Transforming Resolutions Into Action

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Sometimes, a little advice goes a long way. And, sometimes, advice goes nowhere. So much depends on the person who is listening. Are they ready to hear it? Do they feel the need for a change? Especially when it comes to actually taking action to change behavior.

The well-known Transtheoretical (Stages of Change) Model, developed by Prochaska and DiClemente, breaks down the path to action and beyond. To review, the stages are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Action is the fourth stage. It is apparent that it can take a while to get to the action stage. However, it can mean that by the time someone gets to the action stage, they are really in the game. They have figured out what they are willing to do.

The New Year is a time of change.

Since it is January as I write this, and since I have spent decades in health and fitness, I am well aware of the dreaded New Year’s resolutions that can come along this time of year. Gym memberships swell, and diet programs are doing their best business of the year.

Perhaps that is not all bad! When the new year comes along, we are encouraged to look inward and ask ourselves if there is anything we would like to do differently. This can apply to many areas of our lives, like our jobs, careers, family, where we live, and how we look after ourselves. We take a look at our priorities, our goals, and our hopes. To sum it up, this all relates to our personal well-being, happiness, and good health.

Change is not that easy.

One of the problems is when our hopes and aspirations involve magical thinking. That is, it is more about hoping than actually making plans to execute. It can sound like this: “I am going to spend more time taking care of my yard this year.” “I am going to wake up an hour earlier so I can empty my email box every day.” “I am going to stop hating cats.” And, the classic, “I am going to lose weight and exercise more.”

Losing weight and exercising more are words that can be kicked around and end up as a cliché. Sometimes it is just a vague notion that doesn’t connect to who we really are.

To help with losing weight and exercising more, there is lots of advice:

• Pack your gym bag the night before.
• Find a walking buddy.
• Switch to a Mediterranean diet.
• Think again before you dive into a bag of chips.
• Meditate.

Not bad things. But, if we take the Transtheoretical Model seriously (it has been widely studied since the late '70s), what can be done for the people who are not ready to pick up the gauntlet? Can we hit them up a bit earlier in their journey? Is there a way to encourage some prep work that will lead to action? Something that can preempt some of the usual advice and get people thinking differently?

Start the process differently.

There are some granular suggestions that can be given to people even before they are ready to take action. These suggestions can be made to people in the contemplation or perhaps preparation category in the Stages of Change Model. They are designed to nudge people toward change by providing easy-to-achieve success, unique strategies, directed learning, and some mindfulness. People may come to realize that change does not have to be seismic; it is more accessible than they thought.

Here they are:

1. Wear sneakers more often.

I have seen people show up for exercise programs or physical therapy wearing sandals, unsupportive flats, even heavy hiking boots. Are these folks ready for exercise physically and mentally? Probably not.

Wearing sneakers can tip a person toward getting up and moving around at a moment’s notice. Sneakers are for moving. They put you in the mood. Also, it eliminates the mentality of “Now I am going to exercise because I am changing for the gym (or other activity).”

Research tells us again and again that we need to get up and move at least every hour, if not more. Wearing sneakers means that movement is possible at any given time. That is a completely different mentality from sitting and then going to an exercise event (or not going at all).

2. Join the war against junk food.*

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Science tells us that our brains hate junk food, in the functional sense. Unfortunately, our brains light up and tell us that junk food is rewarding, even self-enhancing. Junk food plays tricks on us. It is telling us to eat more of it (e.g., How many Cheetos does it take to make you feel full?). It feels like you have to eat more to get true satisfaction.

Real satisfaction comes from real food. That is what our brains and bodies actually use to function. What is a good way to start? Make a list of junk food items that are usually eaten (definition below). Then, just pick one or two items to cut back on or eliminate. It doesn’t even have to be a favorite. The point here is to start taking stock of items being consumed that could be replaced with something healthier.

*Junk food streamlined definition: Food imitators made with thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, added sugars ending in -ose, and artificial anything.

3. Learn something about how the body works.

Learning some basic biology can go a long way toward discerning what we need to do for our bodies. It can help when it comes to information we come across, what is pushed on media, or even in conversations with a doctor. Becoming more savvy brings understanding that there is no one drug or one vitamin that is going to be the answer to well-being, happiness, and health.

In summary: Our bodies and minds are incredibly complex and wonderful, and learning just a few basics can help us do right by them. A bit of knowledge can also go a long way toward feeling more capable of making some changes.