In the first article in this series, we gave you an overview
of the stages of change in Prochaska’s Transtheoretical
model. The first three of these stages are all about getting
started. They apply to anyone who’s not actually regularly
exercising at the moment. If you were active in the past,
but don’t now (i.e. you’re in the “Relapse”
stage), then, motivationally speaking, you’re in one
of these stages. Just as a reminder,
the stages are:
- Pre-Contemplation: When you’re not active, not
thinking about it, and really don’t see why you
should be;
- Contemplation: When you’re thinking about getting
active, but not quite ready to get around to it yet; and
- Preparation: You’ve thought, you’ve decided,
and you’re making arrangements as you read this
– you’re just about to start, honestly!
PRE-CONTEMPLATION
If you’re at the Pre-Contemplation stage, you don’t
really want to change. Others might have said you should,
or you may have read something about why activity’s
supposed to be good for you, but deep down, you’re
not convinced. As far as you’re concerned, there’s
nothing wrong with your life exactly as is.
If this sounds like you, I invite you to take a candid
look at your life. Are you truly happy with how things are?
Look back over where you are now compared to where you were
ten years ago. If the same trend continued for another ten
years, would you honestly be happy with where you’d
end up?
If so, congratulations! You’re the only person who
knows what’s right for you, and no-one, including
me, can tell you how you should feel about it. If there’s
nothing you’d like to change about your exercise habits,
you probably don’t need to be reading this article.
If you find, however, that there are things about your life
that could be better, let yourself think about them. What’s
not exactly the way you want it?
What would your life look like if it *was* the way you
wanted it? What would you feel like? You don’t have
to do anything right now to change – just let yourself
think about what could be better.
CONTEMPLATION
If you’re at this stage, you know you want to make
a change, and you’re thinking about what your life
might be like if you make it. You’re not quite ready
yet though, and that’s OK. Instead of beating yourself
up for not having started yet, take a deep breath and give
yourself a chance to really explore why you want to get
more active.
What exactly do you want? To become healthier? Stronger?
To slim down or tone up? Why do you want it? What difference
will it make in your life? These are questions that will
help to make it easier to stay motivated in future.
Think about how you could turn what you want into a specific,
measurable goal. Ensure sure that goal is big enough to
inspire you, but realistic enough that you don’t believe
it’s doomed to failure from the beginning. If you
have a *really* big goal (for example, to lose a large amount
of weight, or to compete in a sporting event), think about
breaking it down into a series of smaller goals.
Consider starting a fitness journal to answer these questions
(if you already keep a journal, just write them in there).
Once you’re sure you’re crystal clear on why
you want to exercise, you’ll find yourself moving
naturally into the next stage – your ‘why’
will drive you to thinking about the ‘how’
PREPARATION
At this stage, you’ve decided that the need for
change is stronger than the need to stay the same, and you’ve
started thinking about how to make it happen. You might
contact a gym, call a personal trainer, or just decide to
go for a regular walk.
If you’re here now, it’s time to start exploring
how you’re going to make your goal happen. There are
many ways to be active, and it’s important to find
what’s right for you. The quickest way to kill your
motivation is to just throw yourself into the first exercise
programme you come across and expect willpower to keep you
going. Willpower may be a factor, but
your programme also needs to be enjoyable, convenient, and
work for your budget. Some possibilities you may want to
consider include:
- Gym classes
- Dance
- Martial arts
- Mind/body activities like yoga or t’ai ch’i
- Walking/hiking/running
- Cycling
- Swimming
- Weights training
Record your research and thoughts in your fitness journal.
If you can’t find anything that sounds like it will
be convenient, enjoyable and affordable, think about consulting
a fitness professional. Chances are, if you understand where
you want to be and why, as you start investigating how you
can create routines that will get you there *and* let you
enjoy yourself when you do, you’ll find yourself itching
to get started.
Which is when you move into the next stage - Action.
>>
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