vivianhuiwen's health blog

Final post.

2009-03-19T06:09:00.000-07:00

This will be my final post for the behavior changing goal I set up earlier at the starting of the blog. Looking back at the three posts I uploaded, I find that I did not really achieve my goal.

The very first and major reason which makes me failed is definitely time management. It is due to my laziness and procrastinations of all the assignments. I was all the way rushing for my assignments and at the same time, squeezing out some time for my workout session. I find myself very bad in managing time. Before I start doing anything else, I should first improve my time managing skill.

Second, I got demotivated half-way. Anyway, using music to motivate a workout session somehow worked on me. I manage to continue running for 35 min and 24 sec on Monday. 33 min 10 sec on Tuesday, and 33 min 14 sec on Thursday. One of the reasons why I went to the gym for all three times this week is because I know that I will no longer be going anymore in this semester after the due date of the assignment! I hope at least I did actually follow my own goal in these few weeks time.

Thirdly, I find it very hard to "say no" when my friends are asking me to have a drink, as in "yumcha". =( This is the most attractive activity for me. How bad. The most ridiculous excuse I find myself not to go to the gym. Going exercise keeps me healthy, but instead of going for a healthy activity, which is working out, I went "yumcha" with friends! Which is such an unhealthy activity for me (sitting down consuming sugar and fats)! I must change this habit. This habit follows me since a year ago. I know how it is unhealthy for my body and I will slowly reduce the habit.

What I learn in this behaviour changing blog:

1. You need to put in effort to achieve what you want. Healthy body doesn't come overnight, and no one is born with a perfectly healthy body. In order to have a healthier body, I will learn to change my unhealthy lifestyle to a healthier one. I shall make it a must for me to exercise at least twice a week in the future. Also, I think I should go back for TaeKwon-Do training so that I can make sure I exercise on every weekend.

2. I know better of how the Transtheoritical Model can be applied in a behavior changing situation. In my situation, I first take some time to gone through the Precontemplation stage and the Contemplation stage. I started to think that I should do regular exercises to keep myself healthier. Then I went through the Preparation stage, which I prepared the equipments needed for workingout. Then when I first get to the Action stage, I relapsed back to the Preparation stage. Now I am working on the Action stage again and hopefully I can make it to the Maintenance stage and will not relapse back anymore!

3. I found a way to motivate myself in workingout. Listening to some motivated music helps in making a workout session interesting. This benefits me a lot in the future.

Here I shall report on the whole process from the first day I set up my goal until now.

The first week (16th Feb to 22nd Feb), I went to the gym twice, on the 17th and 19th. The first day I find it difficult to continue running for 30 minutes, so I changed my running style on the 2nd time. On the 19th I walk for 10 minutes to be fully warmed-up and start running only after the 10 minutes. My plan works. I decided to keep to this plan for the next few weeks.

The second and the third week (23rd Feb to 8th Mar), I did not go to the gym. I did not do any exercise on that 2 weeks time. I analyzed on the reasons why I did not get to workout in that two weeks time. I get to applied the Transtheoritical Model on my situation, and also my relapsing back to the Preparation Stage. I then make a promise to myself that I will at least succeed in following what my own goal stated in the following week.

The fourth week (9th Mar to 15th Mar), this week I went to the gym twice. Then I find myself demotivated. I analyzed my situation and found myself a way to be motivated again. I saved a list of energetic music in my phone and listened to the music when I am workingout. It works in motivating me.

The fifth week (16th Mar to 19th Mar), I went to the gym for all these three days. The reasons why I did this is because I know that in short period of time I won't be going to gym anymore after the assignment is due, so I want to at least finish doing something for my goal.

I hope in the future, I will remember what I learn from conducting this blog and I will get to use the knowledge I gain about myself from this blog.

The most important thing, I WILL stay healthy! I WILL stay away from unhealthy lifestyle and keep to the goal I set up for myself.

Finally, I wish everyone gets to keep up to their goal and become healthier. =)

Motivation.

2009-03-14T05:29:00.000-07:00

I need some motivation.

I seriously do.

Going to gym three times a week isn't a tough job. I went only twice. Again!

Plus, I am not at all motivated this week. I'm now looking for something which can motivates me.

I am preparing a motivation tool for my workout session.

My handphone and the earphone!

I will choose a list of songs and save it in the "favourites", then play it when I'm working out.

The list of songs which I have chosen:

What I've done

In the end

Numb

From the inside

Runaway

Somewhere I belong

Faint

Bleed it out

Breaking the habit

Crawling!

Yes!! All Linkin Park!

The reasons why I choose these songs"

1. I love the songs!

2. They are energetic!!!

3. It works in motivating ME! =)

I guess this 10 songs would be enough for a 30 minutes workout. Stay tuned! By next week I will inform you whether it works or not!

Fail.

2009-03-07T03:32:00.000-08:00

Fail, fail, fail.

It's a total fail for me this two weeks. I did not go to the gym. Not even once.

I find myself excuses. A lot of excuses.

Looking back at the Brannon & Feist Health Psychology text book, I find this model fits exactly into my situation now.

The Transtheoritical Model
In my case,

The Precontemplation Stage
That was before starting this blog, I have no intention to start doing regular exercises at all.

The Contemplation Stage
Then Mr. James start telling us about this assignment, blogging. So I start thinking what behaviour of my own that I am not satisfied with. Also, there's a story behind this on my decision on doing about regular exercises.

Here goes my story with Sannujah and Suhentini.

The first day of the semester,
Sannu: Eh Vivian, how come you look a bit different arh?
Me: I put on a lot of weight mah...
Sannu: ......
Suhen: Yea a bit more chubby lar her face.
She agreed with me!

So, I started to think that I should start doing exercises, not only to become slimmer, but also I need to train better my stamina and to become healthier.

The Preparation Stage
I packed my clothes in a bag and always keep it in my car, so that I can go to the gym whenever I want to. Until here, I haven't really started to plan when I should start going to the gym.

The Action Stage
There, last week I went to the gym, twice. I am at this stage already!

The Maintenance Stage
Sigh. I have not yet make it to this stage. In fact, I am relapsing back to the preparation stage. I still have my "exercise kit" (my clothes and sport shoes) in the car but I stop going to the gym this two weeks!

I found a very simple and easy-to-understand explanation on The Transtheoritical Model.

If you are interested, you can visit the link below.
http://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/medtrng/pdf/Transtheoretical_Model.pdf

SMART Goal

2009-02-25T04:08:00.001-08:00

Have to start doing it already!

I should be writing about procrastination. Anyway, this is a health blog, which I should be doing something related to health, so I'll choose to set my GOAL on doing regular exercises.

Mr. James mentioned "SMART goal". Our goals should be
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

So, here's my goal:

In order to become healthier, I need to do regular exercises. I will go to the gym of our university at least three times a week, 30 minutes on the treadmill, until the end of the semester.

This assignment is given since the first day of the semester. I find it not easy to really start going to the gym. I mean, it's easy to just go to the gym and start doing exercise, but I find myself excuses not to go the gym, such as, busy for assignments, need to go for a drink with friends, period pain, and a lot more.

Anyway, I finally started this blog, I finally start going to the gym. I went to the gym only twice this week.My plan is considered fail for this week.

The first day, I went on Tuesday after PRM 2 class at 3.30pm. I expected to run for 30 minutes on the treadmill but I failed! I am exhausted after 18 minutes and 36 seconds, and I cannot continue running after that. That was bad. I find my stamina no longer as good as last time, when I was still going for my TaeKwon-Do training.

Then on Thursday I went again, also after PRM 2 class. This time I change my plan. I walk for 10 minutes and start running only after that. I find this plan works well. I am more warmed up after the 10 minutes of walking, and this time I manage to do more running. I did 20 minutes of running and altogether it was 30 minutes. My plan works!

Anyway, I did not get to find another day to go for gym this week. (It is still an excuse I guess) So, my goal is considered fail for this week! I will make sure not to repeat it next week!

The pictures will be uploaded soon! Stay tuned =)