The Stages of Change

I'm working on a presentation and various other projects around transformations, tying together my weight loss and business transformations over the years.

One of the models my therapist uses to help guide me along is the Stages of Change model. While it's nothing groundbreaking, I think it's important to know what stage you're in and see how you react and move into different stages (and sometimes go backwards). Anyway, I thought I'd share a link that explains it for anyone that might be interested. http://www.aafp.org/afp/2000/0301/p1409.html

The stages of change are:

1. Precontemplation – no intention to change, underaware that a problem exists
2. Contemplation – aware of the problem, considering overcoming it but no commitment to take action
3. Preparation – Intending to take action within a set time frame
4. Action – modifying your behavior, environment, requires commitment, time and energy
5. Maintenance – working to prevent relapse, ongoing introspection and adjustments

I'm further breaking my own journeys into smaller bites, but I think no matter what change you make in your life, those really are the big stages we go through.

Rambling, but I thought it was interesting that it takes 4 stages to go through before you even get to taking action. Ah, us humans are complicated creatures :)

interesting....it probably applies to many things in life....as for wls, i guess I'm in D....but i already know that E will be my toughest part....good idea you have, breaking down into smaller bites (pun intended??)...

thanks for posting!

Yeah, I am vacillating between D and E right now, still need more action, but pulling myself along to maintenance too. I don't think it's a linear process at all and I flip flop around even though I know I need to get my butt back into D again. LOL!

Yep, I'm between D and E.

Been trying to decide if I'm done with WL and should I head into maintenance. But, those pesky (sp?) words keep banging around in my brain, "What the **** else are you going to do?" Damn I hate it when my own words slap me in the face.

I can tell though, that being in between D and E is opening me up to old habits and old ways of thinking about food. And really, in maintenance, I don't want to think about food those old ways either. I want goal. Then, I will figure out maintenance.

Yeah. I need to buckle down more too. I dunno. I just feel like I've been at it for too long now. LOL, I want to enjoy life and stop worrying about all this **** but again... what the **** else am I going to do... LOL

The good news is that I'm not spiraling as much as I have in the past. Small steps I suppose.

For me, enjoying life is what got me to "obese". I've done plenty enjoying since surgery. What I'm trying to do now is find joy in life that has nothing to do with food. Kind of re-center my thinking onto the activity and not the food at the activity.

Goal is still what I want - after all this time.

Yup, just figuring out what "enjoying life" means these days is tough sometimes. LOL. My inner child is the one that is screaming "screw it" but well, she can shut up.

Exactly! My husband is skinny and I can tell you that there are very few things he does that are food-centered. Food will be there, but that is not the part of the activity that brings him joy. He's a totally "just gonna live and enjoy life" type of person, but that almost never means he's looking forward to whatever food  or drink that is there.

This will always be a struggle for me - wanting to attach food to activities.

Exactly! I'm doing a cupcake decorating class with my daughter today. Used to be I'd be planning on when I'd eat which flavors. Now, I just look forward to the decorating part and spending time with her doing something we both enjoy. We bring home 2 dozen cupcakes, a dozen goes to neighbors and a dozen gets inhaled by my son. They have "samples" at the place we go to, those little miniature ones. I plan on having one if I want it, but it's not a requirement anymore to scarf down six of them.

I'm glad it's today and not last week. Monthly, there's 3-7 days where I can eat everything not nailed down. Not even real hunger, just visceral need to eat. Sigh. I'm getting better about not going insane and still only allowing myself XX extra calories. It's partially a head game and partially learning about yourself I suppose.

Yes damn-it we fun loving types are always in trouble...If you find something else that's fun, let me know.  I have lots of things that I enjoy but most of them involve sitting on my ass.