I have this bad habit when I go to the chirpractor in another town, to stop at the grocery store and buy a chocolate filled chocolate donut. It's usually the only thing I buy. But now every time I go I think I have to stop and get a donut! What are some good ideas to break a bad junk food habit?

Don't even allow yourself to go in the grocery store. Tell yourself "I will not buy this donut today" and you don't.

It becomes easier each time you don't do it but each time you give in, it is easier to give in the next time.

Pack a different healthy snack and then don't go by the store at all.

I would do both of the above, plus get myself something healthy. For several years, I rewarded myself after going to therapy with a McDonald's ice cream cone. When I wanted to stop that, I replaced it...for a while with a Starbucks Iced Tea, or an iced americano...something I enjoyed, that was on my plan.

What's worked best for me is to focus on what I can have rather than what I can't. Similar to mandilinn82 above, I would find something I really enjoy that works with my eating plan and substitute that for the treat I usually had, and look forward to eating that rather than think about how I can't eat the other thing I loved.

I also think that it's definitely true that saying no is like a muscle - the more you use it, the stronger it gets. The first time I said "No thank you" to the tortilla chips at a burrito place I go pretty often, I felt like I was going to die. It felt physically difficult for me to say the words. But I did, and it was kind of liberating; ever since, it's never been that hard.

Another trick I've used is to substitute a healthy option first and then say, "Okay self, if you eat this healthy option, and you STILL really, desperately want the Very Bad Thing, you can have the Very Bad Thing." And 90% of the time, I don't end up wanting the VBT. Hunger will push my mild cravings to crazy-out-of-control ones, and if I take the edge off of it with something healthy, I can usually resist temptation.

Just a few ideas! Good luck!

I like this choice

I really like all the suggestions so far.

Maybe remind yourself of what you want by sticking to your plan, or great things that have happened since being on plan (or unwanted things that used to happen at a higher weight that don't happen anymore). It's all the self-talk. Perhaps if you want to you can even keep it jotted down on a piece of paper that you can carry with you - what you want, how far you've come, etc.

Personally I find that if I make an exception and have something, I start to want to have it every day or more and more often. I experienced this in the last few days. It's making me entirely rethink making an exception by saying yes. But that's my experience - some people are okay with making the exception an exception You know what's best for yourself.

You either have to be strict with yourself and ban yourself from going into that grocery store. It's not even in your town so tell yourself that you have no reason to be there.
OR
You can plan in the chocolate donut. You'll need to find out how many calories are in the chocolate donut (and sometimes when you learn how many, that in itself puts you off), and then plan it into your day. So you can't have chocolate donut PLUS whatever you were going to eat that day. You'd need to have it planned in: if you have the chocolate donut, it might mean a lighter meal (think steamed veggies and fish) day along with a heavier exercise day (maybe an extra 20mins) for the next day or two.

For example, I've been craving Popeye's chicken for some reason for the past week and a half. So, I made an informed decision to get some. I looked up the nutrition info (which definitely changed what I would have ordered when I saw how much!) beforehand (last night), slept on the decision, and then re-worked my meal plan for the day. Stayed on plan, got my fried chicken (660cal for 2 pcs, no sides) and then for dinner tonight had some steamed tilapia and a green salad, and did an extra 30mins at the gym. I wouldn't do this everyday or every week or even every month because obviously, it's not particularly nutritious (and frankly it was nice but it didn't taste as wonderful as I remembered).

For me, substitution works well.
I do this in two ways.

First, pick a healthier - ON PLAN reward to replace the donut. Is there a NON-FOOD reward you can substitute? Perfect! If not, find something else to eat instead.

Second, reward yourself for your healthy choice. Changing your lifestyle is hard. Be kind to yourself. When you succeed in replacing that donut with a healthier choice, give yourself that extra - NON-FOOD reward. A new xxx that you wanted, a bubble bath, a pedicure or manicure, extra time to read a book, a nap, etc.

Reward positive behavior changes. Celebrate your success. The attraction that donut has will soon fade away!

I would also go home a different route or do something else to change it up. Like drive straight to a park and walk around. I was going to the chiropractor 2 times a week after my car accident. I would stop by starbucks on the way or afterwards. I only got an ice tea, but it was still money out the door. I still go way too often to get ice teas, but I've cut down. I tend to get really stuck in routines because my life has been really stressful lately. I cling to those food routines.

This type of bad habit, is one of the easier ones to break. It's not like you're there all that often. Yes, bring along a healthy snack and then there's no need to stop for food at all. Stay away from that store. It'll just feel strange the first time. You will see that you'll get through it with flying colors and the next time it won't seem so strange.