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Tips to getting startedTips to getting active
Getting started…
…it’s never too late to make a change
We’ve all made New Year’s resolutions and sometimes we stick to them for a while but somehow “life” gets in the way and we find ourselves slipping back onto the couch! That’s why it’s important to understand what are called “the stages of change”. Most people go through these five stages along the way to adopting new activity habits or behaviours:
1. Pre-contemplation (not even thinking about activity)
2. Contemplation (giving it a thought now and then but not starting)
3. Preparation (doing some activity, irregularly)
4. Action (being active regularly but for less than 6 months)
5. Maintenance (maintaining regular activity for 6 months or more)
Change happens in stages and progress isn’t always in one direction – you may take two steps forward and three steps back (this is sometimes referred to as another stage of change called “relapse” – it’s perfectly normal and all part of the process of adopting new habits).
Avoiding Relapse
…we all need more than good intentions
Just because you have a setback in your physical activity routine doesn’t mean you’re a failure or destined to be a couch potato! The key is to avoid the “all or nothing trap”. It’s common to think “either I stick to my plan and meet my goal or I’m a failure” but don’t give up if you miss a day or even a whole week – this is just a lapse, your hard work is not lost!
Step 1: Be honest – admit you’ve had a setback, figure out what caused it, jot it down and move on!
Step 2: Seek support – tell someone you’ve faltered and enlist their help to get you back on track.
Step 3: Set new goals – reassess old goals, figure out how to make them more realistic and set a date to start again – you’ll soon regain any lost ground.
Step 4: Focus on your strengths – accentuate the positive, identify what you’re good at and look at a time when you were doing well. Ask yourself what activities you enjoy most and get yourself back into a routine.
Setting goals…
…you are in control – just take one step at a time!
The key to successfully moving through the “stages of change” is to use special skills such as: recording your starting point and progress, seeking advice and support, identifying what’s important to you and your confidence to achieve it, and working through your personal barriers.
Step 1: Choose an activity you think you’ll enjoy (eg. a new class, walking group, gardening, swimming, dancing)
Step 2: Find out the “where”, “when” & “what”
(eg. costs/equipment)
Step 3: Identify how IMPORTANT it is for you to do this activity on a scale of 1-10 (10 = highest importance)
Step 4: Identify how CONFIDENT you are you can do this activity
on a scale of 1-10 (10 = highest confidence)
Step 5: Identify any barriers you have to doing this activity (eg.high IMPORTANCE and low CONFIDENCE = barriers)
Step 6: Set a weekly plan (eg. make a chart of the days/times you can do your chosen activity)
Step 7: Ask for support and help from family, friends, professionals (eg. find someone to do the activity with you)
Managing Your Time
…24 hours a day – plan to squeeze in some activity!
One of the most common barriers to increasing activity seems to be “not enough time” so if you’ve identified activity to be highly important in your life you need to plan how you’re going to fit it in.
Step 1: Set priorities – categorise parts of your day into groups eg. Value Highly, Value Somewhat, Neutral, Don’t Value.
Step 2: Eliminate some of the “Neutrals” and “Don’t Values” and replace them with physical activity or exercise.
Step 3: Take control of how you spend your time – you’ll lower stress levels, increase self-confidence and feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of every day.
What you “should” do and what you “value” doing are two very different things – to make lasting activity changes you have to enjoy and value the activity.
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