Are you someone who is always working toward your weight loss goal because you repeatedly lose and then gain the same weight over and over? If so you’re probably stuck in the first to stages of your change process.
The 4 Stages of Change
Have you ever considered what change really feels like? If not this might be why you struggle to get the results you want.
Below I will outline what I believe are the 4 stages of change that need to be mastered in order to get a lasting result.
Stage 1: The Decision
This is your ‘light bulb’ moment. The exact moment you decide what it is you want and that you’re ready to go for it. You feel excited. Stage 1 is when everything feels possible. You feel good. You have a sense of being ‘pulled’ forward, toward where you want to go.
Stage one is FUN! We all love stage one.
Then comes stage 2…
Stage 2: The Mud
This is the stage most people aren’t prepared for and therefore never master which is why lasting results don’t happen.
Stage 2 is when your brain catches on to what you’re doing and realizes it’s harder than just sticking with the status quo.
Extra Energy is being expended and your brain hates that. You might feel stressed, anxious and uncomfortable but don’t know exactly why.
At this point the ‘PULL’ you were enjoying has given way to a feeling of being PUSHED. This can make you question everything you enjoyed about stage 1 and set you back on a yo-yo cycle of no change.
You give in to old habits because your brain tells you it will feel better.
For many, researching the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of change feels really comfortable. It’s what you’ve done for years. You know EVERYTHING about dieting except how to create lasting change.
Research is feels good because it feels like you’re doing something when in reality you’re doing nothing. Your brain LOVES this. No habit change, no extra energy expended. You just keep doing what’s normal and comfortable and continue to create the result you already have (and don’t like).
This is a sneaky trap in stage 2. Do nothing new but feel like you’re making progress only to continue to have the same result so that you feel frustrated and like ‘nothing works for me’.
Here’s the good news, not everyone gets stuck in stage 2 and there is no reason why you can’t be the person who makes it to stage 3!
Getting through stage 2 takes a willingness to TAKE ACTION combined with a willingness to ‘course correct’ (mistakes will be made).
Course correct means making adjustments NOT giving up and starting over.
This can be hard to do on your own which is why so many people never make it to stage 3. Follow this link to my Hangry to Healthy™ health, wellness & weight loss coaching page to learn how with the right support and guidance you can get permanent results.
Stage 3: The Pull
The resistance and insecurity of stage 2 gives way to a sense of ease.
At this point you may not feel completely comfortable with the changes you’re making BUT you are noticing that what you’re doing feels easier. You begin to feel confident and it’s easier to hold the belief that you will get the result you want.
You’re no longer feeling PUSHED from behind but PULLED forward. You might be thinking ‘it’s really happening’.
You’re feeling a lot of motivation and forward momentum.
You did this!
You created your motivation and momentum through your willingness to take action and course correct as you moved through stage 2.
You didn’t believe the thought that it would be easier to quit or start over.
Welcome to stage 4.
Stage 4: The Empowerment
Your growing self-confidence in stage 3 gives way to stage 4, the final stage.
When you hit stage 4 you’ve done it.
You’ve created new habits that now feel normal and natural. Your actions are on auto pilot. Your brain is happy because your new lifestyle doesn’t require excess energy to do what feels normal.
You feel empowered. At this point you KNOW you will succeed. You realize the only thing standing between you and the result you want is TIME, days on a calendar. THAT. IS. IT.
Time is now your ally.
Look For Evidence
Can you find a time in your life where you went through these 4 stages and got the result you wanted?
A good example of a common struggle people have with this process is weight loss. Most people suffer with a Stage 1 -2 repeating cycle.
Getting through Stage 2 can be very difficult if you’re not prepared for the pushback.
So how do you prepare?
- Be realistic – know what to expect. What will happen for YOU when things feel tough? What are you likely to think and do when you feel resistance?
- Create a plan for how you’ll respond to what you’ve outlined above. What will you do when your brain tells you to stop, give up?
When it comes to health and body goals (weight loss) one of the best things you can do to guarantee you’ll move through stage 2 without giving up is by asking for help. I can help you. I am currently accepting new private clients.
Follow the link below to learn more about my process for permanent weight loss and how to become a private client.
Hangry to Healthy™ : Health, Wellness & Weight Loss
I’m Amy a board certified holistic nutritionist, certified functional nutritionist and lifestyle practitioner and certified Life Coach. I help women in midlife understand the changing needs of their body so that they can stop dieting and lose weight permanently. At 56 I live what I teach. Don’t believe the story that your best years are behind you. They are not. Your best years are just starting!