user-1: I noticed that for me, it is very difficult to cease certain behaviours, such as eating junk food for example. Does Buddhism suggest a benefit to delaying such behaviours to later in the day, as opposed to early on? Is there an inherent benefit in delay, or does it change nothing, given the behaviour will have occurred that day anyways?
Is delay a viable strategy for urges?

user17652: My friend,
What you're describing is the temporary suppression of sense desire, but if, during what you call the delay period, there is no kusala citta brought about by right concentration  - or an inclination towards dharma discovery - then your efforts would be a waste of time. That is entirely the point; to quell the sensate noise such that you can realise ever more subtle parts of the mind; regions of mind that will spur you forward with curiosity, motivation and newfound discoveries, and may just blow your mind to smithereens only to leave behind a glorified, unmovable wisdom that no single person can claim!

The Blessed One said: "Now what, monks, is five-factored noble right concentration? There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal.
"Just as if a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice would pour bath
powder into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again
and again with water, so that his ball of bath powder — saturated,
moisture-laden, permeated within and without — would nevertheless not
drip; even so, the monk permeates, suffuses and fills this very body
with the rapture and pleasure born of withdrawal. There is nothing of
his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born from
withdrawal. This is the first development of the five-factored noble
right concentration.
Samadhanga Sutta

Delay is a viable strategy, so long as you capitalize upon the delay time with concentration and a wholesome mind. I wish you well.

user471: Delay is not a viable strategy.
Instead you should use a wholesome mental reflection, in the spirit of the following sutta quote:

“And for the sake of what benefit should a woman or a man, a
householder or one gone forth, often reflect thus: ‘I am the owner of
my kamma, the heir of my kamma; I have kamma as my origin, kamma as my
relative, kamma as my resort; I will be the heir of whatever kamma,
good or bad, that I do’? People engage in misconduct by body, speech,
and mind. But when one often reflects upon this theme, such misconduct
is either completely abandoned or diminished. It is for the sake of
this benefit that a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth,
should often reflect thus: ‘I am the owner of my kamma, the heir of my
kamma; I have kamma as my origin, kamma as my relative, kamma as my
resort; I will be the heir of whatever kamma, good or bad, that I do.’
AN 5.57

There is a sutta quote about moderation in eating:

“When a man is always mindful,
knowing moderation in eating,
his discomfort diminishes,
and he ages slowly, taking care of his life.”
SN 3.13

Perhaps your mental reflection can be along the lines of reflecting on what long term suffering will be brought on by consumption of junk food. You will be the owner and heir to the consequences of this action.

-1: <p>I noticed that for me, it is very difficult to cease certain behaviours, such as eating junk food for example. Does Buddhism suggest a benefit to delaying such behaviours to later in the day, as opposed to early on? Is there an inherent benefit in delay, or does it change nothing, given the behaviour will have occurred that day anyways?</p>
<p>Is delay a viable strategy for urges?</p>
 17652: <p>My friend,</p>
<p>What you're describing is the temporary suppression of sense desire, but if, during what you call the <em>delay period,</em> there is no <a href="https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kusala-citta" rel="nofollow noreferrer">kusala citta</a> brought about by right concentration  - or an inclination towards dharma discovery - then your efforts would be a waste of time. That is entirely the point; to quell the sensate noise such that you can realise ever more subtle parts of the mind; regions of mind that will spur you forward with curiosity, motivation and newfound discoveries, and may just blow your mind to smithereens only to leave behind a glorified, unmovable wisdom that no single person can claim!</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The Blessed One said: &quot;Now what, monks, is five-factored noble right concentration? There is the case where a monk — <strong>quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities</strong> — enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal.</p>
<p>&quot;Just as if a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice would pour bath
powder into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again
and again with water, so that his ball of bath powder — saturated,
moisture-laden, permeated within and without — would nevertheless not
drip; even so, the monk permeates, suffuses and fills this very body
with the rapture and pleasure <strong>born of withdrawal.</strong> There is nothing of
his entire body unpervaded by rapture and pleasure <strong>born from
withdrawal.</strong> This is the first development of the five-factored noble
right concentration.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an05/an05.028.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Samadhanga Sutta</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Delay is a viable strategy, so long as you capitalize upon the delay time with concentration and a wholesome mind. I wish you well.</p>
 471: <p>Delay is not a viable strategy.</p>
<p>Instead you should use a wholesome mental reflection, in the spirit of the following sutta quote:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“And for the sake of what benefit should a woman or a man, a
householder or one gone forth, often reflect thus: ‘I am the owner of
my kamma, the heir of my kamma; I have kamma as my origin, kamma as my
relative, kamma as my resort; I will be the heir of whatever kamma,
good or bad, that I do’? People engage in misconduct by body, speech,
and mind. But when one often reflects upon this theme, such misconduct
is either completely abandoned or diminished. It is for the sake of
this benefit that a woman or a man, a householder or one gone forth,
should often reflect thus: ‘I am the owner of my kamma, the heir of my
kamma; I have kamma as my origin, kamma as my relative, kamma as my
resort; I will be the heir of whatever kamma, good or bad, that I do.’<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/an5.57/en/bodhi" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AN 5.57</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>There is a sutta quote about moderation in eating:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“When a man is always mindful,<br />
knowing moderation in eating,<br />
his discomfort diminishes,<br />
and he ages slowly, taking care of his life.”<br />
<a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn3.13/en/sujato" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 3.13</a></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Perhaps your mental reflection can be along the lines of reflecting on what long term suffering will be brought on by consumption of junk food. You will be the owner and heir to the consequences of this action.</p>
