Ever wonder why your New Year’s resolution to hit the gym fizzled out by February, but you were able to get in shape at other times in your life? Or how about people who stopped smoking after decades of lighting up? Why didn’t they do it earlier?
Here’s why: People rarely permanently change their health behaviors on the spur of the moment. According to experts, most people gradually change their behaviors in stages. Whether it’s quitting smoking, exercising more, or losing weight, you’re likely to go through the following stages when making long-term improvements in your life:
Precontemplation. You’re not even thinking about making a change. You’re going to keep your present habits, and you don’t think they’re going to harm your health.
Contemplation. Now you’re thinking about changing, but it seems like too much hassle, and you don’t want to give up the pleasures of your current routine.
Preparation. You’re reading food labels, looking at gym memberships, or trying not to smoke in particular places. You’re getting ready to make a change.
Action. You’re making changes.
Maintenance. You’re incorporating your changes into your lifestyle for the long term and trying to prevent relapses. However, you may go back to your old habits and have to work through the stages again before you’re able to stick with your new habits long-term.
Here are some ways to move closer to making changes, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although these are about exercise, you can apply them to other changes, too:
- If you aren’t ready to start exercising, make a list of the benefits you’d get from exercising more, like more energy and fitting into your clothes better. What are some barriers that prevent you from exercising? Perhaps not enough time? What are some solutions to those barriers?
- If you’re thinking about exercising more, get tips from friends and family who are physically active on how they do it. Their suggestions and support may help get you going.
- As you prepare to start exercising more, make change a priority. Schedule time for exercise, and make it easy for yourself to exercise by keeping your workout clothes, shoes, and any equipment ready to use.
- Once you take action, give yourself credit for making healthy changes. Be aware that setbacks happen, and be ready to get going again if you let your new habits lapse.
Sources: American Academy of Family Physicians, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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