my online health class goals

So my daughter and I are taking an online health class this semester. I just submitted my first assignment and figured I might as well post it as it is about my health goals for the semester.

Goal Setting for a Healthy Change

      There are a few lifestyle changes that I would like to make this semester in order to be more physically healthy. They are to feed my body nutritiously, avoid harmful eating, and to exercise regularly. I believe that making these changes will help me to have better health, not have my activities restricted, and be well. I'm also expecting to lose weight, but that is not my actual goal, just more of my hope as a result in my change in behavior. I have to lose about 25 more pounds to move out of the “overweight” to the “normal” category on weight charts.

      In the area of feeding my body nutritiously, I do have some knowledge on how to eat right in that over the years I have been interested in the topic of nutrition, and last June I spent quite a bit of time reading several health and nutrition books. I also have the belief that I am at risk due to my arthritis and high cholesterol problems. The arthritis causes me some pain, which restricts my movements a bit. Besides not wanting to be in pain, I am also motivated by the fact that I really don't want to go on medicine to control my cholesterol levels.

      I have had some good eating habits for many years. For example, I drink plenty of water and I often eat whole grains. One of the things I need to improve in this area is to eat more vegetables. This is also where the goal to avoid harmful eating behaviors comes into play in that I need to stop eating some unhealthy things. For the goal of nutritious eating, I am in the action stage. For the goal of avoiding harmful behaviors, which for me is avoiding white sugar, white flour, and processed foods, I have been waffling back and forth between the preparation stage and the action stage. I did well last summer, but during fall term I started eating treats again. For the last two weeks, I have been doing better, so I am hoping I am in the action stage to stay.

      Due to the current circumstances of my life, I expect that several of the processes of change will come into play to help me achieve my goals. This class and my summer reading will help me in the “Consciousness-raising” process. The “Social liberation” comes in the form of my current substitute teaching job in that I am not home a lot to be tempted to snack. The “Emotional arousal” is from the bad results from my blood panel last summer. The “Commitment” process is also addressed by my taking this health class. I have already instituted some “Countering” into my habits. One thing I do is to allow myself to eat when I'm hungry, but only something healthy like an apple or hard-boiled egg, so instead of eating things harmful to my body, I am nourishing it. However, I know that there are other countering habits that I need to develop and use. For “Helping relationships,” my husband and my daughter are both supportive of me, as well as my friends and other family members. I do not have any saboteurs in my life.

      As for my other goal of exercising regularly, I am in the action stage in that I do attend a zumba class. The problem is that I don't exercise enough, so I feel I am also in the preparation stage. If I can't attend zumba, I don't have a back-up plan and I don't get enough exercise in for the week, so I need to make adjustments.

      Besides studying nutrition, I have also studied a little about exercise, so I know how important it is. This class will also, once again, help me with the “Counsciousness-raising” process of change. Perhaps “Self-reevaluation” comes into play here because I do recognize that I have a problem and I do think about how it will affect me. “Commitment” might be helped by the fact that I know many of the women who attend the zumba class and if I don't attend, they will question where I was instead of class, so though it's not a formal “self-help” group, I buy a 20 class pass and want to use it so that I'm not wasting my money. I am thinking of buying a second set of work-out clothes to keep in my car just is case I can't make it home after work. That would help me to be able to go to zumba anyway. Perhaps that can be under the process of “Environmental control.” As for “Helping relationships,” sometimes my daughter attends zumba with me, though with her school and work schedules, that may not be happening too often this semester.

      My locus of control is definitely internal. I do see myself as the one who is in control of my life and responsible for my actions. I firmly believe that the things I do can make a big difference in my health and well-being.

      So, I am excited for this class and these goals, but I think I am realistic in my expectations. I plan on eating right, exercising, and not eating things that will destroy my health, and I believe my body will respond.