Boredom is an emotion just like any other emotion, but sometimes especially if we are exhausted it can be hard to do anything about when it comes to binge eating. Sure you can watch TV, or listen to an audio book, but the problem is these can also be commonalities in many people’s binges… zoning out watching TV or on your phone.
If you find yourself bingeing the first things to look at are if you are eating enough, consistently and without restriction. But if boredom is a trigger for you try following these steps:
First of all, tune in with yourself. Are you really just bored? Or is something deeper going on. Sometimes we try to avoid feeling hard emotions by blocking them out and then numb out with food or another coping tool. Other times we are overstimulated all day so when we do have down time we are bored and our brains don’t know how to relax.
Next, evaluate your hunger. Am I actually hungry? If not, continue to the next step. If you are hungry, what do you feel like eating? I encourage you to honor your cravings, but make sure you are able to stay present when eating. Often why these moments lead to a binge is because we zone out or go into autopilot. If you can stay present in the moment it can help prevent the sense of feeling out of control.
Try experimenting with being present by eating at the table instead of the couch or not being on your phone or in front of a screen. Now you don’t have to pledge to never eat in front of the TV again, but it might be something to try until you can become more present when eating.
If you are not hungry, find something to do. Often I hear this happening at the end of the day when you are just too exhausted to do anything (again easy to zone out and go into autopilot.) So depending on what you do during the day and what you enjoy, an activity might need to be more mind stimulating like a crossword puzzle, physical like a walk, or creative like painting.
This can also be a good time to reassess if there is another underlying emotion. If you find your mind racing when doing an activity, tune in: are you stressed, anxious, sad? Addressing that emotion can help.
Now if you start doing an activity and find yourself consumed with the thought of food still, reassess. Are you actually hungry? And if you don’t physically feel hungry, has it been a while since you ate? Sometimes we have to feed ourselves practically until we can really feel our hunger cues.
If you are still thinking about food, honor that craving even if you aren’t necessarily hungry. This prevents a restrictive mindset (that could also be a reason for the binge) and gives that unconditional permission to eat.
If this is the case again, I encourage you to work on being more present when you are eating. Really taste your food. Is it satisfying?
Being triggered to binge from boredom can be frustrating. If you are exhausted in the evenings, working on making sleep a priority can be beneficial as well.
Is boredom a trigger for your binges? How do you cope with boredom?
If you need help navigating your binges, reach out we would love to help you!
