This is very inspiring. I'm struggling with the habit of over-eating and your dimension of thinking like costs involved is new to me.
I think I finally beat this beast. After dieting my whole life, and feeling deprived, waiting to fall off the wagon and repeat the cycle over and over...
I finally cut gluten out of my diet. I've done this in the past, somehow fallen prey to eating it again. It seems to be the biggest trigger of my brain's reward center. However, I feel so even tempered now. No food related mood or energy swings. No cravings. No urge to overeat. No "extreme" fake hunger leading to bingeing. No "SUPER OMG DELICIOUS" meals leading to 5 servings and overeating. I highly recommend reading Wheat Belly.
Or you could try full on paleo - I have done this too in the past but found the lack of all grains to be too demoralizing. By mere fact of avoiding wheat, I have cut down severely on my overall grain consumption though.
Good luck. Once you figure out your triggers and modify your life around them, you'll be set.