Personal Change Plan
Requirements
The purpose of the Personal Change Plan (PCP) is to use this course to zero in on one less than healthful behavior and improve it. Small steps can have a big payoff. (choose just one behavior)
You will need to complete the contract (Part 1), and report the results (Part 2). Choose ONE of the following healthful behaviors to work toward for the semester. It is suggested to choose a behavior that is out of your comfort zone (e.g. if you do not currently meditate, try it for this project). Choose a healthful behavior that is new to you. For inspiration, watch the video, Try Something New for 30 Days (See the Course Menu, Videos).
1. Work toward drinking more water daily. You may want to consider drinking less sugary drinks and caffeine and replacing them with water. If drinking water is new for you, start small and add a little more each day (e.g. 2 cups of water daily for the first week; 3 cups the next week, etc.) See pages 101-102 in our textbook for water recommendations.
2. Work toward exercising for 150 minutes/week. See pages 159-160 in our textbook for exercise recommendations and exercise options. If you do not currently exercise, start with short increments and listen to your body. Start with walking 10 minutes, 3 times during the first week. During week 2, walk 15 minutes, 3 times. Slowly add a few more minutes each time working up to 30 minutes or more.
3. Work toward eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and limit calories from added sugar and saturated fats. See pages 100 and 110 for nutrition recommendations. Plan ahead to eat nutritious meals and snacks (e.g. cut down on chips and cookies).
4. Work toward sleeping 7 hours each night or the number of hours best suited for you. See pages 35-36 in the textbook to figure out your sleep needs and to learn about sleep’s impact on health.
5. Work toward practicing stress management daily. See pages 85-87 for stress management strategies. Suggestions include:
- Journaling
- Exercise
- Meditation
- Yoga
- Spend time outside-Be mindful when you are outside and listen to the birds, notice the colors of the flowers, feel the cool morning temperature, and breathe in the fresh air. No earbuds please, just sit or walk outside and enjoy nature for 10 minutes (or more—your choice). Wear sunscreen. For more information on the benefits of being outside, see the last page of this document.
The instructions for completing the contract can be found by clicking on the document, My Contract. You may want to type your responses on this document, save it, and submit it. If you would like more information about healthful behaviors, see the box on Taking Charge of Your Health, Making Healthy Changes, at the end of Chapter 1 (this self-evaluation is for your use only and does not need to be submitted with the contract). See an example of a Personal Change Plan Contract under Personal Change Plan on the Course Menu. The Contract will be submitted through Blackboard. To submit the Contract, click on the name of the assignment (Personal Change Plan Contract), scroll down the page and click on Browse My Computer to find and attach your document. This assignment is worth 15 points and is due Sunday by 11:59pm.
For suggestion on how to track (tracker) your progress, see below and see the example of a Tracker to Monitor Your Progress.
1. To track drinking water daily—make a chart with each day ( Ex. May 24-June 11) and record cups or ounces of water consumed each day.
2. To track exercise—make a chart with each day (ex. May 24-June 11) and record minutes exercised and type of exercise (e.g. walking).
3. To track nutrition—make a chart with each day (ex. May 24-June 11) and record servings of fruits and vegetables and type of fruit and vegetables; also record if a fruit or vegetable (and type) was eaten instead of food with added sugar and/or saturated fat.
4. To track sleep—make a chart with each day (ex. May 24-June 11) and record hours slept each night. You may also want to note how you felt the next day (e.g. Mood 1-10).
5. To track stress management—make a chart with each day (May 24-June 11) and record the type of strategy and the number of minutes.
The data collected will be converted to a graph to show progress. Please see the examples.
For the Final Report, you are required to present your results with a video (Kaltura is very easy to use and readily available to you) and script. The audio can not be inserted onto a Powerpoint slide in the final report. The final report must be submitted as a Kaltura or other video form that is Blackboard friendly. The Final Reports will be posted on the Discussion Board so we can learn from each other. Check the course schedule for the due date. This assignment is worth 25 points. For the last assignment of this course, you will be viewing the final reports and listing 10 things you learned or want to remember (10 points)
This assignment will be submitted through Blackboard. To submit the contract, click on the name of the assignment (Personal Change Plan Contract-Part 1), scroll down the page and click on Browse My Computer to find and attach your document. Submit the document as .docs or .pdf. This assignment is worth 25 points. The Personal Change Plan part 1 will not be accepted for credit if it is submitted late.
