1. Behavior Change: Gaining Control
C H A P T E R 5
Behavior Change: Gaining Control
Chapter 5

2. Objectives This chapter will help you do the following:
Learn why it is so difficult to change behaviors such as physical activity and nutrition
Determine your barriers to physical activity
Understand how your environment affects your behavior
Identify your current stage of behavior change
Plan systematic strategies to help you change
Learn to visualize yourself as you would like to be
Develop a reinforcement schedule to reward new behaviors

3. Why Is Physical Activity So Uncommon?
Migration from a rural to urban society meant shifting from primarily physical work to sedentary occupations.
Children observe of their parents, other adults, and peers.
They perceive sedentary behaviors as the norm.
Most adult Americans know that physical activity is important for their long-term health.
Why aren’t they more active?

4. Barriers to Physical Activity
The most common reasons that adults cite for not adopting more physically active lifestyles include the following:
Not enough time to exercise
Inconvenient to exercise
Lack self-motivation
Do not find exercise enjoyable
Find exercise boring
(continued)

5. Barriers to Physical Activity (continued)
Lack confidence in ability to be physically active (low self-efficacy)
Fear of being injured or have been injured recently
Lack self-management skills such as goal setting, progress monitoring, or a reward process
Lack encouragement, support, or companionship from family and friends
Do not have parks, sidewalks, bicycle trails, or safe pleasant paths convenient to home or office.
(continued)

6. Barriers to Physical Activity (continued)
Identify your own barriers to exercise using form 5.1 on pages of your textbook.

7. Overcoming Physical Activity Barriers
How could you overcome these barriers?
Lack of time
Social influence
Lack of energy
Lack of motivation
Fear of injury
Lack of skill
Lack of resources
Weather conditions
Travel
Family obligations
Retirement years

8. Environment Affects Behavior
Society currently lives in a “now” culture; there are many automated energy savers that we use without even being aware of them.
Automatic door openers
Drive-through windows
Escalators, elevators, moving walkways
Information via the Internet
(continued)

9. Environment Affects Behavior (continued)
How we build our environment
Stores that are easy to walk to
Disappearance of sidewalks
How we view our environment
As the average waistline gets bigger, our image of normal adapts
What do we now consider normal?

10. Stages of Modifying Behavior
Precontemplative: “I’m going to watch TV.”
Contemplative: “I’m weighing the pros and cons of running.”
Preparation: “I’m joining a running group.”
Action: “I’ve started running twice a week with my running group.”
Maintenance:“I’ve been running with my group for six months.”
Adoption: “I now run even without my group.”
(continued)

11. Stages of Modifying Behavior (continued)
Behavior therapy
Identify the desired behavior (new behavior) and make progress toward its acquisition.
1. Identify the behavior that you wish to modify (new behavior). Keep a log of that behavior (form 5.3).
2. Analyze your current behavior and then plan needed modifications.
3. Develop a contract with specific goals and a schedule of rewards to reinforce the new behavior (form 5.4).
4. Use benchmarks for goals along the way.

12. Network of Support Systems
Family
Friends
Interest groups
Professionals
Clubs
Programs
Publications (books and magazines)
Organizations

13. Using Visualization to Reach Goals
Visualization involves the process of beginning to see yourself as the new person that you are moving to become.
Simply stating that you enjoy walking will help to change your belief about physical activity.

14. Summary
It is difficult to change behaviors such as physical activity and nutrition.
Identify stages of change and barriers to physical activity.
Develop strategies for moving toward a more active life.