How important can a hobby be in your weight loss efforts? Do you think that having a hobby can prevent you from gaining weight or even help you lose weight?
If you think about what a hobby means, it could help you in your efforts with any negative behavior.

When you start a hobby, there is usually a learning curve. You have to learn how to do whatever hobby you are starting. If you decide to crochet or quilt, you will need to take some lessons. Or perhaps you’ve decided to take up painting, jewelry making, or playing tennis. If you’ve never done these things before, you probably need to spend some time learning how to do them, either through self-study online or by attending some sort of offline class. Whichever hobby you choose, there will probably be a set amount of time spent learning how to do this particular hobby.

When you are working on your hobby you will be very busy. Maybe you’re too busy to think about eating or snacking. You might even be so busy that you forget to stop and eat. Could this really happen? I know what happened to me. When I’m busy working on a project, I don’t want to stop and take a break to make a sandwich or cook something, so before I know it hours have passed and I’ve forgotten about that hungry feeling I thought I had. Because for me, a lot of the time I’m not really hungry, I’m just bored or wanting to do something and since I’m already busy, I don’t really need food right now.

I have been making jewelry for 10 years and I find that once I get involved in a project it is very hard to walk away from it even for lunch. I tell myself I’ll go downstairs and buy something in a bit and before I know it hours will have passed. This worked for me years ago when I also quit “cold turkey.” I decided on purpose that I had to keep my hands busy, so I took classes in crochet and rug sewing. I was so busy I never wanted to stop for a cigarette. I made a lot of cool things for my house and everyone in my family got crocheted slippers for Christmas. But another advantage was that in the classes I met other interesting people and expanded my horizons even more. A woman taught me macramé and I started making macramé tables and bags, which gave me another hobby to pursue. You never know where a path will lead you when you start down that path. Just take that first step on the journey and new horizons will open up. And when they do, your old clothes don’t look so interesting anymore.

Think about how young children never seem hungry. They are always playing and never want to stop eating. That’s the last thing on their mind. They are having too much fun. So if you can find a way to focus your thoughts and energies away from food or whatever your negative habit is and replace it with a positive one, you will be able to regain control once again.

Having a hobby can do a lot more than just help you with your weight loss efforts. Having a hobby develops new pathways in the brain. Helps fight dementia and keeps your brain healthy. It keeps you busy and prevents boredom. And sometimes having a hobby can help you meet new friends depending on the type of hobby.

And the best thing about having a hobby or trade that you enjoy is that there is a bonus. You end up with some kind of tangible finished product. If you are a scrapbooker, then you have memories to share. If you make knots or crochet you have precious pieces to keep or give away. The paintings can be hung or even sold. And the jewelry can be given away or sold in a business. All of these things are REAL worldly goods that came about because you weren’t eating or snacking and didn’t even realize it. So the next time you feel like you’re struggling to control your food cravings, maybe you should think about taking up some kind of hobby to keep your mind and hands busy. You’ll find so many benefits that you won’t even miss the no-snack part. Before you know it, your whole way of behaving will have changed and your life patterns and daily routines will be different.

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