Substitute for Snacking

July 20, 2023 4:24 PM

I work from home and have gotten into the unfortunate habit of grabbing something to eat every time I'm stressed out. I'm looking for substitute stress relieving activities that won't impact my work.

Here are some replacements I do sometimes already:

Going outside for a minute: This immediately makes me feel better, but there's a limit that's quickly reached since I need to be at my desk for work.

Running up and down the stairs a few times: Same problem as going outside, doesn't help quite as much.

Only allowing myself to eat spinach while working: I really felt like a genius for a while with this one, then I started to dislike spinach, which I previously loved.

Listening to music/an audiobook while I work: Kills the boredom aspect of my eating, which is great. Whatever else I add in, I'll keep doing this one.

posted by Eyelash to Health & Fitness (25 answers total)

Are you able to get a pet? Even something small like a frog or ant farm or something? My dogs know alllll about the dillweed in finance who won't return my emails.
posted by phunniemee at 4:31 PM on July 20, 2023 [8 favorites]

Drink seltzer? I personally love Spindrift since it has a tiny amount of calories per can so my body thinks it's vaguely food. It's hydration and something to do! Not the cheapest option but you could DIY it with a Sodastream/soda siphon & a tiny bit of juice.

There is something about the fizz for me that makes it more ... entertaining, I guess.

There are also some good fidget toys out there. Most aren't attractive and it may take some trial and error to find the right one that works for you, but I have found they help redirect anxiety/stress for me.
posted by edencosmic at 4:39 PM on July 20, 2023 [9 favorites]

Ditto get a Sodastream or equivalent and carbonate your own soda.

Make your own savory low-cal snacks, but give yourself strict portions.

Sometimes I make myself one portion of those "instant miso" soups, just need hot water.
posted by kschang at 4:42 PM on July 20, 2023 [2 favorites]

Fizzy water and mints
posted by St. Peepsburg at 4:50 PM on July 20, 2023

I like having a way to experience a small win. I'll take a few minutes and find one more word in the Spelling Bee. A previous workplace always had a jigsaw puzzle set out so we could get up and place a piece or two, then get back to work. It was nice to give my brain a moment to think about something else and experience success, then come back to what I was previously working on.
posted by shesbookish at 5:17 PM on July 20, 2023 [5 favorites]

Gum?
posted by staggernation at 5:17 PM on July 20, 2023 [5 favorites]

Some small craft or hobby project that's fun & makes you feel a little bit fulfilled? Something you can quickly pick up and put down, like coloring books. Or projects like Legos: work on building a set for five minutes, or spend a bit organizing a mixed bin.
posted by Baethan at 5:17 PM on July 20, 2023

I eat raisins.
posted by NotLost at 5:37 PM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Some anti-anxiety rescue strategies include washing face in cold water, 4-7-8 breathing, apply ice to skin (or chew on ice), inhale a strong scent (such as essential oil), pet a dog, hug a person, go outside.

For longer breaks, you can make some tea. Try air-popping popcorn for a snack.
posted by shock muppet at 5:53 PM on July 20, 2023

I have a snack hierarchy. When I'm hungry I grab things in this order:

• Seltzer (also a Spindrift fan!)
• Hard-boiled egg
• Piece of fruit

I've started bringing two seltzers to my desk when I grab one just so I have another ready to go. Also, for whatever reason drinking it out of an actual glass instead of right from the can makes it more satisfying.
posted by rouftop at 6:15 PM on July 20, 2023

Best answer: Does your fridge make crushed ice? I like to get a big cup full with a little water so it gets softer and suck/chew the ice.
posted by MadMadam at 6:35 PM on July 20, 2023

Best answer: Brush your teeth: This helps provide some of the comfort you need with oral cravings.

Self grooming: also something that comforts and stabilizes the mood the way eating does.

Drink a little water: Not recommended unless you have a tendency to dehydration, and easily over done. Drinking too much water is hard on your body as you end up leaching on minerals. For this reason I recommend getting up and getting just one or two swallows of water.

Suck or chew on something: the end of a plastic comb, a baby's teething toy, etc.

Self-massage: Try massaging your face, or your neck.

Wash your face: Use very hot water, it's soothing. Use cold water, it can change your mood and make you more alert.

Wash some dishes or clean up in the kitchen

Snuggle something, like the dog, or a stuffed toy animal. Hold it against your face to help with those oral cravings, the way an infant rubs its face against things.
posted by Jane the Brown at 6:40 PM on July 20, 2023 [8 favorites]

If you just want a stress-relieving activity I would think of it in that context instead of "substitute for snacking". What do you find relaxing for short periods of time throughout the day? Attending to dough for the bread you will later bake? Using a TENS machine? Solving a rubix cube? Playing with a fidget toy? Vaping (my personal answer)? Solving a crossword puzzle? Coloring?
posted by firefly5 at 6:47 PM on July 20, 2023

Seconding sodastream. I drink SO MUCH sparkling water. I add a splash of juice for flavor.

also chewing gum, if that’s your thing.

You could also just plan your snacks. Like allow yourself 2 snacks a day - one at 10am and one at 3pm. And then you can look forward to them!!
posted by amaire at 7:02 PM on July 20, 2023

Check out a website for stim toys and see if anything sounds good. I’ll sometimes cuddle a stuffed animal, I also have a Koosh ball to fidget with. There are basically chew toys for humans with varying textures, too. There’s a reason desk toys are a thing - tiny sand garden? Lego scene? Magnetic sculpture?
posted by momus_window at 7:53 PM on July 20, 2023

Along the lines of spinach... Israeli cucumbers, grape tomatoes (or if you have any "sweet pop" type brands near you, those are delicious), seaweed snacks, homemade popcorn without butter are all pretty low calorie.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 8:35 PM on July 20, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Stretches or light exercises (eg squats, push ups, jumping jacks). You can even stretch while working without leaving your desk.
posted by pianissimo at 9:14 PM on July 20, 2023

Seconding the light exercises, I try to do a brief work-out with dumbbells twice a day. You might want to have a look at the Hybrid Callistenics YouTube channel. Here's a post on the blue about their training schedule for push-ups. Since then, they've added a longer version of the push-ups video, and there are similar videos for squats and (I think) core strength.

Short and sweet games like Murdle or Big Ben.

I have a list of domestic chores that take 15 minutes or less, and on the list I also keep track of when I just did them. When I feel myself getting stuck when I'm working, I just get up and pick a chore to do.
posted by rjs at 11:17 PM on July 20, 2023 [3 favorites]

Tea for cold weather and seltzer for hot.

Nuts (unroasted, unflavored) are high calorie but really filling and kind of impossible to binge on.

You could also browse a favorite website or something. Or watch a short video.

Part of it is just willing yourself not to. I made a conscious decision to lose postpartum weight by cutting out stress snacking, and just did it cold turkey because the goal was important to me. You don’t mention weight loss as a motivator, but just in case it is…
posted by redlines at 2:15 AM on July 21, 2023

A friend’s seriously brilliant idea: DANCE BREAK. The average rock song is about three minutes long. Go!
posted by scratch at 4:22 AM on July 21, 2023 [5 favorites]

Stress is hard on your body. Any exercise at all is helpful. If you have stairs, take a quick trip up and down a couple flights. Get hand exercisers and get strong hands, exercise bands, keep some 5 lb. weights at the desk, etc. Learn simple breathing techniques to release stress.

There are lots of fruits/veg, so switch it up - cauliflower, carrots, celery, watermelon. Take up knitting.
posted by theora55 at 7:07 AM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I have a standing desk at home, and it has saved me. It's easier not to freak out with stress when you're standing. You can literally "run away" from the scary thing for a few seconds--even if you just run in place for a couple of steps. I take a lot of micro dance breaks. I shift my weight around, do calf raises and lazy squats. And it's easier to get away from the desk when I need to take an actual break because the most difficult part of the transition is already done. It's a big deal that I don't have to stand up from a seated position, a thing that, as a chronic victim of hyperfocus-driven paralysis, presents an insurmountable mental/spiritual obstacle a lot of the time.
posted by Don Pepino at 9:37 AM on July 21, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I am the same, and I actually found that chewing gum worked really well. Unfortunately, I can't have gum with sugar every day, and too much sugar-free gum caused digestive distress, so that isn't really an option for me.

A couple of other things that help me:

Pursed-lip breathing. Gives my lungs a good stretch and boosts my energy a bit.

Regrouping: this one is helpful when the stress is caused by too much coming at me and I'm starting to lose the ability to prioritize on the fly and direct my focus. I take a few minutes to clean off my desk, then review what all is on my plate right now, and rewrite my to-do list. Then I prioritize everything by how quickly I need to get it done. I always feel better if I have at least a loose plan of action.

Housework: when I am feeling antsy and sick of whatever tedious thing I am doing at my desk, I will get up and do a few minutes of something around the house. Unload the dishwasher, throw a load of laundry in, sweep the kitchen. It seems to reset my brain somehow and allows me to settle back down and do more desk work.

Sensory seeking: sometimes I feel that my stress-eating is more of a sensory seeking thing... I need to experience a strong flavor to help stimulate my brain. I used to turn to salty chips, Doritos, or very sweet things, but I've found I am just as satisfied with a glass of spicy V8 juice. Or if I want something hot I will make a cup of chicken boullion with lemon and hot sauce. A dill pickle doused in hot sauce will often do the trick as well.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 11:01 AM on July 21, 2023 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Lots of great tips to try, thanks everyone!
posted by Eyelash at 2:56 PM on July 21, 2023

I got a silicone teething necklace designed for the parent to wear. Mine's not on this list, but it's similar to many of them, in that it's more or less plausibly deniable as actual jewelry if you don't look too closely -- so, it is fine on a zoom call -- as long as I don't start chewing on it during the call!

I also take it with me when I need to go on a long drive.

Other types of fidget toys or focus tools, or ADHD fidgeting strategies, might also help.
posted by librarina at 3:43 PM on July 21, 2023 [1 favorite]