What Inspired Michelle
Three months after the study ended, we asked the study participants to come back to participate in focus groups. The survivors talked about how wonderful exercise had made them feel both mentally and physically. Of course, I was thrilled to hear how much exercise was benefiting these women!
But I was then shocked to discover that almost everyone had stopped exercising, when their commitment to the study had ended. I asked the study participants: “Why did you stop exercising when it had made you feel so good?” They gave me many answers. These women said that they had stopped exercising because of their many daily responsibilities - cooking and cleaning, chauffeuring children, taking care of others, etc.
After listening to the reasons why these women had stopped exercising it became clear that their barriers were not due to being cancer survivors, but from just having internalized women’s cultural roles and responsibilities. The epiphany I had was that although these breast cancer survivors had been comfortable making a commitment to exercise to fulfill our study requirements, they had not felt comfortable committing to exercise just to improve their own health and well-being!!
Moreover, that women who had faced a life-threatening illness had difficulty prioritizing their own health and wellness demonstrated exactly how deeply women have internalized being the caregiver of others but not necessarily themselves. At this moment of realization, I dedicated myself to helping women learn how to expand their care-giving role to include themselves and how to sustain physical activity throughout their life- time. I spent the next 14 years researching how cultural norms and pressures prevent women from sustaining physically active lives and practicing self-care behaviors. But my research would not be valuable for women if it couldn’t be translated into concrete programming and education that helps them overcome their unique psycho-social barriers.
Working with hundreds of women, over many years, and with funding from the National Institutes of Health, I created the EssentialSteps program. I developed EssentialSteps to empower you to transform your mindset and life. My goal is for you to learn the necessary attitudes and skills so you can SUSTAIN the essential behaviors for on-going weight control, wellness and health. Through my programs you will finally learn how to overcome the barriers that have prevented you from taking your EssentialSteps.
