Behavior Change Models

One’s ability to live a healthy and wholesome life is dependent on their capacity to
develop healthy habits. The challenge that this presents is that at times, some of the unhealthy
traits are so deeply rooted in our regular schedules as to present significant challenges in their
elimination from our routines. Behavior change requires a great deal of self-motivation and
positive thinking if it is to achieve a meaningful effect. It is for this reason that a handy behavior
change model is necessary before embarking on changing any habits. Recently, I decided to take
myself through a dieting program. The program was necessitated by the realization that I
consumed on average 700kCal over my daily calorie requirements. As part of the program, I
would watch what I eat and ensure I only consume healthy foods as part of a sound health and
wellness drive. The program was to continue over the course of twelve weeks during which time
I would record my daily calorie intake, engage in an exercise routine. Also, I would record any
triggers that led to my splurging or going over my daily calorie allowance.
The goal of the entire exercise was to achieve a healthier lifestyle. For the regimen, I
would stick to a prepared menu that consisted of organic, all natural foods that were selected to
ensure that I had just enough calories each day, with an allowance for a small margin. In
addition, I would record my daily calorie intake, and stick to my preplanned meal schedule.
Results from daily observations would be logged into a journal for reference. In the course of the

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exercise, if I developed an urge to, or was unsuccessful at, sticking to my daily meal schedule, I
would record the time of the need, as well as my emotional state as best as I could. Further, I
would make note of any likely triggers for the episode. Aside from daily logs on my calorie
intake, I would record my weight at the end of each week to assess my progress. Recording
weights is a quantitative measure, and therefore, more accurate and actionable.
Presently, I am in the seventh week of the routine. From the data collected over the first
seven weeks of the regimen, I came to the realization that I had a tendency to consume more
calories whenever I was stressed, had fears and anxiety over an issue, or inner tension.
Moreover, whenever I felt frustrated or had to deal with an issue that presented too big a
challenge, there was the tendency to consume more calories. Under such situations, eating tended
to have a soothing or comforting effect on me. Even more alarming was that under such
conditions, I would consume high-calorie foods like ice cream and snacks with high saturated fat
content. During such episodes of binging, I would typically tell myself that it was only a few
calories I was consuming, and I would work out and burn the extra calories. After the fact, I
would, however, suffer bouts of despair in which I would see myself as useless and incapable of
seeing the plan through. On average, though, my daily calorie intake has attained a significant
drop and currently stands at just under 300kCal over the amount I burn daily.
The transtheoretical model spans several stages. The first phase is precontemplation,
where one has not even considered the need to change their behavior. Next is the contemplation
stage where they are coming to terms with the need to effect behavior changes, after which is the
preparation stage where they are ready to change. Action, which is characterized by behavior
modification comes next, followed by maintenance. The final phase is the termination stage
where the practice has become so ingrained in them that it is effectively a habit and relapses

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cannot occur. At the moment, I am in the maintenance stage. The reason for this observation is
that I have taken measures to ensure I maintain the positive effects, and my emotional state does
not influence my daily calorie intake. Stress, fear, and anxiety have a smaller hold on my
emotional state and are less likely to cause me to binge on food. While I am not completely over
the tendency to relapse, at this point, I believe a relapse is extremely unlikely.
In summary, while I may not have fully internalized the required daily calorie intake, I
am making positive advances towards the decisive goal. From the initial observations, I have
been able to identify stress, fear, anxiety and internal tension as my triggers. Subsequently, I
have been able to determine the emotional state that is most likely to cause an excess intake of
calories. Even more important, I have discovered the value of staying positive and eliminating
negative self-talk. Through avoiding catastrophizing, filtering out negative thoughts, and
employing the use of rationalization, I have been able to gain greater control of my emotional
status. Aside from this, I have also found that quantitative data presents accurate information that
I can use to gauge the level of progress I have attained. Where qualitative data offers insights
into how well the regimen is taking form, quantitative data presents more actionable intelligence.
From the log entries in the journal, I can gauge the actual progress that I have made and the
effectiveness of the program. From the maintenance stage, the next step is the termination phase.
The termination stage is characterized by positive self-efficacy, at which point the practice would
have become integrated and would be more like a habit to me. In this stage, my expectation is I
will no longer be tempted to indulge in unsafe foods. At the same time, I expect not to fall under
the influence of my usual triggers. Whether I am stressed, anxious, fearful, or experiencing inner
tension, I would not return to my unhealthy habits. Only then would I have successfully gotten
over the behavior.