Please join us tonight from 5:30-6:30pm for our monthly nutrition support group.
We will be discussing motivation and weight loss. Below is an article that I posted previously. This article can help you focus on how to stay motivated and get a good undersanding about where you are in your weight loss journey.
The Stages of Change
When you choose to begin a weight loss program your level of success will depend on how motivated you are to change - that comes from inside of YOU. Getting focused to lose weight requires a lot of planning and persistence for long term success. Dr. James Prochaska, a psychologist at the University of Rhode Island, recognized that not all individuals that want to change their lifestyle can do so with equal ease. He developed a model, termed The Stages of Change, that reflect the differences in motivation that people have for change. This motivation can fuel change or limit your success. Understanding this model can help you to determine what stage of change you are at, how to get to the next stage, and how to potentially keep the weight off for the long term.
Stage #1 - Precontemplation: There is n plan to make a change. Many of you know other people (or have been there yourself) who would benefit from losing weight, but are not interested. There is almost no chance of success for a sustained behavioral change in this stage. But, happily for you, you are not at this stage, as you are motivated to take the weight off.
Stage #2 - Contemplation: Most of you were probably here at one point. You realized you needed to lose weight, but were not ready to make a change. You were not ready to start a diet plan, the holidays were coming up, there was a party next week, you were to busy to exercise, etc., but again, you are here at the Center for Medical Weight Loss blog, so you have definitely contemplated making a lifestyle change and are certainly past this level of change.
Stage #3 - Preparation: This is the stage when you are ready to make a change. Many of you were at this stage when you started to research the weight loss programs available in the area. This is a great stage to start talking with nurses, doctors, and dietitians about weight loss options because you are clearly a motivated individual, interested in potential weight loss strategies. This stage really represents research.
Stage #4 - Action: You have decided on a weight loss strategy and are engaged in the program. This includes changing your eating habits, learning coping mechanisms, exercising, attending support groups and seeking support from family, friends, and health professionals. The greater your engagement in the path you have chosen for weight loss the more likely you are to become even more motivated – adding to your potential success at changing bad habits and leading you to a healthier and happier lifestyle. Although reaching the action stage is fantastic (you are clearly motivated) there are challenges at hand! Going out to dinner with family or friends, boredom, or just constantly thinking about the foods you shouldn't eat are all common and difficult situations to deal with as you are making a real lifestyle change. Keeping a journal, talking with family or friends, and participating in a weight loss support group can help tremendously with these obstacles. At this stage, it is important to focus on the emotional side of eating and understanding what motivates you to overeat. By understanding these food cues, you can develop coping strategies that do not include food.
Stage #5 - Maintenance: After reaching your weight goals you now need to focus on maintaining this targeted weight. This is one of the most important and often forgotten stages. It is often easy to fall back into old habits. It requires a continued commitment to making a lifestyle change for the long term. Continue to follow the skills you learned in the action stage -keep a food journal, continue to attend to your support system, exercise, weigh yourself on a regular basis, and follow up with your physician or dietitian on a regular basis. These are all essential elements to maintaining your success.
Stage #6 - Relapse: Failure in maintaining your new habits that support your new targeted weight is considered relapse (you don’t need to regain all the weight you lost, just lose the wonderful habits you fostered along the way!). Unfortunately, it is a part of the stages of change that many people experience, but the reaction to the stage will lead to either a further Relapse or bring you back into the Action and Maintenance stages. The most important thing to remember is that it is alright to relapse. A relapse is like falling off of a bike. The best thing to do is get right back on the bike and continue riding to where you were heading (action and maintenance) instead of focusing on the fall (relapse). Whether you ate something off of your eating plan for a meal, a day or a week, you can start again new the next meal or day. Focus on why the relapse occurred and use it as an opportunity to improve your habit formation during both the Action and Maintenance stages. Support groups, visits to the doctor or dietitian, and keeping a food journal are very important in preventing a relapse. Sometimes, you may experience a day of overeating and worry that you failed and you want to throw in the towel – DON’T. It is important to start the next day anew, and go back to the Planning, Action and Maintenance stages realizing that whether you had a hard day, week, or month, you can always remedy your situation with greater insight and motivation than you had the first time around.
