Categories: Emotional EatingHealthy Weight Loss

How to stop overeating when you’re stuck at home

Are you stuck at home and you can’t stop overeating or snacking?

When you’re stuck at home for some reason, many sources of pleasure and fun activities are removed from your life, e.g. social activities, travelling, going to restaurants, going to the gym, swimming pool, shopping, you name it.

No wonder eating has a more comforting, pleasure-giving role in your life now than it used to and this may result in eating more than usual.

Reasons for being stuck at home

There are numerous reasons why someone might be stuck at home, and these can vary widely depending on individual circumstances. Some common reasons include:

Illness or Disability: You may be stuck at home because of an illness or disability, whether it’s a temporary recovery period or a long-term health issue.
Quarantine or Isolation: You may find yourself at home due to public health measures like quarantine or isolation, especially during the outbreak of contagious diseases.
Ageing: Home confinement could be the result of ageing, as physical limitations or safety concerns make it challenging to leave your home.
Mental Health Issues: You might be staying at home due to mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, or agoraphobia, which can affect your ability to venture outside.
Caregiving Responsibilities: Your homebound family member may require your care, making it difficult for you to leave your house.
Work or Study from Home: Remote work or online education can keep you at home for extended periods as part of your professional or educational life.
Weather Conditions: Extreme weather, such as heavy snowfall or severe storms, can make it unsafe or impractical to venture outside.
Global Events: Extraordinary events such as natural disasters, political unrest, or war may necessitate staying home for safety.
Financial Constraints: Limited financial resources may restrict your ability to go out for social activities or entertainment.
Lack of Transportation: In areas with limited transportation options, staying at home could be a consequence of not being able to afford or access transportation.
Geographical Location: Living in a remote or isolated area may limit your opportunities for social interaction and travel.
Personal Choice: Your preference for solitude or introversion may lead you to choose to stay at home.
Safety Concerns: Safety concerns in your area may lead to the decision to stay home to protect yourself.
Legal Reasons: Legal obligations like house arrest or probation can restrict your movement outside your home.

What do you really need instead of food?

Often the reason for eating when we are not hungry is actually just a desire for comfort or excitement

Think about what your real need is if you’re overeating when you’re stuck at home.

Finding other means of comfort, doing things that you enjoy and find soothing may help prevent overeating. Find these activities and schedule them in your life. You deserve it.

I know the possibilities are limited at home but there must be things you enjoy besides eating and drinking (that’s another source of pleasure overused). I have listed a few ideas below.

Remember, it needs to be things that YOU find fun/comforting. Everyone is different.

– Call a friend, or family member
– Do some exercises (using YouTube videos)
– Draw, colour, paint
– Read a good book
– Learn something new
– Play a musical instrument or learn online to play

– Dance
– Do some gardening if you have a garden
– Take a relaxing bath
– Watch a comedy
– Cuddle, and kiss a loved one (adult or child)
– Play with your pet
– Write a gratitude list, meditate

In this blog posts, you can find 10 mood-boosting activities you can try.

What would you suggest? What’s your favourite?

Workbook

To discover your deep-rooted reasons for habitual overeating, emotional eating, or binge eating I highly recommend reading my How to Stop Eating Your Feelings Workbook so you can finally break free from your food, weight, and body image issues, and be able to eat normally again.

You can read a chapter of the book for free HERE.

Free training

This free training will show you the exact steps to stop feeling out of control around food and eliminate emotional eating, stress eating, and binge eating.

Private coaching

If you want real transformation and personal guidance and support, consider working privately in a 1 on 1 setting.

My 12-week coaching program is a unique blend of nutrition, eating psychology, behaviour change, and brain science to support you in reaching your goal.

The program involves basic nutritional education, learning to cope with your feelings without food, stress management, and mindset hacks to finally break free from emotional- and stress-eating.

Feel free to book a free 60-minute discovery call here to discuss your specific issues and needs.