better
HEALTH
mind-set makeover
The first step toward changing your
body is changing your mind.
by LINDA MELONE
How many Monday mornings have you started a new workout
routine, only to find yourself hitting the snooze button by
Friday? If the answer is “too many,” we’re right there with you,
along with millions of others. The truth is, the only thing
tougher than starting an exercise program is sticking with it.
Fact: Most new exercisers quit within three to six months,
according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
One reason so many people drop out is they’re dying to do
too much before they’re psychologically prepared, says Shane
Murphy, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Western
Connecticut State University and author of
The Sports
Psychology Handbook
(Human Kinetics, 2005). What people
don’t realize is that getting into healthful habits involves more
than going for a run tonight or popping in an exercise DVD
before work in the morning. According to Murphy, deciding to
make a change in your life starts a multistage psychological
chain of events. “It’s hard to jump from an early stage of change
to a later stage before you’re ready,” Murphy says.
And even if you are ready, progressing is still a challenge.
Expect to bounce back and forth between the stages, says
Elizabeth Lombardo, Ph.D., psychologist and author of
A
Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness
(Morgan-
James, 2009). “A ‘relapse’ back to an earlier stage doesn’t mean
you failed,” Lombardo says. “It’s simply data to help you figure
out what you
can
do to succeed.” Before making a change, here’s
how to overcome the most common mental roadblocks.
stage
1
ON YOUR MARK
The idea of making a change is just occurring to you.
Maybe you’ve gained weight through the years but haven’t
yet decided to do something about it.
Mind-Set Hurdle: You find it hard to get started due to
all-or-nothing thinking. You’ve tried exercising in the past
but couldn’t stick with it. You think,
Why bother when Fm
just going to fail again?
Mind-Set Makeover Strategy: Surround yourself with
supportive friends and family. Gather information about
ways to get started. Research local clubs, gyms, and sports
of interest to you. Write out the pros and cons of altering
your lifestyle to realize the importance of making a change.
2
GET READY
Now you’re considering a new fitness goal. You’ve gone from
thinking /
could never do that
to
Maybe I can.
2 4 2
SEPTEMBER 2010 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
“A ‘relapse’ back to an
earlier stage doesn’t
mean you failed.”
ELIZABETH LOMBARDO,
author of A
H appy You
