Guidelines for Reviewing Your Lifestyle Change Program

These guidelines are based on behavior change theories and principles of adult education. A quality program will contain many of the features listed below. However, it is not possible, nor desirable to include all of the features in every program.

Content

  • Focuses on specific behavior changes; for example, adding physical activity to the daily routine, selecting and preparing lean meats, reading labels to determine sodium content, quitting smoking.
  • Emphasizes practical, positive ways to make changes; what to do instead of what not to do.
  • Encourages gradual, step-by-step changes.
  • Uses terminology and scientific information at appropriate level for intended audience.
  • Addresses special needs and concerns of intended audience.

Active Participation

  • Uses a variety of methods to promote active participation; for examples, group discussion, question and answer sessions, discussion forums via the web, behavioral self-assessments, problem-solving, goal-setting, active rehearsal of desired skills during skill-building activities, trial behaviors.
  • Allows time for some group discussion and questions.
  • Draws on experience and expertise of the participants.

Skill-Building Activities

  • Teaches participants how to perform a desired skill; for example, how to monitor heart rate during exercise, how to add physical activity into your daily routine, how to select foods based on the labels, how to prepare lean meats, how to modify recipes, how to keep a calorie record.

Goal-Setting

  • Ask each participant to state how he or she will incorporate the recommended behavior change into his or her own lifestyle.

Self-Monitoring

  • Shows participants how to record or monitor their progress in meeting personal behavior change goals; for example, keeping a calorie food record, recording frequency, intensity, and duration of physical activity.

Social Support

  • Incorporates social support strategies; for example, encouraging family support for weight management, how to make changes in family's eating patterns, buddy system of registering for classes (two register together for the price of one), using family-oriented prizes in quit smoking contests.

Trial Behavior

  • Provides opportunities for trial behavior; for example, food tasting, walking, homework assignments, quitting smoking for at least one day

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See also > Center for Health Promotion > Health Promotion and Chronic Disease