We’ll start off this blog post with a true story about a chance encounter with someone in the supermarket who appeared to be ready to make behavior change just this week.
While shopping on the day before New Year’s Eve, a fellow shopper was staring at various salad making packages in the produce section.
He seemed to be trying to decide if he should get a package and if so, which one to get.
He had put a package with added seasoning packets into his cart, then just as our cart was reaching that section, turned right around and put the package back onto the produce cooler shelf. His hands were then moving around between two other packages and he was hesitating before he drew them back. His body language indicated it was likely he was about to leave the produce area with no selection made.
Noticing our cart, he offered to get out of the way, saying he knew he should be eating more vegetables and was thinking of getting some salad greens, but he really was unsure of what to get. “I know I should be eating more vegetables and I really want to, but I’m not much of a cook” he said.
This was a split second opportunity to support him in what he really wanted to do, before he wheeled his cart away due to self doubt in his own food shopping & preparation skills and missed the chance to turn his intent into action. Fortunately he had no dietary restrictions to consider.
Asking him if he preferred any type of salad green(s) over others, it turned out he did prefer the mixed baby greens. Next we determined if he had any seasonings already at home and he remembered he had some Italian Seasoning blend he liked–so we discussed quickly how he could sprinkle that on a plate of mixed baby greens.
Then it was time to determine if he liked his salad with anything else in it or on it. Once it was clearer what he enjoyed, it was easy to discuss how to simply add some of those other raw vegetable items he liked that were right there ready-to-use, and then working with some other preferences he expressed, review options for a touch of a more healthful salad dressing with taste and flavor elements he liked to top it all off.
This discussion in total literally took just about a minute, but in that time he was able to move into preparation for behavior change and then next hopefully take action and actually change his behavior since he left the produce section with ingredients in his cart and a big smile on his face and said “thanks” for the help.
He appeared ready to make behavior change–he just needed to see how he could successfully do it. He verbalized a stumbling block to making change was his doubt of his own food shopping & preparation skills. He just needed a little help when shopping in order to feel confident about making fresh produce choices in the supermarket.
Coping With New Year’s Resolutions That Involve Behavior Change
Yes, it’s that time of year again when people begin the annual cycle of making New Year’s Resolutions that might involve behavior change.
It happens every new year. Just as life is a cycle, so is each year. Sometimes failed attempts at previous New Year’s Resolutions are “recycled” and sometimes new resolutions that involve behavior change are contemplated.
Many people have probably been going through thinking about making some 2013 New Year’s Resolutions, just as this man stated his desire to start eating more vegetables in the new year. Some might even be considering exactly how they might implement such behavior change.
The man in the supermarket went shopping without a grocery list, so he hadn’t taken all the steps necessary to help himself once he got to the supermarket to shop more confidently and purchase the items that would allow him to make the behavior change to eat more vegetables.
Others may not yet have fully crystallized their thoughts on the topic. They may not realize what is actually involved in making serious behavior change or they may not yet be convinced they need to make any serious behavior change.
(Image of “A Year of Being Well” property of & courtesy of the Michael and Susan Bell Foundation and shown here for illustrative purposes only).
Many New Year’s Resolutions have to do with behavior change involving food consumption +/or fitness. Keep in mind that for an approach to work long term, you will probably have to adopt some new behaviors.
If you seek professional advice and assistance, just what should you expect to receive?
There are all sorts of options businesses offer as pertains to approaching behavior change and it can be daunting to try to sort through all of the choices. Professionals will vary in their opinions about how best to work with clients and we do respect that there are many viewpoints on the subject.
The following perspective is offered as infotainment only and as always, we urge you to contact your own health care provider(s) to be certain you are cleared to start any new physical activity program(s) and/or to be certain that making any specific changes in your usual dietary intake (including use of any supplements, etc.) would not be contraindicated.
Professionals within a business should aim to work with you and help you learn to help yourself reach any mutually agreed upon goal(s) that are set. Staff should support your efforts in self-actualization so that you reach a point when you feel knowledgeable enough and comfortable enough to make your own eating and exercising decisions solo.
You can always check back another time with a helping professional as needed and that is why the new approach in the helping professions is the idea of health coaching*–help being there when you need it and providing resources tailored to your specific individual needs.
This approach is very different from hand holding or from telling you what you can or cannot do. Instead, this newer approach is all about empowering you so that you can make choices with confidence. This newer approach doesn’t make you dependent upon the business long-term, but rather leaves the door open for you to check back with staff whenever you want to. This approach focuses on you making the behavior change and you learning the skills you need to do so. No long term contract is required except ultimately with yourself.
Making behavior change takes both initial and ongoing effort.
Are you already familiar with the “readiness steps” involved in making real behavior change? Please see Part 2 of 3 in this blog series for some additional details. Also check out Part 3 of 3 for some key points to keep in mind if you are serious about engaging in behavior change this year.
We believe in your right of choice.
Really think through any potential changes you might want to consider embracing in 2013–consider them quite seriously before verbalizing any New Year’s Resolutions. Build upon your past successes, even if that means making a list of those to remind yourself of the good things you have done.
There is a free resource available through the efforts of the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation (think Dell Computers) called A Year of Being Well (Messages from Families on Living Healthier Lives) with an accompanying Discussion Guide that you can download and perhaps share with a group of friends if you would like to help support others and let them help support you in making 2013 one of the best years ever!
After all, just as others can help and support you, so can you be a catalyst for change in the lives of others.
If you ultimately decide to embrace behavior change this New Year 2013, then don’t hesitate to seek out the level of information and personal support you need.
We know if you ask your family & friends that they’ll tell you–you really are worth it and they want you to be as well as you can be, but ultimately any choices you make have to be your’s and not their’s.
Talk to your doctor, get the OK to do what is felt to be reasonable for you by both you and your health professional(s), and go for it!
Don’t just keep talking around changing any food and nutrition behavior(s)–make 2013 the year you actually do it!
P.S. Feel free to check out a classic guest blog post on Success Via Simple Small Steps for some ideas on how implementing small, reasonable changes in succession over time can lead to lasting success! Also still available is the blog post entitled Do You Know How to Build a Better Grocery Shopping List? as well as Provide a Better Fuel Supply for Your Body.
*(Please be aware that ideally any health coach should have a subject specific background in an actual health care field with previous supervised and credentialed experience in actual health care settings. Typically in an actual health care profession, it is required that prior to a candidate being considered for a national professional certification or a state credential/license that they meet certain rigorous requirements. For credentialing in an actual health care profession, they must have their academic & experience backgrounds reviewed and then take and pass a post college level type of examination sequence and then participate in continuing education activities to stay up-to-date in their chosen health care profession. Adding in some training or experience in health coaching techniques would be an adjunct to what they already know as a health professional.
As of the time of this blog post there is NO “Scope of Practice” for “health coaching” since it is only an approach to providing support for individuals considering making lifestyle change(s). Using health coaching principles involves guiding someone as they channel their energy in relationships both personally and professionally, often possibly including, but not limited to, a spirituality/generosity of spirit component to appreciate joy and successes in their life while viewing obstacles more as opportunities, a perspective of life experience wisdom, and the importance of an exercise or movement component to maintain their energy level of body, mind and spirit, etc.
Coaches know that energizing someone can be very powerful in developing internal motivation that can last. Focusing on positives makes someone want to continue to do better.
Just realize that some individuals who only call themselves “health coaches” and don’t refer to possessing an actual health care professional credential may have NO bachelor’s or higher degree in a health care field (note: nursing is an exception since obtaining an RN doesn’t require having a Bachelor’s Degree; dietetic technicians may have only an Associates Degree) and NO supervised health care professional experience that would allow them to sit for a national or state examination to become truly registered, certified, or licensed in a health care profession. Please don’t be confused by those who claim to be a “health coach” per se, but who lack an active health care profession credential that designates them as a nationally or state registered, certified, or licensed health care professional).