A Time For Change: Stage 1 – Precontemplation

Changing our lives is not easy and as discussed in our last blog post there are five distinct stages that we must go through in order to achieve this change.  These changes can be as little as drinking one less cup of coffee each day or as big as entering a workout regimen in order to prepare for an Ironman.  Stage 1, precontemplation, is where almost 50% of the public is currently situated and getting past this stage can be very difficult.

This stage is marked by you not even thinking about change.  Your physical therapist, physician, spouse, family member, or friend may be urging you to make a change, whether it is working out more or eating better, for example.  During precontemplation you hold onto the belief that nothing needs to change and you think that things are fine the way they are.  You read a blog article or see a billboard explaining how much changing your health matters but you ignore it.  You sit there and say to yourself, “I am healthy; I am in good physical shape.”1  In your mind you are immune to any health problems that your peers or physical therapist is trying to explain to you.  If you have found yourself constantly dismissing the advice of others you may be stuck in this phase; here are some ways to move on to the next stage.

Weigh Your Options – In this stage “people tend to focus on the downside of adopting a healthy new behavior while ignoring the upside.”¹  Get past this by making a pro and con list.  Take out a piece of paper.  No, I mean right now, take out a piece of paper and write five to ten pros of changing to a new healthy behavior. On the other side write five to ten cons for changing.  Look at the two columns. “Is there a stronger case for or against making a change?”¹

Find a “Change Partner” – It is hard to take nutrition advice from someone who is extremely overweight.  Find someone who has made a change in their life that is somewhat similar to the change that you want to make.  If you have a physical therapist, friend, coworker or anyone else who wants to change or has changed their behaviors, start a conversation with them.

Just talking about your issue will catapult you into the next stage, Contemplation.  So start today.  Don’t worry about changing your unhealthy behavior now, just start to think about it and the consequences if you don’t change. Keep coming back as we will continue to talk about the next four steps, what they entail, what needs to be overcome and how to move to the next stage.

http://www.arthritisselfmanagement.com/newsletter/12-15-2011/time-for-a-change/?page=all

Image: http://www.integrityfirstreverse.com/pros_cons_files/stacks_image_51_1.png

A Time For Change: INTRODUCTION

Many people in America need to change in some way or another.  Americans have become unfit, unhealthy, overweight, have high stress levels, and deal with pain and disability on a daily basis.  We all could use a little help with changing our daily routine, our diets, and our other health habits to live healthier and more comfortable lives.  Everyone out there has some room for improvement.  The new year always comes with its ‘resolutions’ but the majority of people do not hang on to these for the long haul; this is part of the reason we need to have new resolutions each and every year.  “If you try to make a change but fail to stick with it, you may feel as if there is something wrong with you and your determination”¹  But there isn’t!

Almost everyone has trouble keeping the change in their life.  “Otherwise we would be a nation of calm thin, salad eaters.”¹  We need to understand that making change is an ongoing process.  In the late 1970’s a psychology professor found that in order to completely change, especially lifestyle changes, we need to go through five distinct stages.  Precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.

"Precontemplation is the stage at which you don’t intend to change a particular behavior in the foreseeable future. In the contemplation stage, you first start considering change, but you are still undecided about when to undertake it. That’s followed by the preparation stage, during which you make firm plans to change your behavior soon. Next is the action stage, when you actually begin exercising, dieting, or adopting some other healthy behavior. Finally, you reach the maintenance stage, by which time you have kept up the new behavior for several months. At this point, you are working to make your new habits permanent and trying not to backslide."¹

Does your physical therapist keep telling you that you need to correct your posture?  Does your physician tell you that you need to change your diet in order to decrease you blood pressure or control your diabetes?  Have you been thinking about losing weight?  Are you having a hard time joining or going to the gym?  If so, you are ready for change.  Let's do it!

Over the next couple blog posts we will talk about each of these steps, what they entail, what needs to be overcome and how to move to the next stage. 

1.  http://www.arthritisselfmanagement.com/newsletter/12-15-2011/time-for-a-change/