A JOURNEY TOWARDS PHYSICAL FITNESS & WELLNESSMY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF APPLYING THE TTM TO MODIFY PERSONAL BEHAVIOUR

THE WAKE UP CALL

INTRODUCTION

poor health as a result of lack of physical activity is a serious public health problem [WHO]

overweight and obese middle aged women of African origin are at an increased risk of weight-related diseases and have significantly higher coronary heart disease mortality rate than their white counterparts (e.g Strickland et al., 2007)

benefits of regular physical activity and exercise include reduced risks for developing or dying from heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancers, high blood pressure and fractures [Hoeger & Hoeger, 2011]

THE TRANSTHEORETICAL MODEL (TTM)

• Prochaska & DiClemente (1983)

• for effective interventions to promote health behaviour change.

• describes how people modify a problem behaviour or acquire a positive behaviour.

• 6 stages – termination stage not falling back to old habit

• relies on self-reporting, integrates key constructs from other models

• previously been successfully applied to a wide variety of problem behaviours, including wellness programmes

APPLYING TTM TO EXERCISING

Components of TTM

i. Stages of change

ii. Process of change

iii. Decisional balance

iv. Self-efficacy

v. Temptation to not exercise(Spencer et al, 2006)

SELF ASSESSMENT

• to ensure success to implement this lifestyle change I followed Meyer's (2003) SMART goals.

SELF ASSESSMENT & DATA OVER 7 WEEKS

Mon Tues Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun Total No. ofJogs /week

Time Time Time Time Time Time Time

Week 1 20 mins - 20mins - - 25 mins 3/7

Week 2 25 mins 25 mins - - - 25 mins 25 mins 4/7

Week 3 25 mins 30 mins 25 mins 20 mins 30 mins 45 mins 6/7

Week 4 20 mins 20 mins 20 mins - 20 mins 20 mins 20 mins 6/7

Week 5 30 mins 20 mins 40 mins 30 mins 30 mins 45 mins 30 mins 7/7

Week 6 25 mins 20 mins 25 mins 20 mins 20 mins 1 hr 45 mins 7/7

Week 7

Baseline

CONCLUSION

• Not enough to attribute wellbeing to TTM e.g. Zoning out for hours in front of TV or computer

• Moving from one stage to another before or after relapse can take a matter of seconds, minutes, days etc