PART 1

Being a remarkable student from the beginning, I have always taken pride in the competence of my academics and prioritized them accordingly. I enjoy the merits of a good education and this enthusiasm and curiosity has driven me to learn with a passion that I have not yet experienced in anything else. However, there’s one aspect of my life that I have neglected in the process; my physical health. I am currently dissatisfied with my shape and physique because I have gained considerable amount of weight ever since I moved from my home country to Canada for higher education.
I find this assessment helpful because it has highlighted the areas of expertise that dominate my life and the areas I need to work on.

It is inevitable that I would require external help to act as a catalyst in my journey. I would accept assistance from a friend in India who is an avid fitness fanatic. In addition, I would research at my college library, from internet and other reputable sources. If I face any hindrance, I would approach my instructor Jillian Hallworth.
To organize my plan, I have come up with three short term goals:

• Go to the gym at least 6 days a week (66%)
• Learn a new recipe every week (20%)
• Prefer walking to college rather than driving (80%)

I find this assessment helpful because it has provided me with a sense of clarity, helped me set a goal, and strategize a short-term plan.

The lack of a proper work out regime and consuming food high in fat and cholesterol such as deep fried or fast food has aggravated my condition. In view of my current lifestyle, I am at a significant risk of developing coronary heart disease due to high cholesterol levels that have already showed up in my reports. To avoid such grave health hazards, I have to adopt a more active lifestyle with better diet that is low in cholesterol.
I find this assessment helpful because it presents the consequences of my recent behavior if I neglect my health further and encourages me to prioritize the areas of life that require more attention.

PART 2: HEALTH ACTION PLAN

STRONG AREAS:

The aspects of my health and wellness which I have now come to provide with uttermost attention are:

• A healthy work-out routine
• Maintaining a balanced diet

The actions I have taken so far that have led to strengthening these areas:

• I have joined the gym to follow my daily work out regime and utilize the fitness equipment at my disposal that I would not have access to at home. I have also changed my commute from driving to walking.
• In order to focus on my dietary plan, I got in touch with a health professional and devised a plan suitable for my BMI. To ensure I stick to the diet, I am learning to cook at home and avoiding fast food.

In order to ensure I don’t relapse to old habits during my busy schedules, I would do the following:

• Set a realistic goal which is easily achievable and consider the additional hustle as a bonus for my enthusiasm towards my target
• Time is an obvious barrier. I would break my activities into shorter periods of time to fit my schedule in between classes, assignments and chores. Prioritize exercise as not only an obligation but something I genuinely enjoy and want to incorporate in my daily routine
• Change routines: Sticking to only one kind of sport or activity can be counterproductive for me, so I would frequently change my hobbies. If I feel my interest slipping away in conventional work out at the Gym, I would take up a morning jog, swimming, or a sport like badminton.

In order to track my progress and efficiency throughout the endeavor to reach the target, I have come up with an ideal to monitor.

An effective way to track my weight loss could be via a journal to record both my daily diet and exercise. Hence, I would log in my:

• Daily routine, work out plan and if I have achieved the goal by the end of the day
• Eating habits including what I eat, portion size, calorie count, and nutrition per food item
• Current body weight, ideal body weight, and daily/weekly changes

This would help me stay focused and be accountable. It would also reinforce consistency, provide a sense of gratification on checking off daily goals, and build a reliable space to judge my wellness in desired areas.

DEVELOPING AREAS:

The two major obstacles I have faced so far in the achievement of my behavior change goal are: time and stress management.

• Amidst the chaos in a student’s life, it can be incredibly difficult to prioritize tasks and allot the time needed to complete them. It’s easy to neglect your mental and physical health while hurdled with lectures and assessments, extra-curricular activities, and working a part time job to sustain yourself. Often, I am too occupied to have the time or energy to work out and cook for myself, so I end up slagging off exercise along with eating fast food.

What I can do to improve these areas?

• To manage my obligations well, I would learn to be more organized and efficient with the time on my hands. I would plan everything that I need to get done by the end of the week beforehand; make to-do-lists, keeping deadlines in mind. I would practice the elimination of distractions and unimportant activities that hinder more urgent tasks instead of giving in to lethargy
• I would maintain a healthy social life and adopt therapeutic practices like meditation, leisure reading, and listening to music. In addition, I would avoid overworking, set realistic expectations of myself and get a decent amount of sleep as much as I can.

TO TRACK MY PROGRESS IN THE EXPECTANT AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT:

I would maintain an organizer to monitor if I’m meeting my deadlines and completing expectant chores by the end of the week. To feel more accountable, I would record my daily activities sorted by the time allotted to each of them.

RISKS

Obesity is a prevalent issue caused by the kind of lifestyle I have been leading. It has dire effects on one’s physical health, the most common of which is high cholesterol levels.

• Atherosclerosis can also cause a stroke due to reduced blood flow to the brain and can hinder brain functioning of affected areas, the impacts of which are impossible to reverse if immediate medical attention is not received.
• Obesity can also be a prominent factor in aggravating diabetes because of high fat consumption. According to Howard, B. V., Robbins, D. C., Sievers, M. L., Lee, E. T., Rhoades, D., Devereux, R. B., … & Howard, W. J. (2000)., sugarcoated LDL remains in the bloodstream longer and may lead to the formation of plaque. People with diabetes tend to have low HDL and high triglyceride levels. Both of these boost the risk of heart and artery disease.
• Hypertension is another grave risk due to hardened and narrowed arteries. High blood pressure puts more strain on the heart, making it harder to pump blood, causing unnecessary exertion and eventually permanent cardiovascular damage.

How to avoid these risks?

• To avoid the risks involved with this condition, I would cut down on fast food, fried food, processed meat and sugary treats, and instead adopt a more balanced diet with low calorie intake but fulfilling nature to minimize unwanted cravings.
• An active lifestyle is the key to a healthy body and mind. As mentioned earlier, my main goal is to achieve an ideal body weight and eliminate obesity, for which the most important and suitable way is exercise and physical labor.

To feel more confident about my target, I would like to devise a plan to assist me against the above-mentioned risks.

• Dining out frequently and avoiding homemade food is a habit incorporated in my daily life. To save time and sometimes out of sheer laziness, I prefer to pick up food from the deli instead of cooking at home. This contributes heavily to my unhealthy diet of high cholesterol intake since its usually deep fried or fast food.

REFLECT:

This assignment has proven to not only strengthen my academics but also provided a space for my personal development. For months, I have struggled with different aspects of my unhealthy lifestyle including poor time and stress management, unbalanced diet, and lack of a work out regime. I came to the realization that in order to achieve a plausible target in life, you require consistency, determination, discipline and a conscientious attitude. I learned that I’m a diligent, hard working person with a lot of potential to grow into a better version of myself and I’m now figuring out the means through which I can finally be in a healthier shape.

To further analyze my progress through this project, I evaluated my daily wellness checks and found a concoction of positive and negative influences that have either inspired me or posed as a barrier in my daily goals. Furthermore, the constructive effects I have observed in my body and mind give me satisfaction and instigate a passion in me to challenge my own boundaries.
The negative influences I have observed so far have been mainly the lack of time due to the tiring schedule I have, and the pressure of studies which often leaves no room for a permanent behavior change.
To increase the positive outcomes and deter the negative ones, I would coordinate with my friends proficiently and form a plan to exercise together as per collective convenience, even when there is a shortage of time. Most importantly, I would try to use exercise as a stress reliever and not a mere obligation to be fulfilled. Moreover, I would make monthly visits to my dietician to follow up on my progress and to make any necessary changes.

I am immensely proud of myself for adapting well to this lifestyle change, not only accepting my deplorable habits and the detrimental effects they are having on my life, but also taking an initiative towards an improved lifestyle. In only a few weeks, I have noticed incredible effects on my body, mind and soul, even though I am still far from reaching my ultimate target. I will continue to strive for betterment in my behavior with zeal and zest and overcome any obstacles that I encounter on the journey.

REFERENCES

Howard, B. V., Robbins, D. C., Sievers, M. L., Lee, E. T., Rhoades, D., Devereux, R. B., … & Howard, W. J. (2000). LDL cholesterol as a strong predictor of coronary heart disease in diabetic individuals with insulin resistance and low LDL: The Strong Heart Study. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 20(3), 830-835.