Creating Habits for a Healthy Lifestyle Motivational Readiness Dave Blomquist, LCSW

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Employee/Dependents Professional Staff 24 hours 7 days a week Confidential/Voluntary Counseling at no Charge Prevention Any life problems Marriage, family issues Elderly Care, financial, Alcohol/drugs, Depression, Stress Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Like a cake recipe you need several ingredients.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Take every step Don’t get left behind Don’t fall into the trap of merely learning then doing Don’t accept the notion that a step by step process is beneath you One Step at a Time

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Ready, shoot, aim? Step 1: Honest Evaluation

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Question 1 What holds you back from attempting to change your health habits?

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Question 2 What are the long term consequences of unhealthy habits?

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Question 3 What will your life be like in 10 years if you don’t make changes?

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Question 4 What would be the most important benefits in your life if you chose to change your health related lifestyle habits?

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. “A healthy lifestyle can do more to improve your health than any other single medical breakthrough in the past 100 years.” Steven Aldona The Culprit & the Cure, 2005

How do we go about make the decision to change our health habits?

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Make decisions on cost/benefit ratio Programmed if/then choices Is it really that simple? Underlying emotions Habits Fading memories Physical desires

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. 1. Coerce ourselves with fear and guilt 2. Coercive motivation = trying to avoid something How do we make it hard on ourselves?

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. How do we make it hard? The “Should” or “Ought to” strategy The “Have to” strategy The “Avoidance” strategy The “Substitution” strategy The “Fear of forever” strategy The “I’m not enough” strategy

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. The problem with coercive motivation We resist when coerced Coercive change is a battle Give power to what we fight against Where we resist persists

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Become highly motivated by what you want to achieve rather than by what you want to avoid Constructive motivation – A powerful solution

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Rather then focusing on negative consequences of bad habits focus instead on positive effects of good habits Constructive motivation – A powerful solution

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Constructive motivation – A powerful solution Look at the big picture, not just the present moment. Look beyond the action to the consequences of the action.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. What motivates you? Many good reasons to change What are your reasons?

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. 1.I want to be thinner, sexier or more attractive. 2.I want to improve and maintain great health and vitality this year. 3.I want to be happier and better able to maintain my motivation. 4.I want to increase my feelings of self control and be the master of my own life. 5.I want to increase my daily energy, stamina, and physical strength. 6.I want to improve the health and well-being of those whom I live with and love. 7.I want to reduce the likelihood of facing chronic or disabling diseases. 8.I want to live longer and be healthy and active as I grow older. 9.Other _________ What Motivates You?

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Which are your highest priorities? Which 2 reasons are most important to you?

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. What would you most like to see yourself doing? What is your scenario? Make it compelling, full of emotion and color. “Vision of the future” Make Your Motivation Powerful

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. “Of the many important reasons to change your enduring health habits, which one is the most important to you?”

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Share your ‘vision of the future’ and explain why it’s important to you.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. 1.) Neurons cannot divide like other cells in the body…therefore the brain cells you are born with do not change. When brain cells die they are never replaced. Brain Quiz! FALSE – The adult brain can add brain cells well into the 80’s. New cells develop in the brain where new learning takes place.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. 2.) The brain is shaped experiences from outside events and activities. The brain itself cannot be changed by mental activity. Brain Quiz! FALSE – Brain changes can be generated by purely internal mental activity. Intentional and willful thought can alter the brains physical wiring and pathways. Simply thinking and imagining to be playing the piano leads to a measurable change in the brains motor cortex.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. 3.) What you pay attention to does not have an effect on the physical brain. Brain Quiz! FALSE – Attention increases neuronal activity. Attention literally sculpts the physical form of the brain. This means that you literally shape who you are in each moment by what you choose to pay attention to.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. 4.) The brain’s ‘set point’ is fixed and cannot be reset. Long term status of joy, happiness, optimism are not attainable. Brain Quiz! FALSE – The brain’s set point can be reset. Specific brain states related to feeling of peace, calm, optimistic and happiness are measurable.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. What is a Habit? 1.Practiced in the past 2.Predictable 3.Automatic

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. What does a Habit Look Like? 1.Pathway bridge/neural chemical connection 2.Naturally changing 3.More practiced, stronger, automatic 4.Involves multiple areas of the brain (thoughts, emotions, behavior). 5.Not consciously aware

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Habit formation is your brains top priority

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Your brain is efficient – the most effective way to be efficient is through the formation of habits

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Not all Habits are Functional Reoccurring, self defeating patterns of behavior Why not simply change?

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Stuck with Habits that are Self-defeating? 1.Trigger –urge – act 2.We’re changing all the time, naturally 3.Difficulty with self- directed change

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Stuck with Habits that are Self-defeating? We try to stop the firing of the habit pathway STOP IT! STOP IT! Woefully inadequate strategy Rarely results in change

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Stop fighting what brain does naturally Create new health habits Grow new habit pathways You can actually change the physical structure of your brain

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Brain is wired through repetition and works quickly to make behavior automatic

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Consistent repetitions “practice” hard wires habits

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Anything we persist in doing becomes easier

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Replace those Self-defeating Habits 1.Grow new pathway in brain rather than stop an old pathway 2.Physical connection: 21 days of practice (42 days if practice every other day, 147 days if practice once a week) 3.Attempting to stop or extinguish a habit takes at least 6 times longer

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Recognition that your enduring health-related habit is not going to give you what you really want. Clarifying what you really want instead. Starting a New Pathway

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. They don’t diet They keep track of their weight They exercise regularly They don’t solve problems with food They stop eating when they are full They don’t surround themselves with temptation They allow themselves treats They eat breakfast They move stand and fidget They don’t skip meals 10 Common Habits of Thin People

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Depth or intensity of your realization Starting a New Pathway Step 1: Honest Evaluation

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Step Two: Make a firm decision A habit pathway really connects at the point that you make a firm decision.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Step Two: Make a firm decision More than just considering your options. I choose to: __________”

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Step Two: Make a firm decision What decision are you ready to make now? 1.To give your body what it needs 2.Implement Julie’s Ideas 3.Targeted self-defeating habits

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Step One: Honest Evaluation Step Two: Make a firm decision Step Three: 21 days of practice

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Summary Habits are pathways in brain Change habits when we replace old pathways with new. Recognizing the need to change and honestly evaluation Speed this process along by verbalizing what we really want, making it visual, graphic, emotional, and important.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. Summary Growing a new pathway to the point of being automatic takes about 21 days of practice. Making a clear, well reasoned decision makes the connections physical and real. Deciding on how and when you will implement the decision really helps.

Click to edit Master title style Put title of presentation here. Same for all slides. 1.Review the Reading Materials 2.Create Your “Vision of the Future” 3.More Honest Evaluation 4.Make a Firm Decision Time For Homework