Newsletter 2/11: Change Your Life One Action At A Time

Permanently changing behavior is a difficult task. Most people know what things in life they would like to change. However, many struggle to put the pieces together and create lasting change. I think failed behavior change attempts are caused by two things. 
 
The first is trying to change too many things at once. The unfortunate part about humans is that we are lazy (not in the way you might think). Our brains are extremely efficient and create what are called habit loops and routines. These habit loops and routines account for as much as ninety- five percent of all behavior. If behavior change is too aggressive it works against the natural order of our brain and makes things pretty difficult. 
 
The second is failing to break down significant change into smaller more manageable chunks. Say someone has the goal of losing 100 pounds of weight. In order to successfully lose 100 pounds they firs have to learn how to lose one pound. In scenarios like these some people get so caught up on the big goal that they lose sight of the small changes that need to occur to make that larger goal a reality. 
 
Most of the clients I have worked with struggle more with "how" of behavior change rather than the knowledge or the why behind it. Most people know what they want to change and many have some knowledge on what changes need to be made. But, they lack a framework that successfully moves them from their current state to their goals. 
 
My job as a coach is to bridge the gap between where someone currently is and where they would like to be in their health and fitness. That is why I have created a five step process that makes behavior change more manageable. Let me share it with you. 
 
Step 1: Create a wellness vision 
 
This is the second most important step in the process. A wellness vision is a present statement that combines goals and actions necessary to get there. For example my wellness vision is; "I am Pat and I live in a body I am happy with. I wake up rested each day ready to take on my goals. I feel strong and confident each day because I train regularly and fuel my body with nutritious foods that agree with me. I have a healthy balance between work and life that allows me to enjoy what I do and also live a good life". To be clear this statement encompasses what is called "deep health" also known as the multiple facets of health (physical, emotional, social, existential, environmental, and mental). This statement can be as simple or as complex as you like. The importance of this wellness vision is it gives you something to work towards. This is especially helpful when you face barriers along the change process. 
 
Step 2: Determine what skills are necessary for success
 
Once the vision is created one must break it down into smaller chunks. What are the skills necessary to achieve the desired outcome? I use a framework originally created by Precision Nutrition, one of the worlds largest certifying bodies of nutrition coaches. It is called the GSPA model and its breaks the larger Goal into Skill, Practices, and daily Actions. Using the example above my necessary skills are: adequate sleep, regular exercise, eating nutrition foods, work life balance. Once skills are determined these can further be broken down into necessary practices and daily actions. For example: eat nutritious foods could be broken down into; eat five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables daily. This could then be crafted into a daily action of eating vegetables with dinner each night. 
 
Step 3: Determine a starting action and test confidence
 
This step builds off of the GSPA model and creates a starting action to begin the process. The key here is to choose an action that is so simple that it is almost impossible to fail instituting it. It doesn't matter how small the action is. What matters is that you can successfully follow through on it. Once an action is determined it is time to test confidence. Confidence testing is simple. Ask yourself; "On a scale of one to ten how confident am I that I will follow through on this action this week?" If the answer is anything below a nine I would highly recommend shrinking the action step to make it more doable. Remember the size of the action doesn't matter. What matters is your ability to follow through on it. 
 
Step 4: Anticipate and plan for barriers
 
This step is VITAL for long term success. Barriers are going to emerge along the change process. It is easier to tackle them if they are anticipated beforehand. A skill we can use to plan for barriers is known as if- then planning. The concept is; if this occurs then I will (fill in action here). Using the example above; if I run out of fresh vegetables then I will use a backup bag of frozen veggies from the freezer. This planning can be as simple or thorough as you like. But, the better you plan the more likely you are to be successful. 
 
Step 5: Test, assess, and plan for the future
 
This is the most important step in behavior change. Without action change cannot happen. When talking action it is important to test your behaviors, assess how well they went, and then plan for the future. If a behavior went well it can be stacked with another habit. For example; when eating vegetables with dinner I will also eat a helping of lean protein. Making the current habit bigger is another strategy that can be used. Using the previous example; vegetables can be added to meals outside of dinner. If the action didn't go so well there are three options available. The first is simply trying again. The second is to shrink the action step. In the example above a full serving of vegetables could be shrunk to a half serving. The last option is to focus on an entirely new habit if the first really isn't working. In order to decide on any changes I recommend giving the original habit a minimum of two weeks of practice. This time frame seems to work well with the clients that I work with. 
If you made it all the way to the end, congratulations! You now have a framework that you can use in your life to create lasting change!
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