Stages of Change

There are five stages in the areas of fitness, nutrition & mindfulness. The five areas are:

1) Precontemplation: people here underrate the benefits of changing and overrate the cons of changing. Usually done without being aware of it.

2) Contemplation: making the benefits more important than the cons.

3) Preparation: ready to start-you now realize that benefits are more important than the drawbacks, but you still have some fears that you won't succeed.

4) Action: you are on your way to making changes that are obvious to everyone-especially you. During this stage you reaffirm your commitment and remind yourself of the benefits.

5) Maintenance: you won't have to work as hard anymore, but you will have to keep your guard up and watch out for unexpected situations.

So, this morning my wellness coach e-mailed asking if I could identify what stage I'm currently in. This was my response:

Fitness:Action! I am working out at least 5 days a week (and loving it). I have learned that I need to keep trying new things & changing it up. Yesterday, my husband taught me racquetball. That was fun! I also have some new workout DVDs.

Nutrition: As far as "nutrition" is concerned, I am in the Action phase. I definitely am eating a nutritious diet. I try new, healthy foods and incorporate "super foods" into my diet. I do need to watch my portions sizes as they sometimes get a bit bigger, but overall I'm eating a healthy diet. I prep, cook, and pack meals for the week on the weekends. I mostly stay away from processed/packaged foods.

Mindfulness: I am definitely in the Action phase here as I am very aware of everything that I'm doing-food, exercise, etc. I know that there is a cause & effect, and I know how I'm feeling now when I eat or exercise differently. I love how I am feeling and realize that this is due to the choices I make in regards to nutrition & fitness.

So...there it is. It was kind of nice putting it down to read!