Five stages of change and motivational readiness
In life there are stages that we go through when we are looking to make a major change or develop our motivational readiness. These stages are not a linear escalator with only one way to go. You can slide up and down within the stages over and over again. The goal would be to get to stage five and stay there. So what are the stages of change applied to physical activity for the sake of the blog?
Precontemplation – This stage is not where you want to be. This is the stage where you do not think about physical activity, have no intention of starting in the next six months and are currently doing nada!
Contemplation – In this stage there is still zero physical activity but the person does intend to get going within the next 6 months.
Preparation – Finally the person is active and doing some sort of physical activity but not at the levels that meet the standards set by ACSM for exercise prescription.
Action – Fully engaged in physical activity that meets all the standards but the person has not been at this level for at least six months.
Maintenance – Yeah!!!! 6 months or more of exercise that meets all the standards.
You can see that only two of the stages are really going to help if you want to be healthy. You are either on your way to a healthy lifestyle (ACTION) or you are there (MAINTENANCE). We all have life happen to us but when you are at stage 4 or 5 you find a way to make life work with your health. What is life without health? Let’s face it we are looking to health and wellness to be the preventive medicine that we all need. Things are going to happen but we can control what we can control. We have the choice on what we feed out bodies, whether or not we exercise them and for how long and why. Only you know what will be right for you, enjoyable for you and only you have the ability to seek the help necessary to work your way up the stages.
So what should you do next? STRIVE FOR STAGE FIVE…………………….. I can help hold you accountable.
Let’s make it Happen,
Mathew Freeman
Categories Mind & Body | Tags: ACSM, Change, Life, Maintenance, Motivational Rediness, Psychology, Stages of fitness
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