CIRCLE OF CHANGE
Changing habits and learning new ones is a process that consists of several stages.
PRE-CONTEMPLATION
You have no intention to change
CONTEMPLATION
You are thinking about getting healthier, but you are not quite sure how to start.
You are not sure how to find the right food plan and exercise.
You feel you want to get healthier, but you are not ready to start.
PREPARATION
You are starting to make plans.
You go out and buy the runners and exercise clothes.
You start thinking about healthier food option and you go and stock up healthy food in the kitchen.
ACTION
You have started exercising.
You have made healthy changes to your diet.
You have taken on new behaviours that lead to a healthy life style.
MAINTENENCE
You are now used to your new habits.
You are able to stick to your routine without thinking about it too much.
You had slip ups but you managed to learn from them
You are looking for creative ways to stick with your new routine.
RELAPSE
After making changes, some people will return to their previous problem behavior. This can happen at any time during the stages described above. Not everyone will experience relapse, but it is always a risk.
The key is to learn from a relapse and not beat yourself up over it and also to understand that it is normal and part of the change process.
AFTER A RELAPSE MAKE YOUR NEXT MEAL A HEALTHY ONE!
Don’t focus on how hard you might find it to get back on track, keep the focus on just your next meal.
Reflect on what changes have you made already.
Write on a piece of paper all the things you do differently now.
It’s so important to reflect and look back on the changes you have made already. This will keep you motivated and also changes can creep in through the backdoor and you may not even notice them.
