wash dishes

laundry

internet surfing

make a phone call

sort items to go to goodwill

actually take items to goodwill

take a nap

Hmm... funny thing is 3 items on that original list make me want to eat  more (tv, books, and internet). I find I get bored easily if I'm just sitting around and I have a nasty habit of having no will power to keep from snacking in those situations...

My List:

- go do a legitimate workout (more than just walk the dog)- fast walk, jog, workout vid, gym, etc. At least that way if you get home or finish your workout and you're still hungry having a small snack (under 100 cals) won't be as big of a deal.

- clean- I do think this is a good one- you burn calories and if you do a thorough clean could take an hour or two.

- go to the movies if you have the time (just don't buy snacks)

- go to a museum if you have the time

- go get the car washed

- run errands or maybe go do some shopping/window shopping

- if parks nearby - take a book/mag and headphones there and just be out of the house and getting some productive relaxation time in

- go get a massage- relieves stress/boredom/anxiety

- try drinking some water or flavored w/ lemon, crystal light, etc....might fill you up some and get your mind off of eating

- try chewing gum to get the feeling of chewing/eating

And every once in a while I don't think it's such a bad thing to have a snack. We should be allowing for about 2 snacks a day keeping them around 100 calories...something like almonds for crunch, fiber, heart health (I roast them w/ spices like chili powder/cumin to give a little kick), or chips/salsa, carrots/hummus, small piece of chocolate or skinny cow ice creams- most are really low cal and great!

I'm a writer, so I write. Definitely keeps my mind off mindless snacking. Though, if I get too engrossed, I have to remind myself to eat!

Cleaning and reading are two other things that help me out too :) Though, from the state of my apartment, it's quite obvious that I prefer reading :P

I feel anything that captures your interest in a good way helps, so that you don't become bored quickly and in your moment of apathy indulge in something you'll regret. Also things that require both hands, so you aren't doing one thing and feeding yourself with the other.

Needlework is a great way to keep your hands busy while watching TV/movies to avoid the mindless "I'm eating 'cause that's what I do" eating.  Painting works for me too - anything that keeps my hands too busy for snacking. 

- Dancing! Burns some extra calories, and it's so much fun that time just flies by. :D

- Drawing in a sketchbook.

- Rechecking myspace/gmail/caloriecount/various blogs a bizzilionx2 times.. you know.. incase something new happens.

- Study. Okay so most people find this boring, but I think that's because we associate studying with things we don't enjoy or have no interest in. So what do you enjoy? Fashion? You can study that. Psychology? Yup it's in there. Men? Yeess. Fashionable Manly Therapists? I wouldn't be surprised if you could find a book or two on that! It's really fun when you're studying something you enjoy or are interested in.

- Watch TV. Most people will object to this, but after a long day.. I just sink right into the couch and won't get up even for food (unless I'm reeeeally hungry or I have to pee. Then I get up.)

- Sexually harass a friend online. By 'sexually harass' I mean 'talk to'. Or you can really sexually harass your friends, but that might cause a little trouble..

Manicure

Hey There,

I am new here but when I saw this thread, I had to post what I do...maybe it will help someone else!

Both of my girls (ages 8 and 7) are also over weight, not bad, but a little chubby. They will eat when they are bored, just like mom!

So, when I start to feel bored and think the best solution is chips or a snack cake, it becomes "Freeze Frame" time!

I plug my Ipod into the stereo (it is full of Jonas Bros and other assorted songs my girls like) and I get my girls into the living room. We crank up the radio and do "freexe frame dancing", meaning that we all start out dancing, then, going in different orders (smallest to oldest, etc) that person stops dancing (to catch thier breath) and they have to point to the person tnhey chose. That person has to dance while the person who icked them counts to 30, then the turn switches, the person who danced picks someone, and on and on.

We get giggling and laughing, plus we are moving and burning calories.

Thought this might be fun for others out there with kids!

Get on line and pound the living crap out of someone in Halo or something.