I'm sure you already know that weight loss and improved fitness don't happen overnight. But did you know that there are steps that you can take to improve your chances of weight loss success before you even start your healthier eating and exercise plan?
There are five distinct stages of behavioral change. Knowing what stage you are at now will help you to create a road map which will help you to achieve your future weight loss and improved fitness goals.
Here are the five major phases:
Stage 1 - Pre-contemplation:
This is the point where you don't feel that any change in your lifestyle is necessary. You may be thinking that exercising just takes too much time or that fast food is just too convenient to even consider giving up. Starting a fitness or healthier eating program during this stage would probably result in failure. The best thing you can do during this phase is to reassess your life goals and educate yourself further about health, diseases and risks.
Stage 2 - Contemplation:
During this stage you may start thinking that a change is necessary.
So, you think that maybe cutting back to eating fast food only three times a week is not so bad and you might be able to at least take a walk once in awhile. This is a good time to learn more about the benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise.
Stage 3 - Preparation:
At this point you are getting more serious about taking action. You've penciled in a walk with your friend for next week and are planning to go grocery shopping to cook a home meal. You may want to research exercise equipment, gyms, personal trainers, and healthier eating programs to learn more about what you can do to get in better shape.
Stage 4 - Action:
Here's where you actually take the first step. The first step may be as simple as taking a daily walk, reducing your fast food visits to twice a month or just cutting back on daily soft drinks and unhealthy snacks. Or, you may go as far as hiring a personal trainer or joining a gym. During this stage it is very important to learn coping mechanisms that will help you avoid relapsing into your old ways. One way to avoid exercise dropout is to form new healthy habits that lead to permanent lifestyle changes.
Stage 5 - Maintenance:
This is, of course, the stage that everyone should strive to be in. Being here means that you are exercising regularly and eating healthily most of the time. It is important throughout this stage (which should last the rest of your life) that you include a variety of exercise types or workouts that change relatively frequently. You should also seek and encourage the support of friends and family and include them wherever possible in the healthier aspects of your new life.
What stage are you in right now?
So, now can you identify what stage you are at? You may find that you are in the pre-contemplation stage for nutritional habits but that you are in the preparation stage for exercises. That's okay. It's not critical for you to force both areas into the same stage. You can work on changing your nutritional and exercise habits separately.
The key to success is first identifying your stage and then taking steps to advance to the next level (unless, of course, you are already at the Maintenance stage). Use the suggestions mentioned above in each stage to help you move to the next phase.
It's also important to tune-in to your fears, past struggles and expectations. Making nutritional and exercise changes is not easy and should be approached slowly. Remember to make small changes. Don't try to go from a completely sedentary lifestyle to an hour of daily exercise overnight. Build up slowly starting with even just 10 minutes of exercise every other day.
And lastly, be sure to inform your family and friends of your plans and enlist their support. Support is extremely important for anyone with weight loss and fitness related goals.
For all your weight loss and healthy lifestyle needs, visit www.weightloss.com.au and become a happier, healthier you.
Scott Haywood
detailed home cleaning Lake Forest ..As we look around at the current generation of children,... Read More
With the number of people suffering from obesity rising so... Read More
I am somebody who has had an ongoing battle with... Read More
Over two thirds of Americans are over weight, and half... Read More
According to the American Obesity Association, an astounding 64.5 percent... Read More
Losing weight and going on a diet can be quite... Read More
Are you one of the many who may be tempted... Read More
Adherence to diet for one year, not the specific diet... Read More
In a culture of blame-shifting we often look for someone... Read More
Obesity is a disease that is not caused by a... Read More
Are you someone who has, in the past, been on... Read More
Abdominal fat is now seen as a growing health hazard,... Read More
The loss of fat comes from fat cells all over... Read More
Are you one of the many people who feel frustrated... Read More
Let me tell you something - if you are doing... Read More
This Article was originally Published in The July 2004 Issue... Read More
Just about every one of us struggles with our weight... Read More
The following are diet tips that can help you shape... Read More
Fat Loss in GeneralThis morning I conducted a search engine... Read More
IntroductionObesity is the most common health problem facing children today.... Read More
One pound of fat equals 3500 calories. Want to lose... Read More
It seems there are two schools of behavior patients follow... Read More
1. Drink plenty of water. Our body needs a lot... Read More
In the early nineties I had the opportunity to work... Read More
What is a calorie? The definition of a calorie is... Read More
trusted cleaning company Des Plaines ..As a Master swimmer I am made painfully aware, each... Read More
If you pick the right personal trainer?you'll most definitely see... Read More
To really understand the impact of a protein diet, it's... Read More
A frequent question brand-new gastric bypass patients ask is "How... Read More
I am so grateful that you're taking steps to take... Read More
If you have been dieting and haven't lost weight, stop!... Read More
According to the American College of Surgeons, most severely obese... Read More
If you've been scouring the news, devouring as much information... Read More
The Atkins diet can be boring because of the limited... Read More
If You are sick of losing the same weight over... Read More
If it seems that you have been eating as usual... Read More
IT'S NOT ABOUT THE NUMBERS!The health clubs are always racking... Read More
CancerCoronary heart diseaseStrokeOsteoporosisMajor Depression from Brain StarvationHeadlines.WASHINGTON, Jun 22, 2004... Read More
You are the GREATEST, aren't you? You are focusing on... Read More
Diet PillsTaking diet pills is definitely not an effective weight... Read More
Ever wonder if you have a serious problem with binge... Read More
Over the last 30 years, research into food and blood... Read More
There is never any absolute certainty about what the nutritional... Read More
Some of you will not like what I'm going to... Read More
Abdominoplasty, or "tummy tuck" is a major surgical procedure that... Read More
If you are trying to lose weight you may find... Read More
In the early nineties I had the opportunity to work... Read More
Did you say there's a way I can eat what... Read More
No One I Know Looks Like a Bathing Beauty, so... Read More
If you're like most people who tried losing weight on... Read More
Weight Loss |