Changing Habits – How successful will you be?
Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of education to improve diet in family members of hospitalized cardiovascular disease patients. They used the stages of change questionnaire to determine participant’s readiness to reduce saturated fat intake.
Participants were divided into 2 groups. One group was the control (received no education) and one group received special intervention with diet education tailored to each individuals starting “stage of change”.
At the start of the study, cholesterol and saturated fat intake was lowest for participants in the maintenance phase. After 1 year, participants in the special intervention group saw the greatest reductions in cholesterol and saturated fat intake. This group was also less likely to revert to a prior stage of change. For example, they were less likely to go from “action” back to “contemplation”.
Why am I sharing this study?
I want you to realize that your success depends on taking action you are ready for. You will drastically increase your success if you make time to move through the stages versus jumping into a completely new behavior. Let’s say you know you need to be more active to lower your blood pressure. You’ve been thinking about it for awhile. Well, you don’t just suddenly start running 5 miles everyday. You have to prepare yourself. Make sure you have running shoes and look at your schedule to see where you’ll make time for activity. Maybe break it down into steps. Start with walking a mile, move up to jogging a mile, and then gradually increase your distance and speed. After you have a plan, then take action. Once you’re in action you have to look ahead and determine how you’re going to maintain the new healthy behavior long term.
Changing habits is a process.
You drastically increase your weight loss success if you take it step by step.
To learn more each stage of change, access the stages of change questionnaire, and tips to move forward go to http://www.hearthealthmadeeasy.com and get a copy of How to Make Heart Healthy Changes into Lifelong Habits.
All the best,
Lisa Nelson RD
https://lisanelsonrd.com
