New determination

I am determined to overcome my nighttime overeating.  I was reading "The End of Overeating" and a passage particularly struck me with regard to conditioning:  "In one study, people were given a high-sugar, high-fat snack for five consecutive mornings.  For days afterward, they wanted something sweet at about the same time each morning that they had been fed the snack, even though they had not previously snacked at that time.  Desire had already taken hold."

That totally makes sense to me.  I have far less trouble controlling the food beast during the day, but at night I am insatiable.  I think I have conditioned myself to expect high-sugar, high-fat foods at night!  So, I need to break the cycle.

The only way I can see accomplishing this is to NOT eat after 8pm, at all.  This will definitely be difficult.  In fact, I've tried this trick in the past and was unsuccessful.  However, I cannot allow past failures to dictate my current behavior.  Just because it didn't work in the past, doesn't mean it won't work now.  I just have to stay strong and determined.  I have to avoid all trigger food.  I have to keep that study result in mind.  If I eat a high-calorie snack, the consequences are not limited to the 500 calories added to my daily quota, but to an ever-increasing desire for that same or similar high-calorie snack.  One snack can have incalculable effects on my diet.

Okay, I know it would be impossible to NEVER again have a high-calorie snack or food.  I know that if I try to deny myself of all such foods, forever and ever, I will crack and end up bingeing.  I know of the deny/binge cycle.  So, I will need to incorporate SOME treats into my diet.  I just need to find what treats I can eat without it triggering the over-eating.  But first I need to recondition myself.  Which means avoiding high fat/salt/sugar foods for at least a few days, preferrably a week.  And then carefully introduce selected treats back into my diet.  It feels like a monumental task.  I'm already afraid of tonight, worried that I'll give in on the first day. 

One day at a time, right?  Just get through tonight.  Pull out all the tricks to control myself.  Stay busy - don't watch TV.  Drink a lot of water.  Brush my teeth early in the evening.

It's not insurmountable.