Changing eating habits as a New Year’s resolution
The New Year is the perfect time to tap into a fresh dose of motivation and implement long-planned changes. However, remember that to achieve lasting results, you can’t rely solely on your initial enthusiasm. Change is a journey, and the path to your goal can be winding and long. Being aware of this from the start can significantly boost your chances of success.
Transformation must first and foremost occur in your psyche. Consequently, understanding the psychological mechanisms involved in this process will be helpful. It’s all about learning the 6 steps that will increase your chances of success and realistically bring the desired changes to your life.
Six stages of change, or the transtheoretical model (TTM)
Psychologists James Prochaska and Carlo DiClemente have dedicated years to studying the mechanisms of behavioral change, particularly in the context of nicotine addiction. They have identified the behaviors, emotions, and stages individuals experience while successfully overcoming addiction. One of the key findings from their studies was that taking action – such as quitting smoking – does not necessarily ensure lasting success. Kicking the smoking habit for good required a multi-step process of change.
In 1977, based on their observations, the two psychologists developed the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM). This model offers a precise framework for understanding the process of change, including changes in eating habits. The model identifies 6 distinct steps and defines change as a “process involving progress through a series of stages.” Understanding these steps can help you better prepare to achieve your specific resolutions.
The TTM model can serve as a practical guide for making positive changes or habits in your life and supporting your loved ones in the process. It’s a universal model that can be applied to effectively transform thinking, reactions, or behaviors. It’s particularly effective when building healthy habits.
Stage 1: Precontemplation
At this stage, people may not yet be fully aware of the need for change. They often fail to recognize the problem, believe they can’t make any changes in this area, or don’t realize the potential consequences of their behavior.
When it comes to an unhealthy diet, these individuals typically show no interest in making changes. They may doubt the effectiveness of dietary advice, think it doesn’t apply to them, or simply ignore the problems related to their nutrition. During the precontemplation phase, you may have thoughts suggesting that you’re not progressing as well as you could or that change might be beneficial, yet the idea of change feels overwhelming or unattainable.
Typical thoughts and behaviors associated with the precontemplation stage include:
- “I don’t have time to change my diet.”
- “I may not eat perfectly, but who does these days?”
- “Currently, no food seems good enough. Everything is off-limits.”
- “I don’t have any health issues, so healthier eating isn’t relevant for me.”
- “I’ve been eating this way for as long as I can remember. Any change would be too difficult and not worth the effort.”
- “I might weigh more than I should, but who decided these standards in the first place?”
- “I can’t imagine living without [name of a food product or an unhealthy habit].”
- “I could stop eating [name of a food product], but what kind of life would it be without this pleasure?”
- “My diet isn’t that bad – others eat worse and still live.”
At this stage, negative perceptions of potential changes dominate, overshadowing any recognition of their possible advantages. In this phase, the disadvantages, whether objective (e.g., healthy eating requires more meal planning) or subjective (e.g., healthy eating is more expensive), seem to outweigh the potential benefits, making them not worth considering.
How to progress from stage 1?
To move beyond the precontemplation stage, it’s essential to shift your perspective and consider the facts. Recognize the consequences of maintaining your current eating habits. Diagnose the problem and objectively assess your situation, as well as the trajectory of your current eating patterns.
Here are some examples of a realistic assessment that can help those in stage 1:
- If you have been steadily gaining weight (a few pounds per year) over the past several years without any changes to your diet (or lifestyle), this trend is likely to continue.
- If your blood tests show high cholesterol and abnormal blood lipid levels, these issues will worsen without dietary changes.
- If your diet heavily relies on sweets, health issues will inevitably arise sooner or later.
Stage 2: Contemplation
Individuals who start to realistically consider the consequences of their actions are in the contemplation phase. Although they are not yet ready to make changes, they recognize that their habits may lead to negative consequences. It’s quite common to remain in this phase for months or even years. At this stage, many people entertain the idea of making a change but continually postpone it to an unspecified (and often distant) future.
Many people in the contemplation phase have a skewed view of change, perceiving it as more difficult and challenging than it actually is. Some people also fear that change may result in a ‘loss of identity’ – as they may have already built their identity around unhealthy habits, leading others to view them through the lens of these behaviors. Many individuals can thus become ‘stuck’ in the contemplation phase. For example:
- someone who never turns down an invitation to go out for a beer,
- someone who never eats vegetables, openly dislikes vegetarian products, and even takes pride in this stance.
For these individuals, the sacrifices associated with change can be especially challenging, leaving them stalled in the contemplation phase. On the other hand, they’re starting to recognize the potential benefits of making changes. They may look for examples of individuals who have successfully pursued similar goals, but often restrict themselves to passive observation.
What steps can be taken to progress to the next stage?
To move past the contemplation stage, deep self-reflection is essential. Identify the factors that are holding you back from making changes. Be completely honest with yourself and reflect on why you are resistant to change. What do you find most difficult? Are you worried about ‘losing your identity’? Isn’t the idea of improved physical performance and reduced fatigue more appealing than daily fast food? Is getting out of bed early to run truly impossible?
For each individual, the reasons for delaying the transition to the next stage will vary. At this point, strategic thinking techniques can be beneficial. The contemplation stage concludes with the realization that ‘it’s time for a change.’
Stage 3: Preparation
Those entering the preparation stage are typically ready to take meaningful action within the next 30 days. They have a solid understanding of the benefits that the change can bring. They often share their plans with friends and family, which helps them mentally adjust to the idea of change and ‘explore their environment’. At this stage, they also seek specific information to support their transition process.
In the preparation stage, many people begin taking their first small steps toward healthier eating. This could include, for example, giving up sweetened coffee, choosing water over sugary drinks, or eliminating savory snacks. So, we can say that this is the stage of testing your abilities.
How to move forward in stage 3?
The preparation stage is crucial, so it’s important not to rush it in an attempt to move to stage 4. Implement changes using the baby steps method, beginning with the least intrusive ones. Introduce new eating microhabits. The more prepared you are at this stage, the easier the next phase – the action stage – will be. The stage of preparation is key to achieving long-term success in adopting the habit.
Here are some elements to consider in this phase:
- Be mindful of the obstacles that may arise during the action stage. Talk to people who have taken a similar path. Consider what might prevent you from fully taking action and work to remove potential obstacles.
- Set specific goals for yourself. This will help many people take action and establish a clear long-term direction. Psychologists often recommend using the SMART concept, which states that goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, meaningful, and time-bound. An example of a goal related to healthy eating, formulated using the SMART criteria, could be: “I will lose 5 kg in 3 months through a healthy and balanced diet” or “I will dedicate at least 3 hours per week to exercise”.
- Look for alternative plans. Understand that you may not be able to follow your plan 100% of the time. Having backup options can help prevent you from abandoning the change process at the first obstacle. For example, an alternative plan could be finding a place near work that serves healthy lunches in case you’re unable to prepare a meal at home.
- Learn as you go. The preparation stage is a time for acquiring knowledge and seeking practical advice. In the case of healthy habits, this might involve collecting recipes for nutritious breakfasts, ideas for protein-packed snacks, or learning about the proper distribution of macronutrients in the diet.
Stage 4: Action
After progressing through the previous stages, you gain clarity on the need for change and understand its benefits. You want to take action and know how to proceed. Stage 4 is when you turn your goals into action and put the change into practice. The earlier stages serve as the foundation for this moment and are essential for achieving success.
If you make New Year’s resolutions and try to skip straight to Stage 4, you may encounter more obstacles and setbacks. Recognize this – and allow yourself the time needed to fully embrace the process of change.
In stage 4, you actively seek solutions, adjust plans, and continue learning. However, you move beyond theory to focus on the practical development of new habits. The process typically takes between one and six months, during which you’re likely to encounter both minor and major challenges. The action stage doesn’t need to be ‘perfect’, but it involves more substantial efforts compared to the smaller steps taken in stage 3.
When forming healthier eating habits, the goal is to establish a balanced diet rather than focusing solely on eliminating specific items, such as sweetened beverages. The key is to avoid the ‘all-or-nothing’ mindset, which rarely proves sustainable in the long term. The 80/20 or 90/10 method, for example, is much more effective.
Maintaining the will to act requires more than just ‘motivation’. Above all, you need consistency to form a new habit. It can be helpful, for example, to track your progress and reward yourself for reaching micro-goals. The reward should be enjoyable yet appropriate. For example, you should avoid rewarding your healthy eating habits with ‘less healthy’ food. It’s best not to view food as a reward, particularly when building a new relationship with eating.
Read on: How to stay motivated?
Stage 5: Maintenance
According to the transtheoretical model, the maintenance stage begins approximately 6 months after actively working toward change. If you’ve successfully introduced new eating habits and formed a healthy routine, remember that even after 6 months, you’re still in the process of change. This awareness can help you understand your emotions and prevent a return to old habits.
At stage 5, individuals feel fairly confident in their new habits, with their track record demonstrating their ability to successfully implement and sustain the new dietary model. They often reach their established goals, which brings a sense of pride and satisfaction.
However, the path to maintaining habits is not always smooth – and encountering temptations and other obstacles is common. You may consciously indulge in some of these occasionally, but be cautious not to fall into a cycle of unhealthy habits, especially in stressful situations. For many people, the maintenance stage can be a good time to transition from working with a nutritionist to managing their nutrition plan independently. After a few months, your knowledge and ability to plan your meals should enable you to transition to intuitive eating, even if you haven’t practiced it before.
In the maintenance stage, it’s important to recognize that perfect nutrition is not necessary. Focus on fundamental habits – such as including vegetables or fruit in every meal, choosing unprocessed foods, or avoiding added sugar. Establish your own boundaries for ‘healthy eating habits’ to prevent them from becoming orthorexia and to avoid reverting to old, unhealthy eating patterns.
Stage 6: Relapse
Stage 6 is naturally undesirable, but it can’t be overlooked. It’s a phase of regression that can occur at any point during the change process. In the context of changing eating habits, this means reverting to old, familiar behaviors from before the change. Relapse often occurs in stressful or unusual situations, when the resources to maintain healthy habits are limited.
In most cases, relapses are a normal part of the process, even with a conscious and careful progression through all the previous stages. Your response to entering stage 6 is crucial to the overall success of the change process.
Example: When you go on vacation, healthy eating habits take a back seat. Overindulgence becomes the norm: you eat too much, opt for unhealthy foods, and eat late into the night. The question is: will you be able to return to your previously established healthy routines after your vacation? Or will you see your lapse as a total failure and abandon your good habits entirely?
Remember that remorse over a relapse rarely helps. At this point, it’s crucial to realistically evaluate your behavior and return to healthy habits without dwelling excessively on your past missteps. Reflecting on the causes of the relapse can also provide valuable insights to help you avoid similar pitfalls in the future. Keep in mind, though, that relapse is deliberately included in the transtheoretical model. It’s considered an inevitable part of the process rather than a reason to give up. It’s better to plan for it than to rely solely on ‘motivation’ and hope the problem won’t arise.
When it comes to healthy eating habits, occasional deviations from a balanced diet should not be considered a relapse. A healthy diet can also incorporate indulgent, recreational foods primarily meant for enjoyment. Enjoying sweets, snacks, or your favorite less nutritious dishes occasionally doesn’t signify a relapse and doesn’t need to be fought.
References:
- Prochaska J. & Velicer W., The Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change, American journal of health promotion: AJHP. 12. 38-48. 10.4278/0890-1171-12.1.38, 1997.
- Spencer L., Adams T.B., Malone S., Roy L. Yost E., Applying the transtheoretical model to exercise: a systematic and comprehensive review of the literature, Health Promotion Practice 7 (4): 428–443. doi:10.1177/1524839905278900, PMID 16840769. S2CID 8922808, 2006.
- Hashemzadeh M., Rahimi A., Zare-Farashbandi F., Alavi-Naeini A. M., Daei A., Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavioral Change: A Systematic Review, Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res., 2019 Mar-Apr;24(2):83-90, doi: 10.4103/ijnmr.IJNMR_94_17, PMID: 30820217, PMCID: PMC6390443.
- de Freitas P.P., de Menezes M.C., dos Santos L.C. et al., The transtheoretical model is an effective weight management intervention: a randomized controlled trial, BMC Public Health 20, 652 (2020), https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08796-1.