the Five O Clock Feeding Frenzy

Approximately 30 minutes after implementation of my ambitious plan to drop some pounds, I realized that there was a huge roadblock to overcome: the five o clock feeding frenzy. Every day when I get home from work, I rush to the kitchen to find snacks, and proceed to binge on anything I can find as I wait for dinner to cook. Any time I wait for water to boil, I find myself stuffing my face. It is not uncommon for me to eat: a handful of nuts, a few spoonfuls of cottage cheese, a gulp or two of orange juice (poured into a glass, of course), some crackers, and maybe a few frosted mini wheats. Yes, all in a 15 minute period!
Taken one by one, none of these things is an obvious diet breaker - notice I never eat cupcakes or ding dongs (actually not even sure what a ding dong is). But, taken in one shovelful, it does add some wiggle to my jiggle. Not to mention that it is difficult and time consuming to log all this into my spreadsheet accurately.
I still have not been successful in eradicating this behavior completely. Tonight, I had several crackers and a peanut butter cream (yummy - thanks Gramom!). I have found a few things, however, that have helped me to keep my wits about me as my tummy rumbles.

1. Eat a snack late in the day before coming home. When I am still at work, I have no choice but to eat the sensible item I lovingly packed in the morning. I find a piece of fruit works best, leading me to believe that these cravings are due to a lapse in blood sugar. I have this fruit at home, but for some reason it is not appealing when chips and salsa are just a few feet away.
2. Chew gum during my commute. Pretty obvious here - unless you're a talented porn star, only one thing in the mouth at a time.
3. Keep veggies on hand. If I have a recipe that calls for celery, I cut up the whole bunch. Similar rules apply to carrots. I also buy bags of baby carrots or grape tomatoes. Most veggies are only 60 calories per serving, and they are so full of nutrition, that I don't even bother adding them to the log. I have found that as long as the celery is on hand and ready to eat, my tummy is satisfied.
4. Get Chinese take out. Instant gratification. Probably not so good for weight loss. I guess I should keep thinkin'.