Precontemplation is when an individual is not considering making any changes. Contemplation is the time when an individual is aware there is a problem and is considering taking action to resolve it. Preparation refers to the time when an individual commits to taking action sometime within the next 30 days. Action is the busiest time. There are noticeable efforts to change the targeted behavior.
Maintenance is the stage when a person tries to stabilize the behavior change and prevent relapse.
Termination is the final stage, this occurs when there is zero temptation to revert back to the old behavior. Now the author uses these six stages to relate it to dietary habits and how people can use this process in their lives and make them become aware how to fix their dietary problems and even problems beyond that. It can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention. As a result of reading this article I became more aware of myself and what to look for when getting into bad habits.