Late Night Eating ~ How To Break Habits

I had an interesting episode the other night.  This weekend my husband asked me if I wanted to join him for dinner at a local restaurant whose motto is, “This is a bad place for a diet.” I did not want to miss the opportunity to sit and chat with my husband, Frank.  We had both been like two ships passing in the night lately, due to our busy work schedules.  I said, “Yes,” even though I had eaten an early HCG dinner at home.  I decided before meeting him at the restaurant to only have a cup of coffee, while he ate his dinner.  [NOTE:  Frank lost 35 pounds on the HCG Weight Loss Program last fall with Dr. Mager’s guidance, has kept his excess weight off, and can now eat without restrictions.  More about Frank’s weight loss in the book, HGC Diet: A Shot At Weight Loss by Barbara Bonardi.] 

“You can order a salad – just put your own dressing on it,” he suggested, feeling a little guilty about what he was about to order.  I looked over the menu out of habit.  I really wanted the Crispy Potato Skins.

“Well, I could have the shrimp cocktail . . . without the cocktail.   That’s on the HCG Diet.  Oh, here’s another thing I can have, the French Onion Soup without the bread and cheese . . . . oh, wait, I’m sure they made the soup with oil or butter,” I rambled on, while earnestly looking for something that I could have eaten (for future reference), since I was already approaching my 500 calorie allotment for the day.

The remainder of the conversation stayed in my mind:  “Fresh Pear Salad? No, it has Danish Blue Cheese and walnuts.  Cheese Burger?  Without the cheese and bread and fries, of course – no . . . why eat?”  Then my mind skipped over to the dessert menu:  “Carrot Cake?  Barbara! What are you thinking?”

The waitress had been making regular visits to our table throughout my decision ordeal.  Mind you, I HAD ALREADY EATEN DINNER!  I was NOT hungry.  I was experiencing an old habit – eating even if I was not hungry.  I glanced over at a man who was bursting on both sides of his chair gobbling down a bacon and cheese burger with a mound of fries drenched in ketchup and a glass of beer.  I gulped and ordered water and a cup of coffee, even though it was 7:00pm, and encouraged Frank to order the Black Angus steak, potatoes, and salad that he was eyeing.

“Aren’t you hungry?” Frank asked.  I paused for a moment before answering him to check in with my body.  I was NOT hungry.  I was, actually, looking forward to returning home to my sliced apple with cinnamon treat tonight, and maybe even heating the apples in a pan with a little water and Truvia TM sweetener to make a mock apple pie dessert later that evening.  But right at the moment, I was not hungry.

The coffee came, and I decided that it was too late for caffeine, so I ordered a cup of hot water and stirred in a sample package of CALM, an anti-stress drink that contained Calcium and Magnesium, that was given to me at Dr. Mager’s office today at Clear Center of Health.  That was the ticket!  I was able to relax.  The sweetness of the CALM did not make me feel like I was depriving myself of food.  I was grateful I did not give into anything that was going to make me feel awful later.

This was a real learning opportunity.  Frank and I talked about the habits we have built around food – mostly, late night food.  During the day, we are busy and sometimes forget to eat, but late at night, when things wind down, we are looking for something to eat.  We know not to watch regular TV late at night, because a Sara Lee commercial will do us in every time.  Late night snacking is a tough habit to break.

I have come up with a strategy for breaking a habit – replace it with another habit. Here are some things I have learned that help me get over the weak moments I have been experiencing late at night.  These strategies can be used while on the HCG Weight Loss Program and anytime stress and overwhelm come into the equation:

1)      Have something hot to drink that is non-caffeinated, while reading a favorite book till you get sleepy.  Display the tea bags in a glass container alongside a beautiful cup and saucer as an inviting reminder.  MY FAVORTIE DRINK AND BOOK(s):  I really enjoy the CALM drinks, which come in several different flavors.  I have a pile of books next to my bed, including a dear friend’s book, Michael Phillips, on The Seven Laws of Money, Alexandra Stoddard’s newest book, Happiness for Two, and an autographed book that I bought at the Legion of Honor Museum after viewing the Pulp Fashion Exhibit by Isabelle De Borchgrave.  Borchgrave’s hand-painted paper costumes are “eye candy” and very satisfying.

2)      Drink a glass of water and then continue working on a project that you have set aside for just those times.  Keep it out where you can see it and work on it without having to look for supplies.  PROJECT: I am hand sewing a silk/rayon scarf for myself.  I saw one in a shop in Point Reyes and decided I could make it myself with fabric and beads I had in my craft container at home. 

3)      Drink a glass of water, get your bed ready by pulling back your covers and putting out a nightgown to slip into (if you wear one), set your alarm clock a half an hour earlier, then take an extra warm bath.  STRATEGY: I tell myself, if I am still “starving” by tomorrow morning, the extra half an hour will give me enough time to get something to eat at home before I start my day.

4)      Make yourself a cup of chamomile tea and work on your visual journal.  PROJECT: I keep a journal/scrapbook of outfits, accessories, etc., that I will be looking forward to wearing on my thinner body.  I also have a home journal, which is where I collect ideas from magazines, catalogs, or pictures that I have taken of great interior design ideas for my home.

I have been revisiting the above strategies nearly every evening to break the engrained habits around food consumption.  Happily, by the time I complete Phase III of the HCG Weight Loss Program, I expect to have finished the scarf, covering the dining room chairs, sewn four new pillows for the living room sofas, and be sleeping under the duvet cover I am making for my bed.

Barbara Bonardi