Sustaining Healthy Behavior Change with Michelle Segar, PhD, MPH, MS

As we near the end of 2024, you may find yourself reflecting on the year to come. The turn of the calendar offers an opportunity to refresh your goals and resolutions, though it can be difficult to sustain that motivation over the course of the year. To discuss ways to adhere to new behaviors, I am joined by behavior researcher Michelle Segar, PhD, MPH, MS.

Michelle’s study at the University of Michigan revealed the core challenges of maintaining behavior change. While many of her study participants recognized which habits were necessary and beneficial to their health, their driving reasons for exercise or diet had to shift to accommodate other stressors in their life. Michelle describes this fragile balance as a “motivation bubble.”

“As soon as it bumps up against something, it bursts. So once we're past the trial, three months, six months… this motivation bubble bursts. We bump up against real life and its unpredictability.”

Instead, Michelle recommends focusing on your “why” in the short-term. For instance, noticing that physical activity helps us feel better immediately after workouts, more sleep helps us feel more energetic the following day, and whole foods help our digestion after meals. Michelle encourages drawing attention to these effects, or “rewards,” to aid in sustainable change.

“When people start to recognize, again through the experiential learning process, ‘I feel so much better…’ Then the behavior exercise becomes a vehicle for feeling who you are at your core.”

Listen to the full episode to build your strategy for sustainable behavior change.