Have you been struggling to maintain a healthy behavior such as exercising regularly or eating more fruits and vegetables? If so, you might not be completely ready for it just yet. The problem is that having an intention to change a particular aspect of your lifestyle usually is not enough. Besides, it is common to be overly optimistic when you set a goal. Most people set goals thinking of the perfect world (in which there are no family emergencies, work obligations, or social events) and purposefully ignore potential barriers to the new behavior. Unfortunately, this approach only sets you up for failure.
One thing to have in mind is that change is a long-term process. According to the Transtheoretical Model, this process occurs in stages. The first stage is called pre-contemplation. A person in this stage has no current intention to change. This may be because the person doesn’t consider the issue important enough or because he/she doesn’t believe in his/her ability to change. The second stage is the contemplation phase, in which the person now acknowledges that there is a problem and may be considering doing something about it. The third stage is the preparation phase. People in this stage are getting ready to act, meaning that they are developing plans which will make the change possible. Next comes the action stage, in which the individual is starting to practice the desired behavior according to his/her plans. The final stage is the maintenance phase, in which the new behavior has been incorporated into the individual’s lifestyle for at least six months.
I know that you must be thinking “why is this information relevant?” The truth is that knowing exactly where you are in the change process increases your odds of succeeding. This is essential in creating adequate strategies to help you move forward. People in the early stages of the process (pre-contemplation and contemplation phases) may lack the motivation and confidence to implement a plan of action. Therefore, setting a behavior goal at this stage is not only premature but also ineffective. At this point, your goals should be creating awareness of the problem behavior (smoking, sedentary lifestyle, or poor dietary habits), which could be accomplished by reading, attending lectures, or watching documentaries about the subject. Another helpful strategy for these stages is social and environmental control, i.e., purposefully manipulating your environment to facilitate the desired behavior. This could be translated into spending more time around people who share similar health beliefs as yours. Environmental control may be accomplished by doing a pantry makeover (ditching all unhealthy foods) or parking the car far away from the office entrance to make you walk more (even if it is only a few extra steps).
For the ones in the contemplation stage, reading stories or watching movies related to the desired behavior (successful weight-loss, or becoming an athlete after an accident, for example) may give you the motivation you need to move to the preparation stage. Another helpful strategy is imagining your world after change. What would be different? How would you feel? The goal is to find as many positive aspects to tip the scale towards changing.
If you’ve already passed those early stages, congratulations – you are on the right path. However, starting a new behavior is not the same as maintaining it for life. To keep you on track, you may want to enhance your commitment through contracting. This means writing down your goal and placing it in a visible place such as the fridge door. Keep in mind that telling other people about your goals increases your commitment because it creates accountability. So, tell your friends and family members and ask for their support. Social support, by the way, is a very important tool at any stage of change. Receiving regular compliments for your efforts, improves you self-confidence. You may also want to establish a reward for your accomplishments. It could be something like a massage, or a new pair of shoes. But remember that you must be fair; if you don’t achieve your goal, you don’t get the reward.
The more advanced stages of action and maintenance also deserve your attention. This is because change doesn’t happen in a straight line, and lapses may occur. Thus, it is important to review your goals and plans of action periodically, adjusting them as needed. In this stage, you may choose to substitute healthy behaviors for unhealthy ones. An example would be going for a walk whenever you feel the munchies. In addition, you should be prepared for future adversities that may shake your original plans (such as family vacations or holiday parties). Creating strategies to overcome possible obstacles may help you maintain your progress in the long run.
No matter where you are right now in the change process, your goal is always to move forward. If you implement the adequate strategies for the stage you are in, you increase your chances of success.
References
Bauer, K, et al. Nutrition Counseling and Education Skill Development. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. 2012.
Bryant, C., et al, eds. ACE Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant Manual. The Ultimate Resource for Fitness Professionals. San Diego: American Council on Exercise. 2007.
Gavin, J. Lifestyle Fitness Coaching. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. 2005.