Day 3: The Bad Habit Hit List: A Countdown to Unf*cking Your Life, One Crappy Habit at a Time

#13: Are You Hungry or Just Bored? A Tale of Crisps and Regret

Image created by Author using DALL-E

You ever find yourself holding an empty bag of crisps with absolutely no recollection of eating them?

Like some snack-based amnesia?

One minute, you’re minding your own business, the next, you’re ankle-deep in crumbs, wondering who the hell raided your kitchen and why your hands are covered in cheese dust.

Yeah.

That’s mindless eating—the art of shovelling food into your face without a single thought.

Why do we eat like this?

It’s rarely about hunger.

It’s about boredom, stress, habit, distraction, or just sheer autopilot mode.

We eat because it’s there.
Because it’s 9 PM and Netflix told us it was snack o’clock.
Because work is draining, life is exhausting, and somehow, biscuits have become our unofficial emotional support system.

Our brain’s reward system doesn’t help either.

You see, your brain is a bit of a greedy bastard—it loves quick hits of dopamine (pleasure chemicals).

And surprise, surprise: salty, sugary, crunchy, carb-laden foods deliver them in glorious little bursts.

The problem?

That dopamine rush fades fast, leaving you unsatisfied and reaching for more.

Congratulations, you’ve just snacked yourself into oblivion.

The endless snack spiral

Here’s how it usually goes:

1. You’re bored/stressed/distracted.

2. You grab a snack without thinking.

3. Your brain gets a dopamine hit.

4. You barely taste it because you’re watching TikToks/emails/your life unravel.

5. The snack is gone, but you’re still bored/stressed/distracted.

6. Repeat.

At no point in this process does your stomach say, “Hey, we actually needed that food.”

Because it didn’t.

How to break the mindless munching habit

Since I know you don’t want some holier-than-thou advice like “Just eat a celery stick instead!” (because, quite frankly, celery is sadness in vegetable form), let’s get real:

1️⃣ The ‘Pause & Question’ Trick

Before you eat, pause for five seconds and ask: Am I actually hungry?
If the answer is “Eh, not really,” maybe put the snack down and step away from the kitchen.

2️⃣ Make Eating a Single-Task Activity

No more inhaling crisps while scrolling your phone like a distracted raccoon.
If you’re gonna eat, just eat—no screens, no distractions, just you and your questionable life choices.

3️⃣ Snack Like You Mean It

If you must snack, go for portioned snacks (not family-sized bags, you maniac).
Put your food in a bowl.
That way, when you finish, you get a visual “Hey, I’m done” instead of an existential crisp crisis, staring into an empty packet.

4️⃣ Break the ‘Snack = Emotion’ Loop

Find a different way to deal with boredom, stress, or whatever the hell is making you snack.
Call a mate.
Take a walk.
Punch a pillow.
Distract your brain with anything that isn’t a biscuit.

5️⃣ Keep the Good Stuff at Eye Level

We’re lazy creatures.
If the crisps are in an inconvenient cupboard but the fruit is right there, you might actually eat the fruit.
I know.
Shocking.

Final thoughts: Don’t fear food, just wake up a bit

This isn’t about demonising snacks.

Snacks are great.

Crisps?
Wonderful.
Chocolate?
A gift from the gods.

But mindless eating?
That’s where things go downhill.

The goal isn’t to never snack—it’s to actually notice when you do.

Because, let’s be honest… you deserve to at least remember the crisps you just destroyed.

P.S. Tomorrow’s topic? Let’s just say… it’s a bit of a wake-up call. ☕😴