find some board games (thrift stores frequently have them) or learn a bunch of kid-friendly card games and play. 

You could also pick up knitting or crocheting for TV time. Something to do with your hands if you mus****ch TV. You could knit the world's longest scarf! That's about the extent of my knitting skills.

Start a garden with the kids and get everyone involved. Pick a room to paint.

My husband and I are going to start a "just do it" program. We're going to write down house projects both small and big on 3x5 index cards and then Friday night we'll pick one or two for the weekend. When the project is finished the cards will go up on a big bulletin board we have so we can watch the progress. You could do something similar for yourself - a "boredom bucket". Write down tasks that are easy but need to be done - wiping out the kitchen cupboards, cleaning baseboards, going through the kids clothes and make a donation pile, etc. 

Good luck! Boredom is a hard one.

Good tips! I LOVE the "just do it" program. A lot of times I see stuff around the house I'd like to get done, but forget about them just as quickly....

I do a load of dishes, brush and floss my teeth, I often times Journal, I will make the bed, do laundry, I tend to clean things like baseboards etc,

You may laugh at this, but the gum works for me, too!  Mint makes everything else taste yucky - my mom taught me that trick when I was a kid.  I also make sure to have some nutrtion every TWO hours.  I am NEVER hungry, cannot overeat, because I am keeping my "gas tank" from going empty.

I am ten months out & have to deal with "Head Hunger" all the time.  I find the days I skip my mini meals are the ones I graze -- so stay on top of your mini meals.  The meals are usually meal replacement shakes, cheese, or just a small serving of meat -- always under 200 calories, and they keep my head & body satisfied.

My exercise of choice is swimming - so I usually have a Low Sodium V8 before or after -- and a Chike Meal Replacement as the other "meal".  I spend between an hour to two hours in the water - so with the dressing & showering -- it comes to two hours between meals.  See, it works perfectly, and I am getting excellent nutrtion, without all the extra vitamin pills!!!  One Chike Meal Replacement is 180 calories, the Low Sodium V8 is 70 calories -- that's 250 calories & my body is still running on high quality fuel ;)

Hope this helps!!  The first couple of months I HATED to eat, but made it my goal to have 5 mini meals a day - hence my two hour rule!  I am over 150 pounds down, LOTS still to go, but I am seeing some great toning and not too preoccupied with my scale.

Brenda : )~