10 Habits of Effective Changemakers

How does one make lasting, effective change? With the new year near, many people will attempt fitness and weight loss-related changes, yet will fail due to being ill-prepared. Don’t let that be you this year and read on below to learn the top 10 practices Life Time Weight Loss success stories do to make effective change, no matter what behavior they are trying to master!

1. They assess their readiness.
Changemakers know how ready they are to make a change before they even attempt it. They know there are several different stages of change and not to solely focus on the results they want (such as losing 50 pounds), but to also take the time to understand how ready they really are. Take the time and read Ready, Set, Change! to help learn where you are in that process, how confident you are at attempting change, and what to do instead if you are not ready.

2. They take personal responsibility.
Too many people play the blame-game approach when it comes to explaining their current health. Instead of blaming the convenience of fast food or your coworkers who bring treats to work, take ownership when it comes to your health. Don’t think you have to do it alone, because you don’t, but acknowledge that you are the only one to actively change your behavior.

3. They take small bites.
Changemakes don’t make the mistake of breaking off more than they can chew! They know no goal is ever too small and that the small changes are what lead to big results. If their goal is to get on a regular exercise routine, they won’t hit the floor running and trying to achieve getting to the gym every day. Instead, they might make a goal of going to the gym 3 days a week and practice that until they are comfortable to up the frequency.

4. They celebrate small successes.
With the small-bite approach comes the importance of celebrating those little successes! Changemakers know that positive reinforcement helps keep them on track and serves as a reminder of the journey they are on to making change. Spend the time to explore a reward system for yourself, it could be as simple as writing down your milestones in a journal or buying new workout clothes or shoes.

5. They assess their environment and change it if they have to.
Changemakers don’t underestimate the importance of environment. They know it can hold stimulus’ that can take them off path in a quick second. Take the time to assess your environment and address if anything will get in your way of finding success. Create new stimulus’ if need be, such as laying out your workout clothes every night so when you wake up, there is now excuse not to workout.

6. They focus on good behaviors to master, not what bad behaviors to stop.
Start the journey off right by keeping a positive mindset. Instead of telling yourself you really need to stop eating fast food for lunch, focus more on planning and packing lunches instead. The mindset is suttle, but the payoff to the approach is huge.

7. They don’t solely rely on motivation.
As the saying goes, “motivation is what gets you started, but habits are what keep you going.” Changemakers know that forming habits are the key to long term success and that making change takes work and time.

8. They know their triggers and take them seriously.
Take the time to identify what triggers would get in the way of your success. This might be a certain food, or even a certain person, that leads you down a destructive path. Changemakers avoid the triggers at all cost until they build the confidence to stand against them.

9. They find the right support.
Support is huge. Tell the people you trust and that can help provide the best support.

10. They learn “how”.
Most people know what they need to do but often road block themselves to success because they never take the time to learn how. For example, you might want to eat healthier and that you should be eating more vegetables, but if you don’t know doable strategies to help you eat more vegetables, your success is limited. Research or hire a coach to help you learn the how.

http://www.lifetime-weightloss.com/blog/2012/12/26/10-habits-of-effective-changemakers.html?utm_source=WL&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=20121226~Flourish~WLIN2208&utm_content=MX~T0&utm_term=