Health Behavior Change Project
Fluid Intake
Costs and Benefits Analysis
Substitution of fluids-increasing water intake and decreasing coffee intake
Costs
- Social event
- Enjoy the taste
- Purchasing a water bottle
- Discomfort of breaking the habit
- Caffeine headaches
Why should you drink less coffee?
- Cholesterol
- Heart disease
- Additional calories and fat
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Sleeplessness
- Time
- Additional expense
Why should you drink more water?
- Dehydration
- Control calories
- Energize muscles
- Healthy skin
- Alleviate pain
- Reduces risk for colon cancer
- Kidneys
- Improves metabolism
- Improves thinking
Benefits
- Save money
- Less "coffee breath"
- Save time
- Less calories/fats
- Less waste of paper cups
- Clearer skin
- Refreshed feeling
- Less risk for high cholesterol and heart disease
- Decrease restlessness, irritability, anxiety, sleeplessness
Summary
Building Motivation and Commitment
Strategies
- Kept log in agenda
- Propaganda
Examining Attitudes and Setting Goals
Total cost of 4 weeks= $55.88
Savings if continued= $3.72/day
Felt less tired in week 4
Drank the least coffee in week 4
Drank the most water in week 1
Goals
- Purchase a water bottle
- Drink at least 12oz of water 3 times a week
- Carry a water bottle every day
- Drink less than 24oz of coffee each day
- Avoid environmental cues
- Develop a support system
Motivation
- I feel responsible for my own behavior
- I am capable of managing it
- I enjoy setting goals and working towards them
- I like having structure and schedule
- I am more motivated now
- My goals are realistic
- I have a positive mental picture
- I feel prepared for lapses
- I feel comfortable telling other people about the project
Barriers
- Hassle of carrying a water bottle
- Habit of making or purchasing coffee
- Environmental cues
- Stressful lifestyle
- Early mornings and late nights
- Caffeine headaches
I hope to continue this behavior!
Citations
- Mayo Clinic. (2013, July 13). Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
- Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, K. (2013). 6 reasons to drink more water. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/6-reasons-to-drink-water
- Hensrud, MD, D. (2010, May 06). Nutrition and eating healthy. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/coffee-and-health/AN01354
Graphs
Breaking Behavior Chains
Chain of drinking coffee
- Stay up late
- Wake up late
- Have a timer on coffee pot
- Carry meal card and coffee mug
- Study at coffee shops
- Drink coffee at work
- Drink coffee throughout the day
Opportunities to break the chain
- Get restful sleep
- Wake up earlier
- Do not set timer or purchase coffee at grocery
- Avoid studying at coffee shops
- Avoid Heine Bros side of library
- Avoid coffee runs at work
- Carry water bottle instead of mug
- Find additional alternatives when feeling tired
- Have support of friends