Healthy eating: Overcoming barriers to change
Why is it important to think about barriers?
Figuring out what your barriers are and how you can get past them will help you reach your healthy eating goals. When you know what things can get in your way, you can plan what you will do to get around them.
Knowing what you can do when you come up against a barrier is part of the overall planning you need to do to be successful at changing any habit. Making lifestyle changes is hard, but you're more likely to have success if you:
- Know your reasons for wanting to make a change.
- Set your long-term and short-term goals.
- Identify your barriers.
- Get support, and plan to reward yourself.
Writing down a personal action plan
(What is a PDF document?) may help you in your effort to make a lifestyle change.
Test Your Knowledge
You'll have more success making lifestyle changes if you think ahead of time about what options you have when you have slipped up or are about to slip up.
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How do you overcome barriers to healthy eating?
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| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH | Last Updated: February 6, 2009 |
| Medical Review: | Ruth Schneider, MPH, RD - Diet and Nutrition Rhonda O'Brien, MS, RD, CDE - Diabetes Educator | |
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