Ways to Avoid Emotional Eating list

1. Hang out on your favorite ObesityHelp.com message board (or check out others) and post
2. Set up (or review) Health Tracker on ObesityHelp.com
3. Change your environment to change your mindset, i.e., from your family room to go outside
4. Call a friend or loved one
5. Take a walk
6. Do a crossword puzzle
7. Garden
8. Brush your teeth
9. Paint your nails
10. Take a shower or a bath
11. Drink water (many times thirst masks as hunger)
12. Organize a bothersome drawer or closet
13. Play a video game
14. Check out new apps on your mobile device
15. Read a magazine
16. Try out a new hobby
17. Catch up on emails
18. Go shopping at a mall
19. Walk around the mall while you’re there
20. Eat a cinnamon or mint flavored sugar free mint
21. Watch a movie
22. Make a cup of soothing herbal tea
23. Watch a favorite television show
24. Write in a journal
25. Do crunches and/or push-ups
26. Take a drive – either alone or invite someone to go with you
27. Create your own goal using the ObesityHelp Goal System
28. Put in an exercise DVD and workout
29. Play solitaire
30. Listen to your favorite tunes
31. Dance to those favorite tunes
32. Check out Before/After Photos for lots of motivation
33. Lift weights, kettlebells or use resistance bands to tone and build muscle
34. Go for a bike ride
35. Call, write a note or email to tell someone how much they mean to you
36. Create a scrapbook of your favorite photos or your own weight loss journey
37. Color in a coloring book (remember how much fun you had as a child?)
38. Write down 10 people and things you are most grateful for
39. Read a book
40. Play a board game with friends and family
41. Check out classes or lessons (singing, piano, cooking) that you’re interested in
42. Paint
43. Try a hobby that will involve your hands such as looming, knitting, embroidery, counted cross stitch, floral design, etc.
44. Write down the reasons you had weight loss surgery and wanted to lose weight; post it on your refrigerator
45. Prepare a new healthy and WLS-friendly dish
46. Take a nap
47. Take photographs of family, friends, outside and some selfies 
48. Plan your next vacation
49. Play (or learn) an instrument
50. Pray or Meditate
51. Do Yoga
52. Work on a jigsaw puzzle
53. Go to the library and check out books
54. Work on a Sudoku puzzle
55. Buy an audio book that you listen to only when you are exercising
56. Make jewelry
57. Check out volunteer opportunities in your community, i.e. school, church, hospitals, a favorite cause
58. Read motivational and inspirational quotes
59. Cruise the Internet to research more about things you’re interested in or, better yet, new things of interest to you
60. And last but not least, address what’s really bothering you.