Wellness Coaching Tips for Making and Sustaining Change
WELLNESS COACHING TIPS FOR MAKING AND SUSTAINING CHANGE
What gets in the way of the weight-loss, fitness and healthy-living goals we set in moments of motivation? Rigid expectations, negative emotions and non stop distractions are a few examples. Here are five tips to take a step back, explore a vision of your best self, and clear space to make a positive change.
- Don’t overcommit. Often, people set the wrong goals; goals that are too lofty, unrealistic and overwhelming. Make a vision statement with no deadline, such as: ‘I’m going to be thinner and stronger’. Then set a realistic, shorter-term goal, such as I’m going to have a regular exercise regimen by a certain date.
- Dig deep to get to the “why”. When you tap into the source of your drive to be healthier, you create energy to change. What is it that you really yearn for? This is what drives your vision statement.
- Sit down with a coach, trainer or friend and brainstorm what your top strengths are and how you can best use them to handle challenges. Negative feelings are good at taking over the brain’s resources and we tend to focus on our weaknesses and ignore our strengths. Identifying your strengths gives you power to draw on them and use these qualities for change.
- Experiment like a scientist. The same techniques do not work for everyone. Tray a new strategy and see if it makes a difference. If you are trying to break a habit like snacking, work on finding activities to replace it. Experiment with five-minute options that can distract you from mindless eating, such as walking, stretching or meditating. Use mindfulness to really listen to what your body is telling you it needs, rather than what it wants.
- Get a handle on distractions. Schedule an hour on a specific day of the week to go to the gym, for example. Put your phone away. Focus on managing everyday distractions by having a plan and sticking to it.
