We often struggle to affect changes in our lives even when we know those changes will be for the better. Modifying our actions particularly in relation to dieting and weight loss can be extremely challenging. Although altering long-held behavior may be difficult, understanding the process of change may make the transition easier. The success of change often depends on your level of readiness. There are 5 stages or 7 elements of behavioral change.

Take a moment to think about your own feelings about change, then review the following Stages of Change and identify which stage most closely resembles your current situation.

Stages of Change
(Prochaska, 1997)

1. Pre-contemplation: a period in which people are not yet committed to taking action in the foreseeable future. Many individuals may be in this stage because they are unsure of the outcome of their behavior or because previous attempts to change have failed and feel they are incapable change.

2. Contemplation: the stage where people are planning to make a change in the foreseeable future. People in the contemplation stage consider the benefits and costs of change and are aware of possible consequences of their actions. However, this stage may last for an extended period of time, as contemplators may not to be quite ready to firmly commit to a change.

3. Preparation: the phase in which individuals commit to taking action in the near future, typically within the next month. People in the preparation stage have usually established a plan of action and taken some significant steps in the past year to make the plan of action viable.

4. Action: the period in which people have make visible alterations to their behavior. At this point, the modifications are generally significant enough to have an impact on overall health and reduce the risk of disease.

5. The Post-Action stage actually consist of three different elements

   1. Maintenance: individuals actively work to prevent relapse. As time passes, people are typically more confident that they can continue their changes.

   2. Relapse: a form of regression during which people re-enter an earlier stage of change even though they reached the point of action.

   3. Termination: the behavior modification has been completed and the individual no longer needs to actively seek to change.

Considering the stages outlined above, can you identify what Stage of Change are you in?

Making a Change

Often people outline vague goals which set them up for failure since there is no way to measure if you are achieving the goal. How often have you or a friend said "I will start dieting" or "I'm going to get fit" and never actually do?

The key to reaching the goals you desire to achieve is to set clear and specific SMART goals! A SMART goal is Specific, Measurable, Action-focused, Realistic, and Time-based. For example, instead of saying "I will get fit," set a waist line or dress size goal – "I will reduce my waist line by 8cm (3") over a six month span of time."

Active planning is an major part of SMART goal setting and the starting point of your journey toward change. Think about the activities you need to complete to reach your SMART goal and write-up them down. Invest in a diary or calendar where you can schedule and record your exercise and food intake. Eliminate items that tempt you relapse to your previous behavior. Most importantly, establish a solid support network. Seek out the guidance of a reputable nutritional expert, personal trainer or health professional for focused nutritional advice on safe and effective weight lose and healthy ways to maintain your new lifestyle!