Before the Craving Hits: How to Outsmart the Trigger (No Willpower Required)

Knock out those cravings with a 1-2 punch.

You know that moment—when you go from “just stressed” to “elbow-deep in the chip bag” real fast? 🫣

Yeah. That’s not a willpower fail, babes. That’s your trigger doing its sneaky little thing.

Kerri hit the nail on the head in her latest blog about habit loops (go read it—it’s gold), and I want to zoom in on the first spark of that loop: the trigger.

The truth?

Most of us don’t even notice our triggers until we’re already 3 bites in. And that’s the problem. Because if you can’t see it, you can’t shift it.

So here’s my tip of the day: You don’t have to wait until the craving smacks you upside the head.

Instead, start tracking your patterns like a curious detective—not a judgy perfectionist.

Try this:

Next time you find yourself heading for a snack (or doom-scrolling, or reaching for wine, or whatever your thing is), pause and ask:

• What just happened?

• How am I feeling?

• Did something trigger this moment?

  
  

It might be stress. Boredom. A snarky email. Hormones. A certain time of day.

Once you spot your usual suspects, you’ve got power. You can prep for those moments ahead of time—with an actual plan instead of a pantry raid.

And if that trigger turns into a real pest? Hit it with a pattern interrupt.

Try putting 1–2 drops of peppermint extract right on the tip of your tongue.

It’s like giving your brain a little zap!—a sharp, minty “NOPE” that interrupts the signal bouncing around telling you to snack.

A simple, spicy trick to stop the loop before it starts.

Need to get a head start on your triggers and flipping the script? This is included inside weeks 1 and 2 of the Mind & Body Reset. It’s a game-changer.

And if you want the full 360 on habit loops—from trigger to reward and the science-y sauce in between—go binge Kerri’s blog right now → She’s breaking it down like a boss.

Let’s rewire those patterns, chickadee. One trigger at a time.