Decode the Loop

Journalist Charles Duhigg made this loop famous in The Power of Habit: cue, routine, reward, running on repeat. Your basal ganglia executes it automatically, no permission needed.

Start with the routine, because it is the part you can already see. Then hunt for the real reward behind it. When the urge to snack hits, are you actually hungry — or bored, or just craving a two-minute break? Test it: take a walk instead, or chat with someone, and watch whether the urge fades.