Changing Habits

What if:

• your healthcare provider just told you to lose weight;
•  you’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and you have to change your diet.

Reaction?  First you are stunned.  Then you think: this could be a good thing.  Then again you think: I can do this.  But after your first run or walk or your first trip to the grocery to stock up on vegetables, you push the idea for change aside.  There are other things in your life that come first.  You admit to yourself: this is hard. 

Yes, it is.  It means changing your habits.  But it can be done with understanding and planning.

First, let’s step back and look at the nature of habits.  We are all entrenched in the habits of our lives.  Could this be you?

• your route to work is blocked by street repair and you have to find another way that lengthens your trip time;
• the show you watch on Tuesday nights to relax is cancelled;
• your bank changes the online bill-paying format you’re used to;
• your regular doctor retires.

All these things require that you change and adjust.  All were part of your habitual living that you easily slipped into like a comfortable pair of slippers.  You’ll find an interim route, learn the banking format, do something else on Tuesday nights and adjust to another doctor.  These are just bumps in your road.  Losing weight, changing your diet, quitting smoking, and doing regular exercise can be mountains.

So how to start.   Buy a journal or create a computer file in which you keep track of everything you are going to do to succeed.  Then:

• Determine an attainable goal and write it down.

Which goal is attainable: I will lose 20 pounds in one month.  I will lose five pounds in one month.

The second goal is more attainable.  If you attempt a difficult goal right at the start, you set yourself up for failure.  Once you fail, it’s harder to start again.  It’s true that people change when they are ready to change.  If your goal is too difficult you are practicing self-sabotage.  You really want an excuse to say I just can’t do this.  But you can if you set realistic and attainable goals.

• Create a plan that will help you reach your goal and keep you motivated.  Write it down in as much detail as you need.

Which plan is realistic: I will run a mile every day and cut out all sweets.  I will walk for 20 minutes 3 times a week and only eat sweets at dessert on the weekends.  The first plan is not specific enough and much too taxing.  The second plan is more specific and allows for a day off now and again.   Creating a plan that is doable increases your motivation and helps you visualize success.

• Write down your major motivation for wanting to succeed with your goal and plan. 

Which of the following are good motivations for true and lasting habit change?

I want to look good for my high school reunion.

I have diabetes and if I don’t lose weight and watch my carbohydrate intake, I could get sicker and develop complications.

I can’t afford cigarettes because I didn’t get a raise, so I guess I’ll quit.

I need to stop smoking because of the lung cancer stats, there’s cancer in my family, and I want to be able to keep hiking when I’m sixty and older.

Having solid, research-oriented information to back up a habit change increases your motivation and helps you stay on track.

• Find mentors who will support you and help you achieve your goal.  Make sure you have their email addresses handy and their numbers in your cell phone.

Right off you have to talk about the habit changes you are going to make to achieve your goal.  Mentors cannot act as guards and help you stay on track if they don’t know you are wearing a stop-smoking patch, limiting your beers or watching your carbohydrate intake.  If those close to you just aren’t there for you, you might need a support group, people who are working on the same habit changes.  It’s your health.  Find people who will help you make it happen.

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