101 Things To Do Instead of Eating When You Have The Munchies
by Ramkitten
Ideas for occupying your time in productive (or at least fun, mind-occupying) ways OTHER than eating when you're not truly hungry.
When All You Can Think About is Food
Did I really just commit to coming up with 101 ideas? I guess so. But I'm making this list as much for myself as for anyone else. In my quest to lose those pesky 20-some-odd pounds I put on over the past two years, I've had to fight the cravings and munchies a LOT. You know, those urges to snack when you're not really hungry -- they can really sabotage a diet or keep you from keeping off the pounds you worked so hard to lose.
So, Here are 101 Suggestions To Beat, Bypass or Otherwise Ignore Those Cravings
Drink a big glass of water and (in no particular order)....
- Go for a walk. (If you have a dog, he or she will probably be happy to tag along.)
- Go for a jog.
- Swim.
- Ride a bike.
- Hike a trail.
- Go the gym and use the treadmill, eliptical machine, etc.
- Take an aerobics or other exercise class.
- Use an exercise ball (or even just bounce on it).
- Jump on a trampoline.
- Dance around the house to your favorite (loud) music. (You can sing, too!)
- Shoot hoops.
- Play tennis or volleyball with yourself. (Got a good outdoor wall somewhere?)
- Do some yoga.
- Do various stretches.
- Go to the movie theater and see a film.
- Read a book.
- Do a crossword puzzle.
- Do a word search puzzle.
- Work on a jigsaw puzzle.
- Watch funny YouTube videos.
- Clean the house.
- Do some yardwork (mowing, raking, weeding) or gardening.
- Call a friend you haven't talked to in a while.
- Catch up on those emails.
- Start that novel you've always wanted to write.
- Go browse around the bookstore.
- Play dress-up, even if you don't have anywhere to go.
- Get crafty.
- Start that DIY project you've been thinking about.
- Learn to tie different kinds of knots. (Check out Animated Knots, for example.)
- Brush the dog or cat or horse or ... what have you with hair?
- Manicure your finger- and/or toenails.
- Paint or draw.
- Organize your messy drawers.
- Make or work on your budget.
- Go through the house, garage, attic and/or basement and look for things to donate or sell (at a yardsale, on eBay, etc.).
- Start a Zazzle store and design some products.
- Write a poem.
- Find a new way to volunteer.
- Have an elderly or disabled neighbor who could use some help? See if they need anything.
- Have kids? Take them outside and play a game, have a treasure hunt, do arts-n-crafts, etc.
- Detail the car.
- Research your next vacation destination.
- Organize your file cabinets and get rid of junk.
- Shop for a new pair of jeans or a dress.
- Sew those missing buttons on and repair seams and other tears in those beloved, well-used clothes.
- Search for coupons.
- Do a neighborhood clean-up session.
- Go the local park, bring a blanket and read, relax, people-watch.
- Learn the words to a new song you like.
- Take a bubble bath.
- Repot some house plants that need larger containers.
- Play a video game. (Ever try those interactive Wii games?)
- Go out and take some pictures. (Of what? Anything and everything. Work on that photography. Take some macros of bugs. You'll think of something.)
- Write a new article online and maybe make some extra $$ doing so -- ie. on Squidoo, HubPages, Excerptz, or even right here on Wizzley.
- Make a new bucket list.
- Learn how to do something new (ie. how to use a compass or GPS, how to play an instrument, how to quilt, etc. etc. etc.).
- Run those errands you've been putting off.
- Go to the library and read a magazine.
- Chop firewood (if you--or a friend--have wood to chop).
- Go birdwatching.
- Paddle a kayak (if you have a kayak and water to paddle on).
- Use a hoola-hoop. (Why not?)
- Go get a massage.
- Give a massage. (Even the dog might like one.)
- Clean and organize the garage.
- Try to stand on your head for as long as you can.
- See how many push-ups you can do. (Any type of push-up will do.)
- Organize and label all those photos you've got stored away (online or prints).
- Upload photos to, say, RedGage, share them, and even make a little extra $$ doing so.
- Go to an art gallery.
- Go to a museum.
- Go out and listen to some live music. Call a friend or go on your own; either way is fine.
- Go buy yourself a new exercise outfit. You deserve it! And you'll use it, right?
- Go geocaching ... or try it if you never have. (It's a healthy addiction if it becomes one.)
- Look for free or inexpensive activities going on around town. Maybe there's something of interest happening right now that you can go check out.
- Start a blog or write a new post if you already have one.
- Go camping. (You don't have to go far, but it does get you away from the fridge.)
- Go fishing (or just sit by the water).
- Get a field guide for your local area and go out and see how many plants (or other things) you can identify.
- Get a book of logic problems and brain teasers and work on those.
- Read to or with a child.
- Go to a local sporting event.
- Brush and floss your teeth.
- Have a local climbing gym? Maybe give that a try. (It's okay to be new.)
- Help a friend with a project. Ask around; somebody will probably need a hand with SOMEthing.
- Walk a dog at a local animal shelter.
- Refinish a scratched, water-damaged or otherwise needy piece of furniture.
- Take a nap (if you need one).
- Take a shower (if you need one ... or even if you don't, I guess).
- Go bug ... I mean, spend special, quality, one-on-one time with a significant other.
- Dust and wash those window blinds. (I was just staring at my own dirty blinds as I try to think of more things to add to this list. Almost there!)
- Clean the gunk out of your computer keyboard. (I really need to do that, too.)
- Rearrange the furniture. (You can always move it back again, right?)
- Sign up for an online class and start studying now. (Can't hurt.)
- Work on a business plan for the bright idea you've been mulling over for so long.
- Go get your hair done.
- Jump rope.
- Drink another glass of water.
- Read this list again.
- Make your own list of 101 ideas for ... (fill in the blank).
Updated: 06/06/2016, Ramkitten
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What Do You Do To Beat the Munchies? -- Comments Welcome
Awesome list, really amazing all we need to do is get busy doing something more enjoyable. Great list thanks
I jump on my elliptical machine. I tends to get the munchies when I am feeling down.
I play moshi monsters or other games online instead of munching on food.
Great ideas! I find that if I can just start on something--anything--I'll usually forget about how badly I was craving that snack!
I go for a short walk or get on my bike. That usually does the trick.
Yeah! Super list for those of us trying to remove a few pounds.
Nice list. I will have to do one of these when the munchies hit me.
Ha! Distraction may work. I like to do something productive that is NOT in the kitchen like cleaning the toilet. THAT will curb an appetite quickly.
This is an impressive list! I notice a depressing number of them have to do with exercise, though ...
Having the munchies doesn't mean you want to eat just junk food, like chips or cookies. It means you just want to eat - chew, taste - even though you're not hungry. So you'd have to not have any food at all around to go the "don't buy it route." Me, when I get the munchies, I'd even go for toast.