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I listened to an interview with Paul Nison online last week and he was talking about the Daylight Diet (he has a book coming out in June by this title). Basically, it's all about eating when it's light outside and not when it's dark (at first he was going to call it "The No Dinner Diet" but then he changed it to make it more positive).

My biggest hurdle with raw has been nighttime over-eating. I did a couple of short fasts over the past few months hoping this would help. While I did get a lot of benefit from the fasting, it did not change my nighttime snacking - I reverted to my old ways after the fast was over.

I've decided to give the Daylight Diet a try for one week. I'm going to have as much raw food as I want during the day, but then stop eating after 6 p.m.

In my mind I'm calling it Daylight "Living" rather than "diet." I hate the word diet just because I instantly think of fad diets and crash weight loss. That's not what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to change a negative behavior pattern that doesn't serve me any purpose, and actually causes me harm (both physically and emotionally/mentally).

Yesterday was day number 1 and it was easier than I thought it was going to be. Partly because I didn't go home after work - I went night skiing with some co-workers. I ate a grapefruit around 4:30 on our drive to the mountain, and then didn't have anything else.

We skied until around 9 p.m. and then people got food/drinks at the lodge bar. I sat and chatted with everyone and surprisingly, I did not wish that I was eating anything. Looking at their cheeseburgers and fries made me feel sad for them - I felt bad for their bodies. They kept talking about how stale the fries were, but how they couldn't quit eating them anyway. I remembered all the times in the past when I had done this same thing, and it made me so happy that I wasn't doing it along with them.

On the drive home (around 10:30) my tummy was grumbling a little bit, but it didn't bother me. Instead, I thought about the fact that my digestion was just doing it's job - my tummy was supposed to be clean and empty because it was time to rest. I didn't feel any compulsion to eat when I got home - I just went straight to bed.

Today is day 2 and I'm committed to having another successful day of daylight living! I went to yoga this morning even though I was out late last night. Usually I go to bed around 10, but last night it was about 11:30. I set the alarm for my usual 5:30, but told myself if I was too tired, I could reset the alarm for 6:30 and sleep in. However, I woke up at 5 and was wide awake, so I got out of bed and had a nice leisurely morning.

Tonight I will be at home watching the University of Washington basketball game with my husband (go Huskies!!!). That will be tougher than last night since watching b-ball and snacking go hand in hand. But they don't have to! Just because that's what I've done in the past, doesn't mean that is what I have to do going forward. It's not like I will enjoy the game less because I'm not eating. Who knows, maybe I will enjoy it more. There doesn't need to be a connection between food and activity - this is a pattern that I have the power to change.

So there it is...I wrote it down for all of you to see so now I'm sticking to it. Tomorrow I'll be able to happily report back to you about my success :)