The Secret to Breaking Habits That Hold You Back
Habits are the foundation of our daily lives. From the way we eat and move to how we handle stress and care for ourselves. If you’re looking to overcome binge or emotional eating and improve your relationship with food and your body, understanding your behaviour patterns is key.
In my book, The Binge Freedom Method, one of the four Pillars includes insights in to the psychology of habits and how to create lasting change. Here are some aspects of your habits to consider.
Why Are Habits So Powerful?
Habits are automatic behaviours. They’re your brain’s way of conserving energy, allowing you to navigate day to day life efficiently. However, this can be both a blessing and a challenge. When habits are aligned with your goals, they work in your favour. But when they’re not, they can feel impossible to break.
The good news is that habits are not fixed. With the right strategies, you can rewire your brain and build new, healthier behaviour patterns.
The Habit Cycle
All habits follow a simple three-step process I call the habit cycle:
Cue: A trigger that starts the behaviour (e.g., a stressful event).
Routine: The behaviour itself (e.g., reaching for a snack).
Reward: The benefit you get from the behaviour (e.g., temporary relief from stress).
To change a habit, you need to understand its cycle and find ways to address each element.
Strategies for Habit Change
1. Identify Your Triggers
Start by becoming aware of what prompts your habits. Is it certain emotions, times of day, or environments? Keep a journal to track patterns.
2. Replace the Routine
Instead of trying to eliminate a habit, focus on swapping the routine for a healthier alternative. For example, if you tend to snack when bored, try going for a short walk or do a relaxation technique instead.
3. Focus on Small, Consistent Changes
Big overhauls can feel overwhelming. Instead, start with one small change at a time. Small wins build momentum and create a ripple effect of positive habits.
4. Use Positive Reinforcement
Celebrate your progress. Each time you successfully choose a new behaviour, acknowledge it. This strengthens the new habit’s reward cycle.
5. Practice Self-Compassion
Breaking old habits and forming new ones takes time. If you slip up, don’t beat yourself up. Reflect on what happened, and refocus on your goals.
Understanding Emotional Habits
In many cases, our habits around food are deeply emotional. We use eating as a way to numb discomfort or avoid difficult emotions. That’s why addressing the emotional aspect of habits is essential.
In The Binge Freedom Method™, I discuss how to:
Recognise your triggers for emotional eating.
Develop healthier coping mechanisms for stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.
Build a toolkit of self-soothing practices that don’t involve food.
The Role of Mindset in Habit Change
Your mindset plays a significant role in your ability to form new habits. If you believe you’re “bad” or “weak” for struggling with certain behaviours, it’s harder to change them. Instead, approach habit change with curiosity and kindness. View each step as an experiment rather than a test of willpower.
Transforming habits takes time, but remember, each small step forward brings you closer to a healthier relationship with food, your body, and yourself.
If you’re ready to dive deeper into the strategies for habit change and all aspects for overcoming binge and emotional eating that must be addressed , The Binge Freedom Method™ offers practical tools and insights to guide you on your journey.