Changing Behaviors
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Behavior change happens slowly, and it's unrealistic to expect that habits you have had for years will easily change overnight. Researchers Prochaska and DiClemente have observed that people who are successful at changing habits typically follow a sequence of activities and attitudes that can be described in stages:
- Precontemplation: You are not ready to think about making changes.
- Contemplation: You start thinking about making changes.
- Preparation: You decide to make changes.
- Action: You are making changes.
- Maintenance: The changes have become automatic; you no longer need to think about them.
During the time of behavior change, you will find yourself moving back and forth between the stages. Michael Samuelson writes, "With behavior change, there is no such thing as failure. Change occurs on a continuum; sometimes we leap, sometimes we crawl and sometimes we slip back..."
Choosing to change your eating and exercise habits is a personal decision that requires commitment and effort. Honor your commitment to make lifelong healthful changes by always doing the best you can, and a slip won't turn into a failure.
Healthy regards,
Megan Porter, RD
