Lifestyle Changes: Where Do I Start? SUCCESSFUL WEIGHT LOSS

Overviews −What is your “lifestyle" −What affects behavior −What is your eating style −Are you ready for change −How to get motivated

Definitions of Lifestyle The behaviors we adopt, based on our life circumstances and past experiences A manner of living that reflects our values and attitudes Our pattern of living, expressed in our activities, interests, and opinions

Factors That Affect Behavior Behaviors/Lifestyle Predisposing Factors Enabling Factors Reinforcing Factors

Predisposing Factors −Beliefs and attitudes −Past experiences −Enjoyment −Self-confidence

Enabling Factors −Skills and knowledge −Resources −Access −Environment

Reinforcing Factors −Family −Peers −Health −Social norms

Eating Style −Number and size of meals −Hunger and emotional eating −Comfort foods −Food associations −Dieting history −Food preferences

How do you know who you are, or what your eating style is?

Food Diary −Time −Food eaten −Place −With whom −Hunger level −Emotions

Why Do People Change? −Concerned −Convinced −Plan −Commit −Take action

Where Are You? You can take action and make changes!

Weigh the Benefits To Change or Not to Change A Decisional Balance Benefits of NOT changing vs. Downside of changing Benefits of changing vs. Downside of NOT changing

Summary −Understand your lifestyle: predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors −Assess your eating style: food diary −Determine your readiness for change −Motivate yourself: pros vs. cons