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Sticking With Your Health Program |
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by Mike Danielson
 ow that you know how to prevent disease and improve your quality of life by making
healthy choices with lifestyle, food and supplements, how do you stick with your program? I know
that personally it’s a lot easier said than done. But what isn’t?
I’m not surprised by the number of people I meet who have good information and direction on managing their personal health care but don’t act consistently on it. I know that the intervention of disease, or a loved one taking ill, is a proven motivator. But who really wants to wait for that?
Recently I discussed the problem of motivation
with health coach Bob Davies, who
explained that there is no difference between
a health coach and personal coach—the
principles hold true no matter what your
goal is. He offered useful guidelines that can
help anyone stay with a program.
- Treat your health program as you would any other portion of your life to which you must be accountable. Set specific, attainable short-term (seven-day) goals.
- Create consequences to non-compliance. Negative consequences are your brain’s most primitive motivator. You MUST make the consequences more painful than compliance and it can have NO BENEFIT. For example, if you are a Republican, your consequence for not going to the gym four times next week may be donating $100 to the Democratic party.
- Don’t assume that after a month you will have created new habits. Plan to stick with this program until you no longer need intervention.
- You can’t do it yourself. Hire a coach or find one at your gym or workplace. This should not be your spouse. In fact, it should be the meanest person you know who will hold you accountable for accomplishing each week’s goals.
- Train your mind. The right brain processes music and doesn’t filter truth from fiction. Get two tape recorders. On the first, play baroque music. On the second, record yourself affirming your joy for each positive behavior. Repeat, “I like to rise early to work out. I prefer eating healthfully.”
Bob’s point is that everyone has choices.
It’s just as easy to be fit as unfit. It’s all
in learning how to be accountable to
yourself. Plan new goals in seven-day
blocks. Create painful consequences for
not reaching those short-term goals.
Trick your brain into believing your
commitment to health habits already
exists. And find a coach who will hold
you accountable until you can do it on
your own.
If you find Bob’s tactics interesting, you can learn more at www.bobdaviescoaching.com
Mike Danielson is a marketing consultant to the natural health industry.
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