Ask yourself…

My last post was a list of the habits I believe help make behavior change successful (it was based on a very popular and widely used behavior change theory, which happens to be one of my favorite theories–the transtheoretical model). This post is going to address something people should do before they make a change, but often don’t. When this isn’t done, we basically set ourselves up for failure.

What am I talking about?

I’m talking about asking yourself a core set of questions. These questions are designed to let you know if you are ready for change, and also helps you identify any barriers or obstacles that may be preventing you from succeeding.

Why is this important? Can’t I just ask myself “Am I ready for change?” and be done with it?

No.

Being ready for change involves more than just asking that question, although you should begin your self-reflection with “Am I ready for change?”

After asking yourself that, think about why you answered “yes” or “no.”

If you answered “no,” follow-up with these questions. I would recommend writing your answers in a journal or save it in your computer. When you do answer “yes,” it would be helpful to go back to this list of answers and understand what is different about you now and what helped you answer “yes.”

Anyway, on to the questions.

If you answered “no,” immediately ask yourself why. It’s not helpful just to brush off the question with a quick, huffy “no” and move on to the next subject. Take some time and write down the first thought that came into your mind after saying “no.”

For example, if you’re trying to lose weight and you feel you aren’t ready, ask why. The first thing that comes into your head, for example, may be “I don’t have time” or “I don’t want to give up the foods I love.”

Next, follow up on that initial reason why.

• Is it a reasonable response?
• Is there a way for me to change that reason?
• If there is a way to change that reason, why am I not doing it now?

Let’s say you answered with “I don’t have time.” Try this for a day: make a list of what you actually do during the day, and for how long. I think many people will be surprised with the time they could save by reducing the amount of time spent on Facebook, checking email, and watching TV. Some people spend hours on the Internet each day, looking at webpages that are designed to be timewasters!

Once you become aware of just how much time you spend doing things that are probably not that important, you will begin to see where you could fit in time to make a healthy behavior change. You don’t need hours each day to exercise; 30 minutes will do, especially if you’re just beginning or coming back from a hiatus.

Also, ask yourself these questions:

• In the past, what has kept me from making this change?
• Are there significant barriers that prevent me from changing, such as not exercising outdoors because of unsafe streets?
• If given all the resources in the world that I think I need to make this change, would I make the change?
• What do your family and friends say about the behavior change (ex. what does your spouse think about exercise) ?
• Would you feel better about yourself if you make the change?
• Will the change make your life better?

There are many more questions you could ask, but these get the job done. The purpose is to make you aware of your own thought processes, and eventually helping you to figure out how to change your thoughts to set yourself up for success.

The questions you should ask yourself if you answer “yes” to “Am I ready for change?” will follow.

As usual, leave your comments!

7 Habits of Effective Behavior Change

So I have a break from studying at the moment, and I was thinking about what I should write about on my blog. Right now I’m studying health promotion programming, which is basically how to come up with interventions to help people make desired behavior changes, such as losing weight, increasing physical activity, and quitting smoking. If you’re trying to make any kind of behavior change, it’s important to know how you can successfully do that.

1. Know where you are mentally and emotionally. Are you even thinking about losing weight? Do you try to avoid anything that reminds you of your need to get more physical activity? Or have you already taken some steps towards the behavior change such as buying a self-help book or joining a gym? Once you figure out where you are mentally, you can prepare yourself for the next step.

2. Prepare your environment. If you know you need to change your diet, why would you make unhealthy foods easily accessible by having them in your house, car, or office? You won’t be able to make change if you’re stuck in the same environment that caused the problem.

3.Make a contract with yourself or others. Behavioral studies show that people who sign a contract, even one that is simply a statement of intent for the change, have a better chance of reaching their goals. Once you sign the contract, make copies of it and post it in highly visible locations.

4.Hold yourself accountable. When making behavior changes, you have to have a sense of accountibility. Many people accomplish this by joining a support group or hiring a professional, such as a personal trainer. If you have to report to someone or have paid a good amount of money to achieve your goal, you are more likely to stick to your plan.

5. Speaking of making a plan, make sure you have a plan. How do you know where you are headed if you don’t have a plan that can direct you? Or, how do you know you have achieved your goal if you don’t know what your goal is? Having a plan of attack can help keep you focused and serve as a measuring stick to help you determine how far you have come, and how much further you have to go.

6. Reward yourself. We all deserve treats every once in a while. Human behavior is influenced by a system of rewards and consequences. Children are taught good behavior by being rewarded for that behavior; for example, teachers often reward students who improve in their grades with a classroom party or some other kind of recognition. Figure out what kind of reward will motivate you and use that as a motivating tool (I would work extra hard in school if I rewarded myself with an all-out trip to the spa).

7. Don’t be shy. Tell others about your goal. Knowing that your best friend will be questioning you on your progress every time you spoke is a pretty big motivator. And when you reach a milestone in your quest for change, make sure others know about it.

These are all important concepts in behavior change, and make sure you use these habits as you work towards a healthier and more fit life!