Activities

Research

I did a search online that include the following topics: working out, doing more physical activity each day, being consistent with fitness. I found many websites with very useful information and tips regarding daily activities that are actually great for physical fitness (ie.for my weight and time that it took to wash the car I burned up to 95 calories!) Most of the sites I clicked on looked valid and provided information that was common with all fitness sites.

Some sites that looked very good and had helpful information included:

http://www.helpguide.org/life/exercise.htm

www.fitday.com (free calorie counter & weight-loss journal)

www.heart.org (tips on how to get active)

www.livestrong.com (tips on loosing weight)

www.choosemyplate.gov (lots for tips for nutrition)

www.hsph.harvard.edu (benefits of physical activity)

www.bodybuilding.com (nice site with many training examples)

www.self.com (great overall fitness and diet tips)

Activities 4

Intermediate Goals: My intermediate goal is to start doing at least 20-30minutes of activities a day for at least 6 days a week.

Final Goals: My final goal is to be consistent in my training/workouts/activities each week eventually changing my lifestyle.

Goal/Target Date: I think 2 months to make this a habit is fair.

Activities 5

1. I like not working out everyday because I feel that I have more time to watch t.v. and rest.
2. I don't like not working out consistently because I don't feel health and confident.
3. I like being consistent in my daily increased activities/workouts because I feel good after I complete them and I have more energy.
4. I don't like being consistent in my daily activities/work outs because I feel I have less time to relax and spend time with family.
5. I don't like being more consistent in my workout/daily fitness activity now because it feels like I have to get up extra early or stay up late to get my workout/activity done.
6. I would be more likely to be consistent about my daily physical activity if I would work out during lunch or right after work before going home.

Activity 6 - rewards

--Short term rewards: walk over to coworker to have a conversation,movie night, watch favorite show on t.v., play a card game w/ family, make a phone call to family or friend

--Milestone rewards: New outfit or piece of clothing/scarf/jewelry etc.

Activity 7

Use the records you collected about your target behavior using the log you created in Activity 3 to identify what leads up to your target behavior (the behavior you are trying to change) and what follows it.  Here are some general strategies for breaking behavior chains:

Control or eliminate environmental cues that provoke the behavior.  Stay out of the room with the TV if you are trying to watch less.  Buy yourself one ice cream cone instead of a large carton of ice cream if you are trying to control the amount of ice cream you eat.

Change behaviors or habits that are linked to your target behavior.  If you always smoke after eating, have another activity planned for directly after your meal.  If you eat more when you go out with friends, change where you eat or tell your friends that you are working on your nutrition and suggest an alternative.

Add new cues to your environment to trigger your new behavior.  Prepare easy-to-grab healthy snacks so you will not be tempted by fast food.  Keep your exercise clothes and equipment in a visible location to remind you to exercise.

List below some examples of each strategy as it applies to your behavioral goal:

NOTE:  This is a bit different from the activity in your book.  I think it is just as helpful and much simpler.

Activity 8

Write out a contract for your behavior change.  Use Activity 8 or Lab 7.1 in your text as a guideline, but alter it to make it useful for yourself.  Do include a list of your intermediate goals (including any that you have already completed) with target dates and and rewards if you feel rewards are helpful for you.

Activity 9-Building Motivation & Commitment

X I feel responsible for my own behavior and capable of managing it.

X I am not easily discouraged.

X I enjoy setting goals and then working to achieve them.

__ I am good at keeping promises to myself.

___I like having a structure and schedule for my activities.

X I view my new behavior as a necessity, not an optional activity.

X Compared with previous attempts to change my behavior, I am more motivated now.

X My goals are realistic.

X I have a positive mental picture of the new behavior.

X Considering the stresses in my life, I feel confident that I can stick to my program.

X I feel prepared for lapses and ups-and-downs in my behavior change program.

X I feel that my plan for behavior change is enjoyable.

X I feel comfortable telling other people about the change I am making in my behavior.

----Did you check most of these statements? YES!

Strategies:

I tried a mix of the listed strategies that would help me stay motivated and committed to being active and working out more consistently.

- Strategy 1: Post motivational phrases above my desk, on my refrigerator, on my mirror in my room. Bombard myself with propaganda: post reminders of on my phone each day with a positive message and check my favorite work out youtube/website for motivation.

- How did this work? This strategy was probably my favorite one and a very important one for me. I enjoyed the positive messages especially when I'm not feeling motivated or when I'm having a not so good day. The messages also helped remind me to get up and go for a walk during work. The images on my refrigerator made me go for healthier snack and also helped to motivate me to get up and do some activity. My favorite was going on the youtube or website for training session examples and get excited about working out. I also listened to zumba music to get me motivated for the zumba classes and it worked!

- Strategy 2: Visualize myself achieving my goals and the enjoying of its benefits and practice it daily.

- How did this work? I would visualize the feeling I get after a work out or the enjoyment I get while taking a class like zumba or cycle. I would do this everyday I felt like skipping my workout and it helped mostly every time! These are strategies that I will probably use for other behaviors I would like to change.

Activity 10- schedule

6:30AM wake up

make breakfast/coffee/make lunch

take shower & get ready

8:00AM work

12:00PM Lunch

1:00PM back to work

5:00PM drive and leave home

5:30PM make or help with dinner

6:00-6:30PM eat or go work out

7:30PM clean up or shower and get stuff ready for next day

8:00PM spend time with family

9:00PM errands/wash/watch show/read/homework

10:00PM get ready for bed

--Priority list:

Work, 8 hours, Priority A, Goal 8 hours

Sleep, 8 hours, priority A, Goal 8 hours

Read/Homework, 1 hour, priority A, Goal 1.5 hours

Physical activity, 30min-1hour(not everyday), priority A, Goal minimum 30min each day

Preparing meals, 30min, priority A, Goal 1 hour

Getting ready, 1 hour, priority A, goal 1 hour

Spend time with family/talk with family, 1 hour, Priority A, Goal 1 hour

Watching t.v, 1-2 hours, Priority C

After reviewing this list, I found that I can always decrease sleep by 1 hour and get a work out session in that will allow more time for reading or spending time with family later in the day. If I take the time to plan meals on a Sunday, this will allow for more working out or doing homework. I also learned that I need to spend more weekend time studying or reading and doing physical activity for the week.