So happy we managed to get through 2012. The world didn’t come to an end on December 21st, it looks like we won’t fall from the fiscal Cliff, and Jillian’s back on “THE LARGEST Loser”! I was going to write about all of the newest fitness gadgets, trends, and diets, the year goes on and I’ll get to some of these as. But, no matter just how many trends are, from Richard Simmons to Zumba; the Shake weight to TRX the only way to see success with any planned program is to help make the commitment and put in the task YOURSELF.
No one is in charge of your happiness but you, and what you ought to realize is that there are many stages in the process of making a big change. Two analysts named DiClemente and Prochaska developed the Stages of Change Model. It was developed as a gauge for quitting smoking originally, but it’s been applied to those contemplating any behavior change in their life (Especially weight loss and exercise). The first of these stages is called precontemplation- In this particular stage we have no real intention of changing our behavior because we are either unaware of our behavior being truly a problem, or it just doesn’t trouble us very much.
We’ve actually never thought about having to change, or at least we’ve never thought about it seriously. We may have obtained suggestions about things we might need to improve from others-family, friends, doctors-but reacted negatively because we were quite pleased with our current habits. If you’re reading this blog, chances are you’ve moved beyond the first stage and have reached at least the next stage of contemplation. In this particular stage, we know about a need to change and intend to take action but lack the commitment to really start. We’ve begun to actively take into account the need to improve behavior, and that can last anywhere from an “aha” moment to an eternity.
Ironically, what we should think will produce this change isn’t often what does. The next stage of this model is that of preparation. We’ve decided to start changing our behavior within the next few weeks and also have a concrete plan of action, such as visiting the gym a certain variety of times or starting a specific diet plan. It’s the stage where we mentally start preparing ourselves, and physically often, for action.
We might sign up for a new fitness center or remove all of the “unhealthy” foods from out pantry. We schedule a start day. This is the culmination of the decision to change, and it fuels the engine that drives you to your goal. We all actually possess the capability to express an unlimited amount of dedication whenever we are properly motivated! And then once we start, we get to the stage of action finally.
We make the precise changes like waking up earlier, going for a walk in the morning, or sticking to a particular eating or food-type plan. We start to focus on effective strategies to continue the action; establishing rewards to encourage new manners and endeavoring to avoid high-risk situations.
As we begin to do this, we see changes, and we let the small changes continue to motivate us. So that as we continue the action stage, we must work to prevent a relapse also. Which stage is called maintenance. Continuing to access the fitness center every day. Continuing to monitor your intake of calories. And since starting fresh behavior usually seems like the hardest part of the procedure for change, we neglect to sufficiently plan the ultimate stage of maintenance often.