THE EVENING PROTOCOL

What to do between 7pm and bed when the urge hits.

This is about interrupting the spiral before it starts. Not willpower.

Save this page to your phone. Use it tonight.

Before 7pm: Set yourself up

Eat dinner. A proper one. Protein, carbs, vegetables, fat.

If you are under-eating during the day, your body will demand it back at night. This is not greed. Your body is simply catching up.

Then follow these steps in order:

  • The moment you feel the pull toward the kitchen, do this:

    • Pause.

    • Put your hand on your chest.

    • Take three slow breaths.

    You are interrupting the autopilot, not fighting it.

    Use this tool to support simple breath work.

  • Am I physically hungry, or am I craving something?

    No judgement either way. Just notice.

  • Eat something.

    Deliberately. At the table, not standing up.

    • A piece of toast with peanut butter.

    • Cheese and crackers.

    • Yoghurt and fruit.

    This is not failure. This is feeding yourself.

  • You are looking for something food can’t give you.

    Name it if you can:

    • am I tired,

    • bored,

    • anxious,

    • lonely,

    • overstimulated?

    Then ask: what would actually help right now?

    Click here to learn more about naming your feelings or use the emotions wheel on the page.

MENU

MENU

example alternatives

Pick one. Do it for 10 minutes. If you still want to eat after, eat.

    1. try 10 minutes of yoga nidra

    2. get an early night in bed

    3. sip a herbal tea listening to your favourite music

    4. take a relaxing bath or shower

    1. take 3 deep full belly breaths

    2. step outside for 2 minutes fresh air

    3. stretch, shake or move your body to get the hyper feelings out

    4. run cool water on your wrists to calm and soothe

    1. text someone you can chat with on and off

    2. listen to a favourite voicenote from a friend or loved one

    3. watch an episode that makes you laugh

    4. pic our favourite photos of memories that make you smile

    5. pick an activity you enjoy solo to connect to yourself eg colouring, crafts, baking, etc

    1. write a to do list

    2. do something creative eg writing, reading, dancing, tidying that cupboard to music

    3. plan or search for a new recipe to try this week

    4. do something nice for yourself you wouldn’t usually make time for like hand lotions, nail care, food creams, a self care you have finally have time for right here and now

    5. notice if you can allow a little boredom, does it need to be ‘solved’?

If you eat anyway

You haven’t failed. You have just eaten.

The spiral is not the eating. It is the story you tell yourself after. Skip the guilt. Go to bed. Tomorrow use what you’ve learned.

Evenings are hard because you have been holding it together all day. That is not weakness. That is being human.

The goal is not perfection.

The goal is not perfection.

It’s interrupting the autopilot often enough that it loosens its grip.

Dieting Differently · dietingdifferently.substack.com © Georgia Kohlhoff · Flourishing Health