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Health & Fitness

5 Steps to Changing a Loved Ones' Attitude Towards Fitness

Everyone probably has someone that may need help. It is that family member, or a friend, a partner that you see struggle with their weight or other health issue. They may admit they need to work on their health or they may appear completely oblivious towards the issue. You want to help them change but are unsure how to get the ball rolling. What is important is not how to get this person to change, but to gain understanding at what level they are at to make a change for their health.

A well-accepted theory examining health behaviors is called the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM) (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1984). More commonly called the stages-of-change model. Not everyone is necessarily ready to start a regular exercise program and exploring what stage they, or yourself,  are at may give cues as to how to begin. 

The Stages of Behavior Change are divided into five categories:

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1) Preconception – The individual is unaware of the problem or believes nothing they do will solve it. At this stage information is the key and by providing information on how inactivity is causing health issues might lead the person to consider making a change. People can spend years and even decades at this stage. At best, encouraging an annual checkup by a medical physician might be eye opening. Many health care plans offer this for free. 

2) Contemplation – At this stage the individual is aware that there is a problem and is weighing the pros and cons. They may be unsure how to change. This is the stage when the “us versus them” feeling is tested. People may feel unsure to begin because they are not as athletic as the people in the exercise class or they are not the type to go jogging around their neighborhood. Invitations can be key to helping a person at this stage. Inviting them to go for a light walk around the neighborhood and asking questions about why they feel unsure about getting active can help. If they have medical issues, like a bad knee, it might be worth getting a physician to review the injury for activity. Many physicians are now prescribing modified physical activity to assist with injuries.

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3)  Preparation – In the preparation stage the person is seeking opportunities to participate in an activity. Lets get moving! Finding what activity you actually enjoy is the key to having physical fitness. Some may be passionate about yoga while some may want to be a part of a jogging club. Be open and encourage your loved one to try several activities before they settle. Your interest in cycling may not be their interest. Once they find an activity they enjoy, they can find a group that is also interested in the same activity and can encourage them to stick with it. 

4) Action – With the Action stage exercise becomes a habit and the person desires opportunities to maintain activities and is willing to fully change beliefs and attitudes towards exercise. Habit is the key to health. This is the stage of being on a “fitness kick”. While this is a great stage where one may feel fully in charge of their health, this is where the danger for lapses to old, unhealthy behavior may happen. The key here is to be aware of triggers and create plans to prepare of them. Does getting into an argument with a loved-one make you head to the cookie jar? Plan ahead.

5) Maintenance – This is a great stage where the person is empowered and yet still maintains a desire to adhere to the plan. At this stage if lapses happen, the person has the tools to deal with them and get back to the plan. Its the maintenance stage where the foundation has hardened enough to where the fitness habit is a part of the persons life and even with lapses they have the tools and willingness to continue on.

Where are you? Where is your loved one? At hard as it may be, you cannot get an individual in the Precontemplation stage to instantly decide to be fit because of your suggestion. Rarely do unhealthy people do what we think they should do with regards to health. It is very much about asking questions and how they feel to gauge where they are at, then respecting those stages.

 

Caroline Hawkins is a certified Personal Trainer and Health Coach from the American Council of Exercise. As owner of the fitness and employee wellness company Train for Today (www.trainfortoday.com), she has trained clients on building strength and losing weight through a holistic approach to health.


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