Table 12.

Corroborative Quotations for 6-Month Follow-Up Themes and Sub-Themes (Control Group).

Prevention
● Habits in child
“[I am] trying to develop health habits long-term so that when [my child is] a teenager, [and] he has more access to food, that he makes good choices.”
“I think [I am] realizing that my decisions, and [the] behaviour [I] model for [my child] could… become a struggle, and I don’t want that for her. … Now [I’m] realizing that my decisions aren’t only decisions for me. And I think that’s been probably the biggest part [that helped with behaviour change], is realizing I don’t want her to ever [struggle with health].”
● Developing adverse health effects
“Some of the questions [in the questionnaires] about your like physical things like ‘has this stopped you from doing this?’ I never thought at my age [that I would] answer yes to those things but like I was literally [having] a hard time getting off the floor.”
“I am getting older and my health may deteriorate outside of my control, so the things I can control I feel like I should control like keep my weight down, keep my heart active.”
Changed Perspective
● Toward behaviour change
“I don’t have any resounding health issues. So, I feel like that’s almost been an excuse. ‘Well, it’s not that bad. I don’t have high cholesterol, I don’t have diabetes, I don’t have thyroid issues.’ And I think I needed to get past that mind frame of thinking it’s not that bad, and being like, ‘You know what? I’m not happy with what I see in the mirror, and I need to change that. And the only person that can change that is me.’”
“I do have to give myself a little bit of credit. I am doing a much better job [of being healthier] than I have previously. … This year my goal [was] living a healthier lifestyle. So I didn’t choose the, ‘I’m gonna join a gym and lose weight,’ I chose the overall healthier lifestyle.”
● Prioritized themselves
“I try to make sure I carve out ‘me time’ in the day [now], so if they choose to join, that’s awesome.”
“Cardio helps me a lot, because I make that my time. … I’ll listen to a podcast, or I’ll watch YouTube. … Zone everyone else out. … [Which helps with my mental health]… It helps me sleep better, too, which is great.”
● Improved mindset
“I think that it [was] maybe not necessarily the nutritional information and stuff I was watching, but kind of the subliminal messages of, ‘You don’t need to be afraid of [changing behaviours].’ And, people aren’t viewing you and judging you the way you are judging yourself. So I think that has kind of been my biggest takeaway from the whole process.”
“Exercise makes me relax. … Before I [was] always fighting with everybody and I was so stressed. … And now, I started going to the gym and whenever I’m stressed I just go and run … and I come [home] like new. So I think that’s what helps me [continue with behaviour change].”
Barriers
● Motivation
“Before I had like more time to focus on [health behaviours], and that was my focus and like being somebody that has grown up with weight issues it always has to be a focus. … Like I’m not going to wake up one day and… be like I really feel like a kale salad right now. … So it has to really be a conscious decision for me… to eat in a healthy mindful way. … And I just haven’t been in that mind set right now.”
“[It has been] just like super busy time at [work] right now. Like I didn’t even stop today for lunch. … It [has] just been crazy. … [But] hard it’s that like cognitive dissonance like I know I should be [eating better and being physically active] and then I’m not doing it, and then I feel guilty because I know I should be doing it, and I’m not doing it.”