"Habits are mindless and automatic, which is why they are so good at getting us through the week. Each day, if we had to remember every little action as if it were a new task, we would go crazy. The trick is to identify and shift the habit that acts as a catalyst for the other (troubling) habits, while maintaining the habits that help us stay on track."
"We tend to think getting healthy is just about improving our diet: If we eat a certain way, we will reach our goals. However, most people know it's not as simple as it sounds-our habits, which we refer to as "slip-ups" or "poor willpower," often get in the way. To shift and remedy this, we must first look at the whole dieting process in a different way."
"You wake up feeling tired and rushed, so you don't have time for breakfast; you stop on the way to work for coffee and a sugary "breakfast" item. Around 11 a.m., you crash from the sugar withdrawal and have another snack. You then skip lunch because you have been "bad," or eat a salad to make up for the morning choices."
Habits operate automatically and guide daily behavior, so identifying the habit that catalyzes unhealthy choices is essential. Habit awareness requires curious, nonjudgmental self-observation. Common patterns include skipping breakfast, consuming sugary snacks, midafternoon energy crashes, skipping lunch, and evening overeating as a reward. These cascading choices lower energy and mood, increase hunger, and make restraint harder, reinforcing cycles of relapse and rationalization. Effective change targets root causes by shifting catalyst habits and maintaining helpful routines so healthier behaviors become automatic. Addressing emotional triggers and creating structured, nourishing routines reduces exhausting decision fatigue and supports sustained health.
Read at Alternative Medicine Magazine
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