Category: Uncategorized

Week 6-8 Questions

Though I didn’t do the exercises past week 5, I have answered the remaining questions below.

Week 6 Questions

A warm up prepares you for exercise, increases your circulation and heartrate which raises the blood flow to your muscles. Having your muscles prepared before exercising can help one avoid injury. (http://www.nsmi.org.uk/articles/injury-prevention/warming-up.html?fbclid=IwAR0nvj8wYMH_2l6BXDS2A1fVF8ZlfcUTakV_45BTeSsDLJu9ZtVKL7y9yCE) A successful warm up has to stretch out your muscles and get them prepared for the workout, as well as get your blood flowing and heart pumping so you are ready to exert yourself. A cool down after a workout session is important because it allows your heart rate and body temperature to lower gradually, which if not done can result in you feeling sick or even passing out. It is good to stretch before and after a work out. Stretching before the workout will stretch your muscles out which helps prevent injuries. Stretching after a workout can lower the build up of lactic acid which can cause muscle stiffness. (https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/warm-up-cool-down?fbclid=IwAR1_A_-uLLeq7_WHFm6cgt56QmItVkC3BD-TlAA5nZHwm574kaQKBH-vWTk) Two examples of healthy snacks are vegetables such as baby carrots and celery, and nuts such as almonds and walnuts. (https://www.brainmdhealth.com/blog/top-10-healthy-snacks-for-studying/?fbclid=IwAR2MaU1U-Dtgr4hgR-lFHuXvZu-GML6wZGkhIu2h02E96q0ruLhkMiPgycQ)

Week 7 Questions

What will motivate me to continue to be active in the future is all of the positive changes I’ve experienced due to exercising now. My sleep is improved, I no longer have rash mood swings, I feel more energized, I have more confidence because I feel better in my body, I no longer feel constant weakness, and even my anxiety levels have drastically dropped which I’m very happy about. I see myself living an active lifestyle by placing it as a priority in my life and making the time for it. My physical and mental health are important to me, therefore I will put in the effort to exercise in order to have a more positive mindset of life and to keep in good shape. I will find a way to fit working out in my schedule and maybe even encourage my friends and family to workout with me. A healthy active lifestyle reduces risk of heart attack, helps manages your weight, and lowers risk for type 2 diabetes. (https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/physical-activity-its-important?fbclid=IwAR33DwIsPiFKEhpRbKnWya9aROP-Ey1pmrhj1AFrGGUefZM6azestlUvhSI) A sedentary lifestyle may increase the likelyhood of getting certain cancers, may be linked to increased chances of having anxiety and depression and is a risk factor for various cardiovascular diseases. (https://www.lifespanfitness.com/canada/workplace/resources/articles/health-risks-of-a-sedentary-lifestyle?fbclid=IwAR3mmyc_qBssg1WHLKGdTo6yFCmJ8tnAgF8zO_yTT1pg-23MkOqr1K0Q8Ho) The 2 most healthy fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322295.php?fbclid=IwAR2t6fdEbYnRhMNvadhsRESxSK1U0CGLOZxZkKvg4KDc9EPbFfX2C2hvTsM)

Week 8 Questions

Throughout this program, I was very successful in achieving a higher level of flexibility. Stretches that I struggled doing at the beginning of my 5 week exercise program are a lot easier for me to do now. I feel that my body is able to hold them for longer and do them in the proper form now. A goal that I was less successful with was to be able to go a longer time without losing my breath, specifically during intensive cardio exercise. Although I do feel an improvement in how fast I get tired after intensive exercise, I still don’t feel like I’m where I want to be, which I think is normal since this program only lasted 5 weeks. I really noticed my diet changing throughout this program. Usually, I never had an appetite to eat much, but exercising really changed that. It made me hungry and I started eating a lot more, while still consuming mostly healthy foods. I am happy for this change though as I always wanted to find a way to be able to eat more since I did not eat enough before. The most important thing that I learned about myself in this journey is that I am really hardworking and dedicated when I have a goal I care about. In the past, when things got hard, I just gave up. This really negatively affected my life as I couldn’t find the willpower to do important tasks, and it made me feel bad as I had no confidence in myself that I could achieve things that required effort. However, throughout my personal fitness program, even though there were a lot of times that I was convincing myself to give up, I still found the drive within me to keep going and to finish it, and for that I’m grateful. I personally really enjoyed this course and there’s really nothing I would change about it. I will definitely set goals for myself after this course is over. Even though this is the last mandatory physical education class I ever have to take in my life, I want to continue exercising because it makes me feel good both inside and out. One of the I will remember about this course is how fun fighting can be, I knew nothing about jiu-jitsu before attending this class and I enjoy it so much now that I’m thinking of pursuing it outside of school. I will also remember the fact that this class really made me understand the importance of exercise, not just for your physical health but also your mental well-being. Sometimes I’d feel down and tired all day, but after gym class I’d suddenly become a new person who was happy and full of life. Last but definitely not least, I will remember how great of a person you are, how you can easily break down complex moves and teach them simply, and how you motivate and give good advice to everyone and truly care about your students’ success. I really enjoyed learning about jiu-jitsu in a fun and positive environment. There’s actually nothing I didn’t enjoy about the course. Even though I couldn’t do every move properly, I always had fun trying. I personally wouldn’t change anything about this course, as it was definitely one of the best classes I took during my time at Dawson.

Week 5 A

WARM UP

CARDIOVASCULAR / AEROBIC ENDURANCE WORKOUT

MUSCULAR STRENGHT AND ENDURANCE

COOL DOWN / MOBILITY WORK

Week 5 Questions

My goals are still realistic at this point. My muscular strength and endurance component is what’s working the best for me in my program. It’s the part I look most forward to as I enjoy doing the exercises and it makes me feel the burn in my muscles which shows me I’m doing something right. Unfortunately, I was only able to do 5 weeks of this program for this class, however I do plan on continuing my program for the sake of my own health. It made me feel a lot healthier, happier and energized and I wish I had started doing it sooner. With that being said, I would want to change my cardiovascular and aerobic endurance workout. There’s nothing wrong with my current plan, however since it is getting nice outside I prefer going out for a run. For 20 year old women, it’s recommended to eat at least 2½ cups of vegetables per day, for people who exercise on a regular basis, it is important to eat even more than this minimum. (https://www.verywellfit.com/recommended-vegetable-servings-per-day-by-age-2506868) Personally, though I do eat vegetables everyday, I don’t always eat a minimum of 2½ cups. To ensure that I do I could plan my meals in advance. That way, I can control how much and what types of food I eat everyday, in order to fit my specific dietary needs.

Week 4 A

WARM UP

CARDIOVASCULAR / AEROBIC ENDURANCE WORKOUT

MUSCULAR STRENGHT AND ENDURANCE

COOL DOWN / MOBILITY WORK


Week 4 Questions

The only barrier in carrying out my activity plan is myself. Sometimes I wanted to procrastinate and told myself I would do my workout later, but I realized that when I tell myself I’ll do something later, I usually end up never doing it at all. To overcome this issue I’ve told my parents about my workout plans and when I’m supposed to do them, so around that time they encourage me to get up and do my exercise and sometimes even join me. As for my activity plan itself, there hasn’t been any major barriers. I do realize that I don’t master every form properly, however I think I just have to wait and that I will get better with continued practice. My program hasn’t changed from my original design so far. On average, after a muscular strength or endurance workout, you should rest for around 24 hours. (https://www.livestrong.com/article/75544-muscle-recovery-time-after-weight-lifting/) Not resting enough after a muscular strength or endurance workout can actually make you lose strength and muscle. (https://www.livestrong.com/article/338561-how-often-can-i-train-a-muscle-group-to-gain-mass/) Overtraining can also mess with your menstrual cycle if you’re a woman, it can disturb your sleep, impair your mood and make you feel tired all of the time. (https://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/9-reasons-skip-your-workout-sometimes)

Week 3 A

WARM UP

CARDIOVASCULAR / AEROBIC ENDURANCE WORKOUT

MUSCULAR STRENGHT AND ENDURANCE

COOL DOWN / MOBILITY WORK

Week 3 Questions

I feel a difference this week, usually I tend to be easily irritable, and have absolutely no energy to do anything. However, now I sense that I have much more control over my mood and that I have more energy in my everyday life. A big reason why I convinced myself not to exercise in the past is because I would tell myself I didn’t have enough energy to do so. A realization that this workout routine has given me so far is that exercising actually makes you feel more energetic. It’s okay if you don’t naturally feel energized, you can do things, such as work out, to get energy. I’m very happy with the changes that this workout routine have brought to my life so far. I’m 20 years old, and it’s recommended that I get 7-9 hours of sleep per night. (https://www.sleepfoundation.org/excessive-sleepiness/support/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need) I’m definitely getting a minimum of 7 hours of sleep per night. I sleep 8 hours per night on average. However, I tend to sleep at very random times, which messes up my circadian rhythm. Our circadian rhythm is our 24 hour internal clock that makes us feel sleepy and alert at around the same times everyday. Respecting this cycle is important in other to feel alert and energized, and it’s what I need to do in order to have better sleep. (https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/what-circadian-rhythm) Lack of proper sleep has many consequences. The short term consequences are poor judgement, less control over your mood and an impaired ability to learn and remember information. The long term consequences of poor sleep include weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and can even cause early death in some cases. (http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences) All of this information shows the importance of sleep and why we need to ensure we’re getting enough quality sleep every night.

Week 2 A

WARM UP

CARDIOVASCULAR / AEROBIC ENDURANCE WORKOUT

MUSCULAR STRENGHT AND ENDURANCE

COOL DOWN / MOBILITY WORK

Week 2 Questions

An adult should get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity cardio exercise a week. This can be carried out in 30-60 minute session of moderate intensity exercise 5 times a week, or 20-60 minute intense exercise sessions 3 times a week. (https://greatist.com/fitness/acsm-releases-new-exercise-guidelines?fbclid=IwAR1TfEDJH5oeWfJgHKC9n3U0yvx__BxL02q-sB8hgzj3fBKuMuBcIPu77wE) A good example of cardio is swimming laps at a swimming pool. An example of an exercise that does not qualify as cardio is push-ups, although they do get your heart pumping, work large muscle groups and are rhythmic, they are not an exercise that is carried out for at least 10 minutes continuously, so they do not meet the requirement to be considered cardio according to the American College of Sports Medicine. (https://www.livestrong.com/article/435984-are-push-ups-cardio/?fbclid=IwAR0HoWiY12xDcTiPFom81bie29qStjzJpYDArjh1qGM5MOdQvS-NowzDS5I) You should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day according to many health professionals. (https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-wate?fbclid=IwAR1I9fJ8-IO91D0Wk9gG-ITqghQHGWbGId3ak1hyn4AOo00kMLo95HXHV8s)