15kg goal, building habits that run on autopilot so willpower is not doing all the work

How a habit works

A habit has 3 parts. A cue that sets it off, a routine you follow, and a reward that makes you want to do it again. The kettle goes on, you reach for the biscuit tin, you get a little lift. Changing the routine while keeping the cue and the reward is far easier than trying to fight the cue itself.

Linking new routines to old ones

The easiest new habit is one you attach to something you already do every day.

• When the kettle boils, eat a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts instead of a biscuit.
• When you park the car, take the longer route on foot to the door.
• When you sit down to dinner, fill a glass of water first.
• When you shop, fill the basket with vegetables before anything else.

Change the room, not yourself

What you see is what you eat. Put fruit on the counter and the crisps in a high cupboard. Keep a jug of water on your desk. Serve meals on a smaller plate. These changes take 10 minutes once and keep working every day after.

When shopping, the traffic light colours on the front of packs help you choose quickly. The NHS guide to reading food labels explains what green, amber and red mean for fat, sugar and salt.

A record that takes 1 minute

Writing down what you eat makes you notice patterns. You do not need an app or a spreadsheet. A tick in a notebook for each meal that followed your plan, and a note when it did not, is enough. After 2 weeks, you will see which days and which situations trip you up.

The NHS collects more practical ideas in its managing your weight section, from planning meals to staying active.

When a habit slips

Missing once does not undo a habit. Missing twice in a row is where it starts to fade. So the rule is simple. After a slip, get straight back to the routine at the next meal. Our page on how to stop yo-yo dieting explores this in more depth, and first steps to eating well helps if you are starting from scratch.

The best cue of all

For members of Bicester Nutrition, the strongest cue is the club itself. Breakfast together each morning before work sets the pattern for the whole day. You can see what that looks like on the Bicester Breakfast Club page on Facebook, and the first assessment is free.

This article shares general information. It does not take the place of advice from your GP or another health professional.