Module 4: Session #2:
Habit Loops

Video #1 - What Are Habit Loops?

Video #2 - Creating One NEW Habit Loop

The Habit Loop

Habit Loop

The habit loop is a framework for creating new habits and there are 3 parts of the habit loop:

PART #1: THE CUE
The cue is the trigger that prompts a behavior or habit.

There are several forms of cues –

There are six trigger types that can urge you to eat and turn to food:

Location triggers A particular couch, a specific room.
People triggers: Eating partners, family, friends, co-workers.
Sensory triggers: Smells, sights, feelings and sounds.
Emotional triggers: Certain emotions can trigger you to eat.
Activity triggers: Starting or stopping a particular activity.
Occasion triggers: Weddings, luncheons, and cocktail parties.

If for example, the smell of lemon pie wafting in the air triggers the mental cues to eat, then you know you have a sensory trigger.

If, turning on the TV after finishing dinner triggers you to think about food, then you have a sensory/activity that cue’s your mind to eat food that has nothing to do with your physical hunger, but about your desire to relax, numb out and watch TV.

PART #2 – THE ROUTINE
We are going to refer to the routine as the ACTION of eating when your body is not hungry.

Some eating routines might be entirely conscious, where others might be entirely unconscious.

The purpose of the work in this module is to shift any conscious habits and make unconscious patterns CONSCIOUS, so that you can change your habits to support the your health and weight loss goals.

PART #3 – THE REWARD
The third part of a habit is the reward. The reward refers to what the behavior does for you.

Some rewards benefit your health like removing makeup at the end of the day, so that you can keep your skin looking and feeling healthy.

Other rewards like overeating are more complicated.

On one hand, overeating might not benefit your weight, but once your brain begins to associate overeating, late night eating, or turning to food with the reward of relaxation, numbing out, feeling happy, giving you comfort, etc., you reinforce this behavior, even if you don’t want it.

Creating New Habits

Here are the steps to practice breaking old habits and creating new habits that support the life and health you want.

STEP #1. Identify the habits that are keeping you from having the health and body you desire.

Create a list of all the habits that you’d like to change and then identify the first habit that you’d like to transform.

STEP #2. Write out the current routine/action that is taking place.

STEP #3. Identify what you are REALLY craving.

Let’s say you put the kids to bed at 7:30 and come 9pm you find yourself craving chocolate. Pay attention to what you are really craving if you are not hungry but crave food.

Are you craving time to numb out, not feel, be left alone, be happy, fill up a lonely heart, etc.?

Just get clear what in fact it is that you are craving.

STEP #4. Try out different routines to elicit a similar reward.

If let’s say you know that you are craving time to numb out and relax, begin exploring new ways to relax.

What you desire is not what’s wrong, it’s that using food to give you the fun, the calm, the numbing out is a recipe for weight gain, and I know you want to change this.

Listening to your favorite song can elicit relaxation or love, or help you numb out in a new way.

Will it elicit the exact same feeling as what food does for you?

Probably not, BUT, it will help support you losing weight while transforming overeating habits. It might not be the same but the results will absolutely be worth it.

Taking Action

In this section there are two action items to take –

Step 1.
Explore your habits through the habit loop lens so that can determine the thoughts that are getting in the way that trigger you to turn to food.

Step 2.
Print out the Create Your New Habit Loop form so that you can see which one habit you are practicing getting in front of!