CRITICAL REFLECTION

    
      I managed to successfully attain my behavioural change goal of cardio workout of 35 minutes for three times each week since the initial implementation, back in the beginning of September. This surprises me especially because we learned in HLTH 315 lectures, that people constantly struggle with maintaining behavioural change goals, and seldom keep them. With this being constantly repeated in class, I was sure that I would run into problems with maintenance of my behaviour. Also, due to this, a part of me was pretty determined and motivated to achieve my goal, to prove to myself that I could keep my behaviour, and not fall into that statement.

Although it has been under a period of 6 months that I have successfully attained this behavioural change, I feel as though exercise at least three times a week has no longer become a chore, and instead, has become part of my weekly schedule. I am at the point now, where I look forward to exercising after my classes, as it provides me with an energy boost, as well as a time to relieve my stress, even if only temporarily.

Although I have found it quite difficult at times to continue with my goal each week on the exact days, due to conflicting events, I feel that my positive self-efficacy has contributed to myself being able to maintain my goal, as I had the confidence that I would be able to accommodate this by moving my gym time to another day, without hassle. My confidence knowing that I am able to achieve this behaviour, as through my prior weeks of achievement, has kept me motivated and given me the encouragement to continue with my behaviour.

     Although I was not aware of having to base my behaviour change on a theory model, and did not do so in my initial post, I feel that I can relate my behaviour strategy to the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The Theory of Planned Behaviour is based on attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control to bring about intention, which in turn brings about the behaviour. This relates to my strategy, as my attitude going into this behaviour change was positive, as i was aware that by engaging in physical activity, it would give me increased energy levels, as well as make me feel more confident in my body, as well as allow me to feel confidence in that i am still able to be physically active, without directly being a runner. Subjective Norms were fairly easy to identify, as conducting exercise and keeping fit and in shape is seen all over our Westernized culture that we live in. Lastly, Perceived Behavioural Control related to my behaviour change, as I felt confident that I would be able to initiate and maintain my activity as I had access to an exercise facility. I was also confident that I would be able to make time in my schedule for exercise, as I had many breaks between my classes. With the three of these thoughts, I was able to create an intention for me to be motivated to carry out my behavioural goal of cardiovascular endurance exercise on an elliptical  at the gym, three times a week. My positive attitude, understanding of the subjective norms directed to my behaviour change, as well as my positive perceived behavioural control lead me to implement my behavioural intention into a behaviour, with great success. Bellows-Riecken, Rhodes, & Hoffert (2008) indicated that the Theory of Planned Behavior was a beneficial theory for implementing exercise behaviour. 

      I feel that the combination of all of my cognitive behaviour strategies were important in the maintenance of my behavioural change. I found that the cognitive behavioural strategy of working my exercise into specific times in my schedule for the same time and days every week was a fundamental part of me maintaining my behaviour. If I had not done this, and instead had no set time for me to go to the gym, I would not have adhered to my goal so strongly, which probably would have lead to me skipping several days of going to the gym. Like stated in my previous posts, putting my gym clothes in my bag the night before was also helpful, as I had no excuse not to go to the gym, as already had all of my workout clothing with me while I was on campus.

     I did encounter some difficulty in maintaining the exact days I was to attend the gym due to needing more time to study for midterms or complete assignments, yet with ease, I was able to adjust my schedule to incorporate exercise on other days. I feel that I was easily able to do this due to the knowledge I gained in HLTH 315 class discussions, where we learned about different theories and ways to help with conflict and relapse. I strongly feel that it was due to this knowledge that I was able to prepare myself.

I felt that the cognitive behavioural strategy of keeping an activity log was a large part of my motivation to continue to do my exercise, since I felt such an accomplishment for marking off each day. Also, being able to look at my calendar to reflect on the days I went to the gym constantly increased my self efficacy, as I was able to look at how well I had been doing with my behaviour change. My feelings of self efficacy relating to recording my physical activity is supported by a study conducted by Gleeson-Kreigg (2006), which found that the intervention conducted, of keeping activity records did enhance feelings of self-efficacy for the study participants.

     One cognitive behavioural goal that worked, yet was very difficult implement was having an exercise buddy to go to the gym with. It was a great motivational factor, and benefitted me in several ways; including socially, as I was going with a friend who I do not see on a regular basis anymore. It was quite difficult for us to find times to go to the gym together, due to our completely different schooling and extracurricular schedules, therefore did not happen as often as I would have liked.

I do not think I would have done anything differently in regards to my behaviour change, as I did not run into any major setbacks with what I had implemented and I was able to motivate myself the right amount in order to successfully follow through with going to the gym and doing 35 minutes of cardio, each week. Although this behavioural goal project has come to an end, I find myself still going to the gym three days a week because I want to. I feel as though exercising three times a week is no longer something I really think about doing, and instead has just become part of my life. 

References

Bellows-Riecken, K.H., Rhodes, R.E., & Hoffert, K.M. (2008). Motives for lifestyle and exercise activities: A comparison using the theory

of planned behaviour. European Journal of Sport Science 8(5), 305-313. 

Gleeson-Kreig, J.M. (2006). Self-monitoring of Physical Activity. The Diabetes Educator. 32(1), 69-77.