Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission from the vendor at no extra cost to you. These business relationships allow us to keep bringing you great EatMoveHack content. All opinions remain our own.
Nothing leads to a ruined diet more quickly than boredom. We’ve put together a list of healthy hobbies to try instead of snacking. If you know that nothing to do will lead to stuffing your face, here are some ideas to help keep you entertained and on track!
Idle Hands Are Devil’s Food Cake Getters
Sometimes you just need to keep your hands busy. Try these healthy habits that keep your hands occupied so they can’t get those diet wrecking snacks!
Knitting
So hear me out on this one!
Knitting isn’t just for your grandmother. Knitting is experiencing a renaissance moment. I started knitting a few years ago as a way to interact with something other than a screen. And to my surprise, I loved it. Check out this NY Times article about the benefits of knitting for some science behind it.
You actually get to make something with your time. There are countless beautiful types of yarn to make all kinds of knit goods. It’s affordable and sustainable. And you can learn faster than you think.
Want to give knitting a chance? Check out Knitting For Beginners: The A-Z Guide to Have You Knitting in 3 Days and I love Lion Brand Yarn for all kinds of knitting projects. It’s affordable, washes well, and comes in all sorts of sizes and colors.
Writing & Reading
Instead of putting something in, try getting something out. Writing is a great way to distract yourself from boredom snacking. From journaling to creative writing, it’s all worth trying. Need some inspiration? Check out these great guides and materials for writers.
-
Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice This book by Michelle Obama has fantastic reviews and is a great place to start if you’ve never successfully journaled before.
-
Writing Fiction, Tenth Edition: A Guide to Narrative Craft Have a good story inside you but you need help getting it out? Let this book help you! It has fantastic reviews.
-
Moleskine Classic Notebook These have been used by famous writers for years. Maybe it’s the classic design or the beautiful construction but something about these notebooks just begs you to put pen to paper.
And if you don’t love to write but you love to read, check out these great books! Our readers love these authors and books. They offer a broader understanding of health, fitness, and our relationships with food and each other.
Bethenny Frankel:
-
Naturally Thin: Unleash Your SkinnyGirl and Free Yourself from a Lifetime of Dieting
-
A Place of Yes: 10 Rules for Getting Everything You Want Out of Life
-
The Skinnygirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life
-
I Suck at Relationships So You Don’t Have To: 10 Rules for Not Screwing Up Your Happily Ever After
-
The Skinnygirl Rules: For Getting and Staying Naturally Thin
Dr. Nowzaradan
David Goggins
We love these books and we think you will, too!
Gaming
Maybe the weather sucks, maybe you hate writing, maybe you don’t like knits. Ok, so you need something to keep you busy inside. This one I recommend with caution because video games can really suck you in. Anyone see the episode of Big Bang Theory where Penny got really into gaming and had Cheetos in her hair? It’s not a great look. But luckily there are some games that keep you active and can even help you stay fit.
-
Nintendo 32GB Switch with Neon Blue & Neon Red Joy-Con Controllers Ring Fit Adventure Switch
- Kinect Training – Xbox 360
Stay Outside & Out of Your Fridge
If you’re outside you’re probably not in your fridge. Check out these healthy habits to try instead of snacking by getting outside.
Gardening
In addition to being fun and getting you outside, gardening can also be a great workout and even result in homegrown fruits and veggies! These books help you start your gardening habit with some tips, tricks, and guidance. Check them out and get outside!
From mowing the lawn to planting a veggie garden, there’s a lot to keep anyone busy who wants a green thumb!
Running
This has been my latest passion. I started running again this year (I’ve had many, many years-long on-again-off-again relationships with running). I have to testify that the running high is a real thing and many folks have found running an addiction. But it’s a great way to spend time outside and definitely a healthy habit instead of snacking.
If you don’t know how to get started, check out these links.
This is a new blog that was started by a runner with some experience but a new passion. CouchtoPR a good place to find commonality from someone who is willing to share their honest experience and discuss common runner’s thoughts.
Running That Doesn’t Suck: How to Love Running (Even If You Think You Hate It)
There are so many books out there for people who want to be runners. We love the irreverent style of this author and the approachable way they share how to be a runner. Starting to run can feel hard enough. Why make it harder with a book that doesn’t make it fun?
Find Your OM Way
Ok, so you want to stay busy but maybe in your living room? No worries, we got ideas for that, too! We love these online resources for workouts, yoga, Pilates, even meditation! If you want to do more that is also less than other things, try these healthy habits instead of snacking.
Online Workouts, Yoga & Pilates
Ok, so we could point you to a million places where you can find workouts. YouTube has thousands of folks you could follow but just be careful. Not everyone who offers ideas has good ideas and not everyone knows what they’re talking about. Check out some folks we’ve talked about before like
Meditation
Sometimes we think we want to snack because what we don’t want is to face our own thoughts. I love a good meditation as a chance to listen to myself and come to honest terms with how I’m really feeling. If you’re looking for some guided meditation, check out BohoBeautiful on YouTube. I love her calming voice and honest approach.
Conclusion
Ok, so I know there are probably hundreds of other ways you could try to find a healthy habit instead of snacking. I hope that you found something in this list that sounds fun and effective, or at least got you thinking about other ways you could spend your time being productive and healthy instead of eating things that don’t make you feel better.