Behavioral Change

Behavioral change may seem hard, but a yoga therapist can help! It’s almost 2023 and January is whne most people begin to think about what habits need to change in the new year to live a healthier life. At Waterfall Yoga Therapy you have access to a certified yoga therapist and personal trainer. We can help you understand the benefits of exercise, what it will take to get you motivated, what causes self-destructive behavior, and offer support through it all through virtual and in person yoga therapy. Yoga therapy is so much more than yoga! Here’s some explanation:

EXERCISE

Psychological benefits of exercise:

Reduced stress
Reduced anxiety
Improved mood
Increased self-esteem
Improved cognitive function
Prevents depression

Physical benefits of exercise
Cardiorespiratory strength
Muscular and resistance strength
Improved flexibility

Motives for exercise
Self-esteem or self-conscious worries of our perceived physical appearance to to others
Weight control
Social component
Improved health
Avoidance of poor health
Competition

First, if exercise has all of these incredible physical and mental benefits and there are plenty of motivational factors to exercise, why then do we still engage in behavior that we know is unhealthy? For example, drinking large quantities of alcohol, not eating right, avoiding exercise, not getting enough quality sleep, stressing ourselves to the max to do all and be all, and avoidance of sitting in rest with no external distractions. Second, if we know our actions are self-destructive and toxic yet that knowledge isn’t enough to change your behavior then what is?

Causes of self-destructive behavior

-Lack of awareness surrounding biological cues. Example: You want that late night bowl of ice cream mostly because you are tired and bored and that in the short-term will keep you occupied and awake. -Your body most likely is asking for rest, not another upper.
–Physical limitation ie. Impairment, age, disability, injury, pain etc
-Cognitive limitation i.e. TBI, ADHD, dementia
-Motivational limitation- the most controllable yet the most difficult to overcome.
-Negative habits, behavior, and attitude, negative self-talk
-Lack of time – the most common excuse for not eating healthy or exercising.
-Ill matched fitness facilities or choice of exercise
-Lack of knowledge of fitness (how to do fitness based on goals and right and wrong technique)
-Setting unrealistic, unattainable goals leading to failure
-Perceived lack of improvement
-Perceived low competence levels when it comes to exercise
-Negative experiences of exercise in childhood
-Exercise burnout due to overexertion or boredom
-Lack of social support to exercise
-Anxiety over not reaching goals, not doing it right, etc
-Perfectionism
-Costs too much (In reality, what is the cost of not taking care of yourself now, and waiting for disease to set in?)

Behavioral change is possible. How many of these items are on your list?

It is apparent that many of us need others to help us follow through with behavioral change. We need our social support! That’s why Waterfall Yoga Community is here!

Hear how our client Jary changed his life and his pain with yoga therapy!

Social Support includes yoga therapists, nutritionists or dieticians, coaches, trainers, mental health professionals and much more. We need those people that hold us to our goals, keep us accountable.
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I can maintain a role as a yoga therapist for you and your friends worldwide thanks to Tele-Health. Please refer me to the friends and family that need assistance and motivation! Schedule a free consult here.