Whether or not you realize it, ALL habits that you create (or have created) follow the same three-step system.

When it comes to changing your habits, being aware of this three step system is the key to your success.

Let’s break down the three steps that are required for you to create ANY new habit:

1. REMINDER: For many of us, this is the step that is most often missed or overlooked. Before you even take action and implement your new habit, decide exactly how you plan to remind yourself to DO the new habit or action.

Are you trying to only snack on fruit versus processed snacks in the pantry? Great - how are you going to remind yourself to do that? Maybe your reminder includes a sticky note on the fridge or cupboard or pantry door asking if you chose fruit for your snack. 

Are you trying to include time to meal prep or add a workout into your routine? Great - Grab your calendar, find a time for either the meal prep or workout, and write it down! 

Are you trying to drink more water? Great - Set an alarm on your phone for 3 times a day to remind you to go fill up your glass of water. 

2. ROUTINE: While the reminder is often the most overlooked part of creating a new habit, the routine (or DOING the new habit) is often the most challenging because it requires you to change. 

Sometimes you won’t feel motivated to meal prep or workout… And most times the cookies and pretzels WILL look more appetizing than the pear… And other times you won’t want to walk downstairs to refill your water cut because your reminder (alarm) went off at an inconvenient time. But changing your habits requires you to do things that aren’t always comfortable and easy for you. 

3. REWARD: This is the BEST part of habit change! Once you’ve been completing the reminder and routine steps consistently enough, you achieve your desired outcome or goal! WOOHOO! 🥳

One last takeaway - these steps work for both positive habit change and self-sabotaging habits, like emotional eating. With emotional eating, the reminder or trigger is often a stressful event, the routine is eating for comfort, and the “reward” is weight gain or a stressful relationship with food.