I have struggled with why clients find it so difficult to make the healthy changes they so desperately want and need to. Here are some eye-opening statistics:
- Only 6% of Americans consistently engage in the top five health behaviors
- Only 8% of people follow through with their New Year’s resolutions
- Between 80 and 95% of people that lose weight gain it back
In fact a medical study showed that when heart doctors told their seriously ill, at-risk patients that they would literally die if they didn’t make changes in diet, exercise and smoking habits, only one in seven succeeded in making those changes! That is astounding to me. I can’t imagine all those people did not want to live long, healthier lives. Perhaps they just refused to believe it could happen to them? I don’t know. Your guess is as good as mine here.
What that says to me is that while information is important in order for us to understand the issue, what we are being told to do and why, it is not enough by itself. I’ve always said we have to stop trying to just manage symptoms and get to the root cause of any issue.
Making changes to your diet, sleep or exercise habits is not as simple as knowing what you need to do and then just doing it. There’s more involved than that. It has always seemed people are looking for that “magic pill” they can just take and it fixes everything. Problem is, there is no such thing!
Making gradual, targeted, intentional changes to diet and lifestyle are powerful ways to address root causes. But they require effort, time, patience and perseverance. These are what are termed “adaptive challenges.” We can’t just start eating broccoli or take a multivitamin, walk 2 miles a day and be done with it. They require a transformation in mindset and behavior.
This is why I provide information and resources as well as accountability and support as clients take one baby step at a time toward greater health and wholeness. It is a process and adjusting and changing your mindset is as, if not more important, than the gradual, incremental physical steps you must take to address the root cause of the illness.
Are you willing to make changes to your lifestyle and habits, including your mindset, in order to address the root cause of any health issue you may be facing?
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Make gradual changes. Boost health, vitality and energy. Become your best YOU.
3-D Vitality 
So well said! Our current culture wants “instant gratification” and very few folks are willing to “persevere” to achieve the lasting results that true lifestyle changes bring! Keep coaching!!!
Absolutely!! We have to be willing to put some time and effort into making changes that will really address the core issues. Thank you for reading and for your comment.
Well said ma’am. While I agree, I also recognize that I didn’t get to the health condition I’m in today overnight, so I can’t expect to reverse the course overnight either. Little steps, always moving forward toward the goal. Thank you for such an encouraging word ma’am.
Absolutely right J.D. and those gradual, consistent baby steps in the right direction make a HUGE difference!
Sobering statistics.
Being in the minority, I asked myself what keeps us going. Exercising daily, fasting, continually learning and adapting our nutrition; we’re not perfect by any means, but we keep coming back to this lifestyle.
Having lived healthfully and not so healthy, we know how it feels. But probably the biggest thing is that we’re in it together. Support and accountability, like you offer with your coaching.
Have you seen an increase in people turning toward lifestyle changes in light of this virus?
Sadly, I have not personally seen an increase in people turning toward lifestyle changes in light of the virus.