This page is part of Live Better Health Coaching. Find out about Live Better by clicking here.
Before you start…
Make sure you have a pen and paper handy. You will be asked to complete simple, written tasks as you go along.
Allow time to work through the whole topic, preferably without distractions – 30 minutes should be plenty.
Watch the video
For your convenience, you can watch a short video covering the topic below.
The Problem
Here are the main problems you will try to solve this week.
- Which of these problems ring true with you or not?
- Who is in your support crew?
- List the ways they help and/or hinder you now.
A Solution
Here is an overall solution for the problems you face. Make sure you understand the general idea of how you are going to solve things.
- List how this possible solution may or may not work for you.
- Identify who you might want to add to your support crew, and think about why.
- Who are the people you want to have a conversation with about how they might better support you?
Your Action
Here is the detailed Action Plan you can follow, like a recipe, to solve the problem. This Action Plan is made up of four linking parts. Each part is important and worth spending some time reviewing how you will use it to help you build a suppport crew that will support you to achieve your health goals.
- Re-write Your Action above, but customising it to your personal situation.
- List the barriers to you successfully completing Your Action this week (eg – what events, situations, people etc could get in your way?)
- List the ways that Your Action can be made easier to achieve this week (eg – what tools, tactics, people etc can help you overcome your barriers?)
Now do it
Now you have your Action Plan in place for the coming week, make sure you actually do it! Don’t let yourself get distracted or nudged off course.
If you complete the Homework Form to log Your Action, you will receive reminders throughout the week to help you stay on track.
Remember, you are worth the effort you will put into this…
Tools to help
Homework Form – if you complete this online you will receive reminders to help you throughout the week.
Review Form – complete your review online before you attend the Review Coaching Session so you are prepared for the session.
Continue your food and exercise diary – these will form a valuable source of data for you as you progress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find a support crew that understands what I’m trying to do and help me?
The Live Better community can help. Being part of the review discussions is a great way to check in, receive and offer support from people who are experiencing similar challenges. It is one of the reasons we encourage you to join the weekly review sessions.
The WhatsApp community can also be a good source of support. Ask directly if you want to join the group.
As well as your close friends and family, it often helps to have someone who is not part of your inner circle. A buddy from the Live Better community can work well here. As they can offer more objective observations and are not as embroiled in some of the emotions associated with family life, these people can sometimes help you see things differently.
How can I change the way my partner/ friends/ family react when I am trying hard to make changes?
Some version of this question regularly gets asked.
The first thing to think about is have you really explained to them why this important to you? And we mean, really explained? Not in passing whilst one or both of you are getting frustrated or cross. We think this can be at the heart of how the people around you either help or hinder you in making healthier changes.
Remember, people are not mind readers and so what is obvious to you is not obvious to others unless you explain it. Revisit the conversation ‘recipe’ in the topic and plan your approach to the conversations you can have. It might take more than one go and is likely to get better as you practise and they get used to your new habits.