EXERCISE ACTIVITY 3 MONITORING YOUR CURRENT PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR
To develop a successful behavior change program, you need detailed information about your current behavior patterns. You can obtain this information by developing a system of record keeping geared toward your target behavior. Depending on your target behavior, you may want to monitor a single behavior, such as your diet, or you may want to keep daily activity records to determine how you could make time for exercise or another new behavior. Consider tracking factors such as the following:
• What the behavior was
• When and for how long it occurred
• Where it occurred
• What else you were doing at the time
• What other people you were with and how they influenced you
• What your thoughts and feelings were
• How strong your urge for the behavior was (for example, how hungry you were or how much you wanted to watch TV)
Figure 1.6 shows a sample log for tracking daily diet. Below, create a format for a sample daily log for monitoring the behavior patterns relating to your target behavior. Then use the log to monitor your behavior for a day. Evaluate your log as you use it. Ask yourself if you are tracking all the key factors that influence your behavior; make any necessary adjustments to the format of your log. Once you’ve developed an appropriate format, use a separate notebook (your health journal) to keep records of your behavior for a week or two. These records will provide solid information about your behavior that will help you develop a successful behavior change program. Later activities in this workbook will ask you to analyze your records.
EXERCISE ACTIVITY 3 MONITORING YOUR CURRENT PATTERNS OF BEHAVIOR Photo Gallery
ACTIVITY 4 SETTING GOALS
For your behavior change program to succeed, you must set meaningful, realistic goals. In addition to an ultimate goal, set some intermediate goals milestones that you can strive for on the way to your final objective. For example, if your overall goal is to run a 5K road race, an intermediate goal might be to successfully complete 2 weeks of your fitness program. If you set a final goal of eating 7 servings of fruits and vegetables every day, an intermediate goal would be to increase your daily intake from 3 to 4 servings. List your intermediate and final goals below. Don’t strive for immediate perfection. Allow an adequate amount of time to reach each of your goals.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE WORKBOOK
If your statements indicate that you have major reservations about changing your behavior, work to build your motivation and commitment before you begin your program. Look carefully at your objections to changing your behavior. How valid and important are they? What can you do to overcome them? Can you adopt any of the strategies you listed under statement 6? Review the facts about your current behavior and your goals.
