Everyday Systems

Anyone find that as they're getting away from snacking much that they have any displacement activity.

I ate a lighter lunch than I probably should, and was unusually hungry kind of early in the afternoon. I usually judge these things better, but for whatever reason, it didn't work out properly today.

I could have chosen to drink something with calories, but I wasn't quite that uncomfortable, so I didn't.

I'm working on a sweater, so I made a pot of tea, turned Order of the Phoenix back on my audiobook and just went back to working on a sleeve.

I got into it enough that by the time I came up for air, it was time to make some rice and reheat the curry we had leftover from dinner last night.

But I got to thinking. Does anyone else find they do more with their hands when they give up on the snacking?

I wish I would figure out knitting. My brain just doesn't get it! LOL would for sure give me something to do between meals. Yes, busy hands/bodys make it hard to snack. Animal care around here can do that pretty well mornings anyway. I can always throw a dog in the tub and do some grooming.

One thing I'm noticing... snacking/food was my stress relief. Now that I do not have an outlet for that STRESS... I think it's causing some sort of anxiety build up, it's very troubling. Going to have to work on that, for sure.

DD and I like to go paint pottery... you can buy the pieces and take them home and use acrylic paints on them, that might be something to do.

Yes, Noel, I'm finding that if I can distract myself with being busy with something, then the hunger fades.

It helps that I got a new wireless keyboard and mouse. Because I used to bring drinks and snacks to my desk while I was working. But since I splashed some tea on my new keyboard (fortunately without damage), I no longer bring drinks or food to my desk.

Even if it's an S-day, nothing food-related comes to my desk.

So typing has turned out to be a great way to just ignore the growling.

Which is exactly what happened with me today. My sister brought me some homemade soup for lunch. I wasn't hungry for lunch yet but I ate it since she had brought it over hot.

I knew it wouldn't hold me until dinner. But I also knew that I wasn't hungry enough to eat more than the soup. So I just thought, "Oh well, I'll be hungry for dinner today."

It took less than two hours for me to start feeling peckish. So I knuckled down at the computer and the hunger faded to the background.

Not specifically. I mean, I usually have things to do (I'm working from home, I'm doing chores etc...), so usually I just keep doing what I need to do and say, "Oh well, so what if I have the munchies?" Sometimes I go make some hot tea. But since I'm not doing a new activity, it doesn't necessarily take my mind off of wanting to eat something...sometimes it does. Honestly though, most of the time I'm not usually *truly* hungry, I'm just snackish. I think I'm just used to eating for reasons other than hunger, and those are hard habits to break!

I WISH I would get busy with my hands more often during diversion time. I'm not very productive in my diversions, but since I believe overeating is shallow, I figure replacing it even with other shallow stuff is still an improvement.

Hope springs eternal.

Oolala, I won't say that my displacement activity is never playing the newest Artifex Mundi game, what wit lyin' bein' a sin and all...

I crochet and I try to do it when I watch TV. I think it does help to keep me from snacking.

Recently we started doing jigsaw puzzles again, and I end up working on them during commercials or during a low point in the TV watching. We did puzzles as a family when I was growing up and occasionally when our kids were younger, and it is also a good way to bring about family discussions while doing a fairly mindless activity.

Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to hang out with family! I like that one.

I know at work I can go all day, literally 8-5 and not care a bit about food because there is always something to do. Although I can eat at my desk, if it is covered with important legal paperwork, I hesitate to do so.

I do crochet at home and read a lot - when I get into it, I don't want to stop even to eat (but do get up to reheat or remake a cup of green tea).

I have been studying Spanish online with Duolingo. I love it and have a hard time stopping even when I'm hungry!

I'm enjoying my adult colouring books I got for christmas, it's good for stress relief as well. I (like you farmerhal) am trying to find coping mechanisms for stress other than my previous go to: food. I feel like I am more productive when I'm not snacking in general, as I used to also use it for procrastination...

Yeah I play guitar for my distraction activity, but it's become so obvious that I'm distracting myself that I don't like playing because it seems mandatory, like forcing myself to exercise. Know what I mean? I guess my habit is not built well.