I used to regularly crave sweet foods in the evening. Despite my best intentions, about thirty minutes after dinner I'd find myself pulling any sweet stuff we had out of the cupboards. I wasn't hungry and while I'd tell myself I didn't need anything, most nights I would give in.

I was relying on willpower alone to keep me away from too many treats. Which just didn't work. Instead of continuing with this pattern of trying to resist and then giving in, I decided to change the house "rules" around treats.

Now, I don't buy any sweet stuff when I go shopping and there's no stockpile in the cupboards or fridge. No sweet "treats" in the house whatsoever. I haven't banned these foods, instead if I want something, I have to go and buy it.

Thinking back over the last month I have probably walked up to buy something once. The nearest shop is close by, it's less than 7 minutes walk away, and the streets are safe where I live. The shop is open until 9pm and stocks a range of biscuits, chocolate bars, ice cream. However, despite their proximity and my old regularity of sweet eating, I rarely want a sweet treat enough to go and buy it.

Some nights I think about it, but then the idea of putting my shoes on, grabbing my wallet and walking up to the local shop is enough to put me off. This one impediment has changed me from the habit of eating sweet foods after dinner five nights a week, to about once a month.

Small impediments can really help when you're trying to improve the way you eat. Putting something in the way of high kilojoule treat foods, gives you the time to reconsider and put the craving aside. If you can't ban them from the house, then even putting sweet foods in an opaque container on top of the cupboards, or in the garage can be enough. By making it just slightly harder to find these foods you are reducing the likelihood you'll eat them.