KCFit.Net

Stages of Change

by Chris Culbertson, posted Jul 29th 2008, 19:58

Guest Blog by Patti Peterson of Patti Peterson, LPC, LLC (Originally posted in Interesting Info on 3/12/2008)

How many times have you started an exercise program, diet, or some other lifestyle change – only to fizzle out or talk yourself out of it.

How do you feel when that happens? Well, don’t beat yourself up emotionally! Every time we make a change in our lives we go through a process with several stages. The Stages of Change Model was originally developed in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s by James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente at the University of Rhode Island when they were studying how people were able to give up smoking or other addictions. Here they are:

Stage 1: Precontemplation

As the name suggests, you’re not contemplating changing anything. You either don’t realize you have a problem (although others around you may claim you do) or you are too demoralized to admit it or to think about trying to change. Your battle cry in this stage is “get off my back!”

Stage 2: Contemplation

This stage is primarily characterized by ambivalence. You’re not sure whether you want to change or not, and you’re probably trying to decide if the pain of whatever you think you’ll have to do is worth it. But your motto here is “I want to stop feeling so stuck!”

Stage 3: Preparation

Here you begin to prepare to change. You may read a book or article, or start looking for fitness centers, or try to learn about nutrition/diets, etc. You’re saying, “I’m ready to go!!”

Stage 4: Action

In stage 4 you’re really attempting to change something. You might think of lots of excuses NOT to do it today, but most of the time, you’re really making the attempt on a regular basis. Willpower is still involved in this stage, but for the majority of the time, you’re saying, “Yes! I’m doing it!”

Stage 5: Maintenance

Actions are not enough. You have to work at maintaining the change, but as you remain consistently active, you’ll need willpower less and less. That’s what the maintenance stage is about. As long as you keep your focus, you keep moving forward.

Stage 6: Relapse

Returning to old behaviors and attitudes is usually accompanied with feelings of discouragement and seeing oneself as a failure. The reality is that relapses happen to almost everyone, and are a wonderful opportunity to learn more about yourself and how to cope differently. As painful as it can be, a relapse often solidifies the change in the long-run.

One Final Stage I’ve seen included in variations of this model is sometimes called Termination – or Transcendence. Here, the change has become an almost permanent part of your life. When you reach this point, not only is your old behavior not part of your life - you can no longer even contemplate going back to it. It’s just not “who you are” anymore.

So where are you in your process of change? Please don’t put yourself down if you don’t think you’ve come very far, or if you can’t seem to get past a certain stage. Just the fact that you’re THINKING about it means you’re on your way!

Patti Peterson is also a provider for KCFit.net. Don’t forget to check out her discount in our provider discount section under Patti Peterson. You can also check her out at www.cornerstonecounselingkc.com

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