. ▁At ▁the ▁pre cont empl ation ▁stage , ▁an ▁individual ▁may ▁or ▁may ▁not ▁be ▁aware ▁of ▁a ▁problem ▁but ▁has ▁no ▁thought ▁of ▁changing ▁their ▁behavior . ▁From ▁pre cont empl ation ▁to ▁cont empl ation , ▁the ▁individual ▁begins ▁thinking ▁about ▁changing ▁a ▁certain ▁behavior . ▁During ▁prepar ation , ▁the ▁individual ▁begins ▁his ▁plans ▁for ▁change , ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁action ▁stage ▁the ▁individual ▁begins ▁to ▁exhib it ▁new ▁behavior ▁consist ently . ▁An ▁individual ▁finally ▁enters ▁the ▁maintenance ▁stage ▁once ▁they ▁exhib it ▁the ▁new ▁behavior ▁consist ently ▁for ▁over ▁six ▁months . ▁A ▁problem ▁faced ▁with ▁the ▁stages ▁of ▁change ▁model ▁is ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁very ▁easy ▁for ▁a ▁person ▁to ▁enter ▁the ▁maintenance ▁stage ▁and ▁then ▁fall ▁back ▁into ▁earlier ▁stages . ▁Fact ors ▁that ▁contribute ▁to ▁this ▁decl ine ▁include ▁external ▁factors ▁such ▁as ▁weather ▁or ▁season al ▁changes , ▁and / or ▁personal ▁issues ▁a ▁person ▁is ▁dealing ▁with . ▁ ▁Health ▁action ▁process ▁approach ▁The ▁health ▁action ▁process ▁approach ▁( H AP A ) ▁is ▁designed ▁as ▁a ▁sequence ▁of ▁two ▁continuous ▁self - reg ul atory ▁processes , ▁a ▁goal - setting ▁phase ▁( mot iv ation ) ▁and ▁a ▁goal - p urs uit ▁phase ▁( vol ition ). ▁The ▁second ▁phase ▁is ▁sub div ided ▁into ▁a ▁pre - action ▁phase ▁and ▁an ▁action ▁phase . ▁Mot iv ational ▁self - e ffic acy , ▁outcome - expect an cies ▁and ▁risk ▁per ception s ▁are ▁assumed ▁to ▁be ▁predict