Understanding Behavior Change

In this week's “Master Instructor Roundtable,” NASM Master Instructors Wendy Batts and Marty Miller discuss the Behavior Change Specialist Course and the difference between the art of training verses the science of training.

They review different stages of the Transtheoretical Model and how understanding each stage can help create long-term, positive behavior changes with your clients.

[johneaston]

I found this discussion to be generally informative but I was surprised to find so little of the content speaking to the psychology of behavior change. My observed experience has been that the main reason people don't reach or sustain their health goals is the internal discussion that takes place between someone's ears, their mindset. Appeals centered on exercise and nutrition science/tactics/habits etc. simply don't work without the client changing their mindset around these practices. Psychological change does not start with goals/assessments, it starts with a compelling, specific and sustainable "why".

I really hope what was shared here is not what the course centers on. My expectancy is that the course focuses more on the connection between psychology/mindset and how to encourage change between the ears. Everything else is academic without this.