How do I stop eating between meals and eating food that's bad for you?

Just count those “eating between meals” as meals themselves. Problem solved!

Try not to buy anything “forbidden” and try to eat at home before you go out anywhere, so that you aren’t tempted to eat the tasty junk food.

I think sugar and fats are addictive to the body. I’ve been consuming more in the last decade than I have in my entire life, so I understand how hard it is to cut out the good stuff. I just try and eat a fruit instead of a cookie and a carrot stick instead of chips as often as possible. Also, if you divert your attention away from food, sometimes you’ll notice a few hours have passed and you haven’t even thought of food! When I’m really busy, time goes so fast and the next thing I know, it’s dinner time (or lunch time). Good luck!

like @Siren had said, sugars and junk and are addictive to the body. also, to lose weight don’t actually eat and full meals. Eat in when you’re hungry but stop when you’re satisfied. don’t stop eating when you’re full Eat healthy foods (duh). Go the supermarket buy some veggies, or fruit, or yogurts or stuff that you know is GOOD for you, AVOID the yummy stuff!! And, if you’re really in for a challenge, print out a yummy looking picture of your favorite food or foods and pin it on the fridge. Then, every time you look at it you’ll get hungry or a craving, but you won’t (or SHOULDN’T) have it in the house. Then, as time proceeds your body will get used to the new diet and you will get used to seeing something you can’t have and won’t want it. Or eventually. But also, time will keep your mind off it and when you’re hungry eat healthy foods in moderation!!

Well, first I would start with your brain… it’s all about the mental for me… you need to be in the place where it’s more important for you to lose weight than it is to eat the food. Getting there is the hard part. I would advise… reading, researching, watching any information about how fat adversely affects your body….ask yourself the question..How long do you want to live? And what do you want to do with your life…life is more than just about eating… we’re told and fed that it is not… we live to eat these days…and it’s brain washing us.

You need to do some creative visualisation too… you need goals… picture yourself thinner..what will you get out of it?? Where will you be? What will you be doing… and most importantly how will it make you feel??

Thinking ahead and planning is important… and planning for how you will feel if you a) eat that great big bar of choclate…or pizza…or whatever? or b) get up and go for a walk and compromise with a little snack of something that will satisfy the urge but a lot healthier…

there are so many more things to think about and do… I could go on for a year…

I’m in the middle of the everlasting battle myself… I know how hard it really is…as I’m sure many do… I love all the bad stuff too… but I want to live… something’s gotta give.

Healthy food can be yummy if you do it right. Cultivate a taste for good, real, honest food and the junk food will taste like junk after a while. You may want to read a book like “Fast Food Nation” or “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” or watch “Supersize Me” to help you be a little disgusted with junk food, too.

Learning to cook is key. You may be willing to eat healthy food if you had to go through the trouble of making it. Learn how to make food flavorful with herbs, spices, and ingredients, rather than salt and fat. And make quantities of food that are good for you all at once, like stews or chili, and freeze them in single-portion containers for convenience. If good food is just as convenient as the crap, you might be more apt to eat it.

Yeah, like @Siren said, don’t have any food you shouldn’t be eating in your house. If you feel a need to snack, make sure it’s on healthy stuff: fruit, whole-grain crackers, lowfat cheese.. maybe put up some motivational pics here& there? When I was trying to break my nail-biting habit I cut out pics of hands w/nice manicures, from magazine ads.
@laureth‘s suggestion is good, too. Prepare things in quantity so they’ll be ready when you are!

You might consider the Shangri la Diet. It has totally stopped hunger and cravings.

Read Ultra Metabolism by Dr. Mark Hyman.

Has anyone read the Skinny Bitch? Any comments on that? sorry, if this should be a fluther question, not mentioned here

This might sound paradoxical, but you may need to eat more at meals so that you won’t be tempted to snack in between. Try to fill up on healthy things like veggies, low fat soups, salads, and fruit.

One little trick that works for me is to eat a small handful of peanuts with a meal. They fill me up so I eat less. Although they do contain fat, they also have protein, which is healthy for you. Another snack that I like is apple slices with peanut butter. If I eat that, I am less tempted to snack on sweets.

Nuts especially walnuts and almonds contain good fat not saturated fat . They have Omega 3. This shows up on blood test as good cholesterol.
This is also true of fatty fish like Salmon and sardines. Shrimp and Lobster also have good cholesterol. Red meat has saturated fat. We should fill up on fruit and vegetables as our ancestors did. They had less access to animal protein. They ate it in moderation because they had no choice.

@philosopher Hooray! Now I can crunch on them with less guilt.

Nuts are high in calories . Do not eat more than a few per day. They are still better than junk food. You can mix them in with fruit or organic yogurt. You could break them up to make them last longer. I take walnuts and chopped them up into a stir fry .Everyone gets some.

So, you say you are not motivated. So that means to me that you actually do not give a shit. So why do anything at all, especially something as invasive, dangerous and expensive as gastric surgery?
But the answer to your question is simply remind yourself who is in charge. It isn’t somebody or something else-there is no demon forcing your arm to put food in your mouth. You have chosen to do so. Admit that you are your own problem and find something else to do with your hands. Something constructive, I mean.