Changing Habits Assessment: What Stage Am I In?

Changing Habits Assessment 1: What Stage Am I In?

 Instructions: Check off the statements below that are true for you.

Stage 1
? I think a change would help but I’m not ready to change what I do.
? I think a change would help but I’m not interested in doing anything new.
? I think that it would be too hard to make a change.
Stage 2
? I’m thinking about making a change but not right away.
? Right now, the costs of making a change outweigh 2 the benefits.
Stage 3
? I’m ready to make a change and would like to do it in the next month.
? I’ve thought about what I’d like to do.
? I’ve made a realistic plan.
? I’ve gotten what I need to carry out my plan.
Stage 4
? I’ve taken action and started my new plan.
? I’ve started my new plan but sometimes I’m tempted 3 to slack 4 off.
? I’ve started my new plan but sometimes I go back to my old way of doing things.
Stage 5
? I’ve stuck with my new routine 5 for more than six months.
? Now I’m used to doing things differently.
? I find it hard to imagine not sticking with my new habit.
Scoring your quiz
Here’s what your results mean:
If you’ve checked items under stages 1 and/or stage 2:
You’re not ready to change your habits yet. Try this exercise: Think about how a change in habits could benefit you and your family. For example, being more active could help you be healthier. Fill in the blanks below.
? My new habit might be: _________________________
? The benefits would include: _________________________
? What part of this change would be hard for me? _________________________
? Why haven’t I made this change before? _________________________
? How can I work around these problems? _________________________
If you’ve checked items under stage 3:
Congratulations! You’re ready to make a change.
? Choose a date to start and write it here: _________________________
? Think of a weekly reward for yourself for carrying out your plan and write it here: _________________________
If you’ve checked items under stage 4:
Good for you! You’re on the road to a healthy new routine. If you slip up once in a while and go back to your old habits, don’t despair 6. One slip doesn’t mean you have failed or that you should revert 7 back to your old habits. You can start fresh tomorrow.
To help you stick with your new plan, think about roadblocks that might come up. Write your answers below.
? What things might get in the way of carrying out my plan? _________________________
? What can I do when those things happen? _________________________
? How can I set up things around the house or in my neighborhood so it’ll be easier to stick with my new habit? _________________________
If you’ve checked items under stage 5:
You should be proud of yourself and what you’ve done! 
? Keep track of your efforts by writing down what you do every day. 
? Vary 8 your routine to keep it interesting. 
? Think about another change you might want to try. 
? Making more changes will continue to help with weight loss and can improve your health!