Why do I eat or overeat?

The why of overeating is elusive,
but yet there is reasons.
First, it has nothing to do with hunger,
this is a separate problem.
When real food, 19th century diet,
is not enough to control weight,
we must rely on something more.
Food science gives some idea of portions.

David Kessler divides eating into
Habit and Goal directed eating.

Habit is automatic response to cue;
place, location, presence of food.
It is unconscious, movements starts
before we are aware of the stimulus.
It is programed by repetitive behavior.
To stop, remove the cue.

Food advertisement does not apply.
This starts the appetites,
which then starts
emotional goal seeking behaviour,
a cat of a different stripe.

Goal seeking or goal directed is a
parallel but different circuit.
It starts as a goal, becomes
conscious, thinking, desiring,
and taking deliberate steps
to satisfy the desires.
It can be a cue for habitual eating behaviour,
rendering TV watching dangerous,
a weapon of diet disruption or amassing girth.

Now we can take a step back
and look at desires.
These can be logical, philological,
or emotional.
Emotional are the strong ones.
Desires can be terminal, or instrumental,
one more piece of the chain to the goal.

Hunger is philological,
while growing a garden is logical, maybe.

So how does all this provide a solution.
First we need to prevent habitual eating,
and then provide only a small moderate
neutral meal at meal times,
moving the reason to eat
from emotional to rational, logical.
And then fill life between meals and
before bedtime with other activities
that we like more than eating.
There is the rub.