It’s a lot easier to stop yourself from eating a bag of chips while watching YouTube if it’s not just sitting there in your pantry and you have to go to the store to buy it.
You just have to resist the urge to get the junk food during your grocery trips, not every hour you’re at home and bored.
I said this in another comment, get a water bottle. Our bodies use hunger knowing real food has water in it. But if the water isn’t working out for you, try switching the snacks to something that might be up your alley. Instead of a chip dip or cheese, try salsa. Someone suggested carrot or celery sticks, get a jar of peanut butter just to dip them in. Carrots and peanut butter is amazing. And to make meal time better, start cooking yourself. Watch a ton of cooking videos on YouTube and try making some easy recipes.
Get lazy enough not to get up and get it, then it’s easier to go longer without it and eventually (I think 1-2 weeks) you’ll probably not even feel hungry for snacks.
Now if you want to go super healthy, air popped with no butter is so low calorie that you can basically not count it. Oil popped is a little higher, but still much better. Its only once you start drowning it in butter that it gets not so good for you. Also if you like it SALTY theres that…
But once you do a little digging into infusing oils and flavored salts and spice mixes, you can make some mind blowing shit. Popping the kernels in chilli infused oil and then hit them with a lemon and garlic salt… fuck yeah.
Make sure you don’t have any mental disorders that you aren’t aware of. Watch actual doctors (like Dr. K) on YouTube to figure this out. You’d be surprised how subtly a disorder can impact the rest of your life.
Do something more fulfilling. A decent chunk of the stuff you watch isn’t helpful and doesn’t satisfy you, so it’s probably better to watch some really good movies/videos/shows so that you give it your full attention. If that doesn’t work, find hobbies that do capture your attention.
I read somewhere that often when we are feeling slightly hungry we are actually thirsty and our body knows there is moisture in healthier foods. But we tend to aim for salty dried out snacks that really have no benefit. So I suggest getting a large water bottle and make the effort to drink when feeling hungry. That’s what I do.
Think about how much it costs in total for a month’s worth of junk food for you. Then figure out all the things you could do with that money instead. Helped me a lot when gas is high and I can’t drive to work and also afford junk food
Like others have said one of the easiest things to do is simply don’t buy the junk.
Personally I found that the real game changer is finding a healthy snacking alternative. For me this is almonds and dried apricots. They’re still quite a ‘dense’ energy snack but it scratches the sweet tooth itch and is much more filling. Plus you get the added protein, fats & micro nutrients that you would usually miss in processed items.
Try out some different alternatives (my wife loves to snack on dates and Greek yoghurt for example) and try mainly just to focus on finding something you enjoy so you can swap the habit.
Make a shopping list and be strict with yourself about what you add to it. Then restrict yourself from buying anything not on the list so that you stick to it. Best way (that I know) to be deliberate about what food comes home with you.
Are you a cheapskate or easily motivated by money? Set yourself a modest junk food budget for a month and track your spending. Set a financial reward for yourself (buy something you want) when you hit that target. Then set a lower target and a longer term reward. Forgive yourself if you go over, and don’t give up.
Junk food is so expensive now that you’ll blow through that budget in no time. Realizing how much this addiction costs you (like weed, smoking, drinking, gambling, etc) is often a great way to make the decision to kick the habit. Even if you can’t stay within the budget, keep tracking your spending. The goal is to reduce if stopping cold turkey isn’t your thing.
If this isn’t for you, what everyone else said might work too.
Lots of stop buying it comments in here. How about: Stop watching so many videos? The best way to stop eating is to occupy your mind and hands. Got any hobbies? Get one that involves using your hands and concentration. You must find something that you personally enjoy. You can’t eat if you’re busy concentrating on something you like doing while occupying your hands! Bonus points if it’s something physical that helps get you in shape.
For completely different reasons I started to draw, like 5 minutes a day (that was tougher than most things I have done, weirdly) and keeping at it for a couple of months.
Thats the way to go from one(less good) thing to another, reliably doing it every day, and quickly (well they say 90 days) it becomes an easy and pleasant thing you like to do.
Did it with jogging too, took longer (as I wasnt in shape for it, had crap shoes, back and muscles) but eventually it became a nice thing to do too.
And it all ads up, helping. I mean life is hard.
Pro tip, one day check out keto, and the idea about stopping eating all kind of sugar (potatoes, candy, snacks, processed food…). Don’t rush it but know that it’s really good for both your physical health(who would have thought eh) but also for your mental health, it’s quite the thing. So maybe one day eh!
Last words; everyone can do it, it just takes time. If you dont have the mental, just take it slower and it’ll come around.
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