2. Behavior Management
Learning any new skill requires practice over
time.
Repetition of new behaviors: new habit.
Do not underestimate the power of forgiveness
and support.
9. Address Non-Adherence
What got in the way?
How will you deal with the same situation in the
future?
Acknowledge the difficulty.
Preserve self-efficacy.
Be patient; change is hard.
Re-do the plan if needed.
Knowledge does not equal behavior change.
You would not expect yourself to learn how to play the piano in a week. Any new skill requires practice and betterment over time.
Eating in a more healthful manner or incorporating more physical activity requires dedication, practice and skill-building for days, weeks and months—and then these new habits become part of your normal routine.
Obtain a positive support system and allow yourself some “wiggle-room” (forgiveness) when you are less than perfect with your goals. Just keep working!
The stimuli or cues can drive you to certain behaviors.
Example:
A large bag of Doritos (cue).
Response: you eat the whole bag or a single portion.
Consequence: you feel guilty or you feel just fine about your decision.
If you LOVE Doritos, but the large bag (negative cue) can lead you to overeat, choose a single portion option (more positive cue).
If the TV (negative cue) tempts you right when you walk in the door from work, place your running shoes (positive cue) right in front of the TV…reminding you to get some movement!!!
Restrict behavior to one set of cues (examples):
Eat regular meals and snacks (find times that work well for your body).
Enjoy that soda, but only once a week.
Self-monitoring is not a punitive activity. It merely sheds light on our behavior, food and activity choices so we know our trouble spots.
Use it as a positive tool (information giving) not a negative one.
Be realistic when setting goals. Set goals that you can achieve!!!! Enjoy the journey. Don’t focus on happiness only when the end goal is reached. You will miss some very happy moments, successes and learning opportunities.
A non-food example of enjoying the process:
Georges Seurat spent over two years painting “A Sunday Afternoon.” Size: 7x10 feet. He used miniature dots or small brushstrokes of color- that when unified optically in the human eye were perceived as a single shade or hue (called pointillism). Art is a great example of enjoying the journey…leading to a rewarding masterpiece!
“A Sunday Afternoon” is housed in the Art Institute of Chicago.
Don’t use the word failure.
Address your barriers and keep going. Re-do the plan if needed. Sometimes it is not a matter of willpower- the logistics of your plan needs to change.
