BASICS OF BEHAVIORAL CHANGE AND HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY CHAPTER 4
can make a living by helping people exercise. Your uncle is sedentary and thinks that exercise is for women who take aerobics or for bodybuilder types who are looking to bulk up. He views exercise as completely irrelevant to his life. Your initial thought is to argue with your uncle and to tell him that he is completely misinformed, but this would be counterproductive. How would you educate your uncle without lecturing or arguing with him? Contemplation: You receive a phone call at the gym from a woman who saw an advertisement for a free trial week. She says that she does not currently work out and that she has never exercised in a gym before. She seems very apprehensive and nervous on the phone and says that she is not sure if it is for her, but that she knows she needs to be more active. She asks if there is any programming for beginners and if someone will be available to help her if she comes in, since she does not know what she is doing. How would you respond, and what is the most appropriate course of action for working with this potential client? Preparation: You are approached by a member at the gym who comes in a few times a month and goes through a basic workout. He tells you that he wants to be more consistent and lose weight, but that he is having a difficult time finding the motivation. He says that he is not really sure what he needs to be doing and that he needs help. How would you respond to this club member to best enhance his motivation for true lifestyle change? Action: You have a female client who has been consistently training three days a week for a couple of months. She is seeing great results and loves her workouts. She is always happy to come in and never misses an appointment. The client has two children and, with the school year coming to an end, knows her schedule will change. She really wants to continue to train. You encourage the client by telling her how great she has done, reminding her how much she has accomplished. The two of you then talk about the challenges she will face trying to stick to her workouts when her children are out of school. How will you help your client adjust to her new schedule? Maintenance: A long-time client has lost more than 60 pounds (27 kg) and feels great. He has reached his goals and loves being physically active. He has even started taking his family for hikes on the weekends. He rarely misses an appointment and is one of your easiest clients to deal with. You understand, however, that this state of consistency may not last forever, so you plan a sit-down session with the client to evaluate the program and set new goals. How would you manage this meeting and what topics would you discuss in order to help your client anticipate and overcome potential obstacles to continued success?
PRINCIPLES OF BEHAVIORAL CHANGE
ONE OF THE BIGGEST MISTAKES A HEALTH AND FITNESS PROFESSIONAL CAN make is to assume that starting and sticking with an activity program is easy or simple. This may seem like a basic point, but most health and fitness professionals are active themselves and sometimes have difficulty relating to the challenge of getting started from a sedentary state. This is part of the reason why it is important for personal trainers to understand and apply theoretical constructs (e.g., TTM and self-efficacy) in their work with clients. The main benefit of using such models is that they properly address exercise as a behavior. The adoption of physical activity is a complicated process that requires replacing sedentary behaviors with healthy, active behaviors. It is the personal trainer’s job to provide guidance and support to help change client behaviors by influencing their attitudes, motives, emotions, and performance. This process of behavioral change is a gradual progression that requires effort, dedication, and commitment. As previously discussed, for a personal trainer to be successful in building a client base and a solid business, he or she must understand the factors that control behavior and be able to teach clients new ways of doing things.
