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COURSE INTRODUCTION
Health has always been one of the central topics even from the early society. The
ideas spawned then are being echoed up to present. Hippocrates argued that disease is a
product of diet, lifestyle and environmental factors. In 50BC, Greeks believed that illness
was a product of diet and lifestyle. 19th century new intellectual movement popularized
ideas about regaining or maintaining one’s health through diet, exercise and other lifestyle
measures. The philosophies embodied in these 19th century systems – that a healthy body
is a product of a healthy mind and spirit – are now considered precursors to the current,
thriving wellness and self-help movements. In addition, although these approaches fell out
of favor with the rise of modern, evidence-based medicine in the mid-20th century, several
of them are now regaining favor within the mainstream medical community and the
general public.

Our present society made health an essential component and added other terms
such as fitness and wellness - terms that are commonly used interchangeably to mean one
and the same and do not care to discover the difference. Advocates are multiplying,
health and wellness businesses are flourishing, practices and products labelled with health
and wellness become bestsellers and ideas and discoveries are relentless. Surely, we have
a wellness revolution and it is here to stay. It had crept into the world of business,
governments and the educational platform.

Health and wellness in the tertiary level seeks to be health optimizing by means of
supporting you in accessing, evaluating, and making informed decisions about your own
health and wellbeing. Our strong conviction as your teachers is that you become an
empowered learner who is reflective, self-regulated, and self-directed throughout your life
(CMO No. 80 series 2017). Fitness for life is our tagline that will lead you to take responsibility

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for your activity, fitness and health that will eventually prepare you to be physically active
and healthy throughout your adult life.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
MODULE 1 UNDERSTANDING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Health, Wellness, and Other Related Terms…………………………………... 5
Assessing For Fitness and Wellness………………………………………………. 9
Importance of Fitness and Health Consequences of Inactivity 13
Dimensions Of Wellness And Wellness Program……………………………… 16
Summative Assessment …………………………………………………………... 19
References ………………………………………………………………………….. 21

MODULE 2 EXERCISE FOR FITNESS, HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Principles of Exercise ………………………………………………...................... 22
Fitness Goal Setting………………..……………………………………………... 26
On Muscular Training/Resistance Training……………………………………. 26
On Cardio-vascular Training…………………………………………………….. 27
On Flexibiity Training………………………………………………………………. 27
On balance and Stability…………………………………................................. 28
Summative Assessment ………………………………………………………….. 30
References……………………….…………………………………………………. 31
Working Towards Cardio-Respiratoty Fitness……………………………….... 31
General Exercise Principles…………………………………….………………… 31
Beginner Exercise Programming……………………………………………….. 33
Towards Cardio-Respiratory Fitness……………….…………………………… 34
Determining Your Heart-Rate…………………………………………………… 35
Developing Personal Exercise Prescrition……………………………………. 38
Summative Assessment…………………………………………………………… 42
Working Towards Muscular Fitness…………………………………………….. 45
Benefits of Improving Muscular Fitness………………………………………… 46
Muscular Exercise………………………………………………………………….. 48
Summative Assessment…………………………………………………………… 50
Developing Your Exercise Program-Flexibility………………………………. 50
Flexibilty Pogram Development………………………………………………… 52
Flexibilty Exercise Program………………………………………………………. 53
Flexibility Progression Log………………………………………………………… 54
Summative Assessment…………………………………………………………… 55
References…………………………………………………………………………. 56

MODULE 3 WORKING TOWARDS A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICE

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 Lifestyle Assessment and Reflection……………………………………………. 57
Factors That Influence Fitness, Health and Wellness……………………….. 58
Inter-Connection of Diet and Nutrition, Stress management and
Behaviour Modification to Wellness …………………………………………… 78
Diet, Stress Management and Behavior Modification Plan Making…….. 79
Summative Assessment …………………………………………………………... 85
References ………………………………………………………………………….. 87

MODULE 4 MAKING BEHAVIORAL CHANGE FOR A LIFETIME HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

CHOICE
Healthy Lifestyle………… ………………………………………………………… 88
The Self-Change Approach……………………………………………………... 90
The Trans-Theoretical Approach Model of Behavior Change …………… 91
2Ws and H of Change……………………………………………………………. 92
Summary…………………………………………………………………………….. 93
Summative Assessment…………………………………………………………… 95
References………………………………………………………………………….. 97

Module I.   Understanding Physical Activity for Health and Wellness

It is imperative that we have a common understanding of the terms we use when
we talk about health and wellness. This module introduces you to the definition of these
terms, their components and principles, dimensions and factors, results and consequences
that serve as a lay-out in your health goals. You will also subject yourself to several
assessments that will give you an idea on the current status of your fitness and wellness. This
serves as your basis in planning your health and wellness program.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module, you should be able to:

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 1. explain the concepts and the significant interrelatedness of physical activity
exercise, fitness, health and wellness;
2. interpret fitness, health and wellness competencies based on fitness and physical
activity assessment, and wellness wheel analysis;
3. write personal fitness, and weakness goals based on the interpretation of tests and
wellness wheel analysis results; and
4. create personal wellness plan according to the wellness principles.

When people, or even you, talk about health, you hear these terms being used
interchangeably – fitness, physical activity, exercise, and wellness. Question is, do you know
their meaning? Can you distinguish them? And when you do, is it a fact or a fiction?

Self-Testing Activity:

Let’s check if what you know is a fact or a fiction. Kindly answer the following with
what you really know and do not use any reference. These are random statements that will
check how familiar you are with the terms. Read each statement and check if it is a FACT
or a FICTION. See if the statements are referring to fitness, exercise, wellness or physical
activity. If the statement is TRUE, write the correct term being referred to under FACT and if
it is NOT TRUE, write the term under FICTION. Again, terms to be used for your answers are:

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WELLNESS, FITNESS, EXERCISE, and PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (PA). The first one is done for you to
serve as your example. This is not part of the summative assessments.

TAKE NOTE: DO NOT turn to the next page until you are done with this activity.

COMMON STATEMENTS FACT FICTION

1. A healthy young individual still needs physical FITNESS
training.
2. This is a structured, repetitive series of specific
movements designed to strengthen or
develop body parts which is done on a
regular basis.
3. A six pack-abs is one indication that one is
physically fit.
4. This is a state that is achieved through a
practice of healthy lifestyle and is influential
to overall health.
5. These are any bodily movements produced
by the skeletal muscles that require energy
expenditure.
6. Lifting weights will give you a bulk muscle.

Self-Testing Activity Answer Key:

1. Fitness Fact! Of course, even a healthy young person needs to maintain his/her
fitness status.
2. Fact: Exercise is a series of planned or programmed movements intended to
improve fitness and health.
3. I hope you wrote this as fiction because six pack-abs do not indicate fitness. There
are people without this dream abs who are physically fit.
4. Wellness Fact!
5. Fact of Physical Activity. Any movement at any intensity that you do is a physical
activity.
6. Exercise myth! Stop believing this myth because lifting weights give a muscle to your
frame but to have a bulk means a lot of hard work in heavy weight training plus
excess in calories.

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 Let us expand and have a common understanding of the terms we encounter in
health and wellness. This serves as your foundation on the exploratory activities you will
engage yourself later.

Physical Activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles

and requires energy expenditure (WHO). It includes all physical movement, regardless of
the level of energy expenditure and the reason you do it. Physical activity can be
occupational such as those movements you do as a service crew or bartender. It can also
be lifestyle activity which includes household chores, walking to class or climbing the stairs
to your house door. Leisure-time physical activities are those that you choose to do in your
free time for your enjoyment.

Exercise is a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive

bodily movement done to improve or maintain one or more components of fitness.
Exercise is believed to produce the greatest health benefits since it is done specifically for
health and fitness. On the next unit you will be given further principles of exercises to guide
you when you do exercise.

Physical Fitness is a set of attributes that are either health-related or skill-related. The
degree to which people have these attributes can be measured with specific tests of
which you will be doing later on. Corbin (2011) gave a more specific definition referring to
physical fitness as the ability of your body systems to work together efficiently to allow you
to be healthy and perform activities of daily living. A fit person, therefore, is one who is able
to do work effectively, attend to other responsibilities or leisure activities and can still
respond to emergency situations without staggering. Fitness is an attribute of wellness and
is achieved or reinforced through participation of varied physical activities of which
exercise is one.

Health, as defined by World Health Organization (WHO) is a state of complete

physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
WHO explained that the primary determinants of health include the social, economic, and
physical environments, and the person’s individual characteristics and behaviors. The
maintenance and improvement of health, accordingly, depends not only on external or
environmental factors but also on the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of the person.
In other words, health depends on wellness.

Powers, et al (2015) defined Wellness as the state of healthy living achieved by the
practice of a healthy lifestyle, which includes regular physical activity, proper nutrition,
eliminating unhealthy behaviors, and maintaining good emotional and spiritual health.

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 Health professionals and exercise scientists of the 20th century believed that health
includes physical fitness as well as emotional and spiritual health. Thus, wellness is their
revised concept of good health. The National Wellness Institute, USA gave a more
expanded definition where wellness is considered “an active process through which
people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence.” This
definition is based on 3 tenets:

1. Wellness is considered a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of

achieving full potential.

2. Wellness is multidimensional and holistic, encompassing lifestyle, mental and

spiritual well-being, and the environment.

3. Wellness is positive and affirming.

In short, health is a state of being, whereas wellness is the state of living a healthy
lifestyle. Health refers to physical, mental, and social well-being; wellness aims to enhance
well-being.

Student’s life is cumbered with stresses, we know that. In fact, life in general, is.
Needless to ask whether these stresses are threatening your health and well-being?
Absolutely! It can affect your physical, mental, and social well-being. But can stress affect
wellness? Yes, but only if you will allow it. To a point, it can affect your perspective or
dampen your energy, negatively affects your commitment to self-care and the aim for
fullest potential. The difference is that wellness is always a matter of choice.

Do you now have a clearer view of how these terms are related and
differentiated?

OUTPUT 1: MAP OF THE RELATED TERMS

As a review and a conclusion, kindly map out how these terms relate to each other.
A sample flow chart is provided as a guide but you can still use other style to present your

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answer. Submit your output to our google classroom address or as instructed by your
teacher. For the CBL, include this in your USB stick and send through correspondence.

Explore
Having gone through the terms, let us now explore the principles and components of
physical fitness and wellness which will lead you in learning about your health and wellness
status.

A. Physical Fitness Components and Tests

As have been mentioned above, physical fitness have components which serve as
determinants of your current fitness status. Go over the video in your memory stick (CBL
students) and for OBL students, the video will be uploaded in your google classroom.

Now that you went over the components of fitness, you are now expected to do the
tests in able to determine your current fitness status. Watch the demonstration video
attached in your memory stick for CBL students, and for OBL it will be uploaded in your
google classroom.

tests and follow how it is done. In addition, a Fitness Test Form is provided for you where you
will write your test result and check the category of your performance. For the CBL, the
form is in the USB stick and for the OBL kindly download it from your google classroom.
Below are the list of tests that you will do:

Physical Fitness Tests:

Prepare yourself for the test. Nothing beats being ready mentally and physically. Here are
your instructions and get ready to follow to avoid unnecessary repetition of the activity.

General Instructions:

1. Be in your proper physical activity attire.

2. Have the following prepared:

a. An enough space to do the tests; preferably with mat if not, use a

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 carton or folded blanket to serve as cushion.
b. Timer/Stopwatch
c. A metronome (for CBL, it was saved in your memory stick, and for OBL it
is uploaded in your google classroom)
d. 12-inch high step, so use a chair or stair, one as close to 12 inches as
possible, otherwise the results will be skewed.
e. Physical Fitness Test Form and a pen.

3. Follow strictly the instructions in the video per test.

4. Record the result of your test on the provided fitness test form.
5. The tests should be completed within an hour.
6. To be able to see if you did the right procedures of the tests, you need to
video tape your test performance.
7. Send your test performance video in the Fitness Test of our google
classroom.

A. Body Mass Index (BMI):

Formula: Weight in kilogram
(Height in Meter)²

Instructions:

a. Get your height in meter and your weight in kilogram for computation.

B. Aerobic Fitness Test:

3 Min Step Test measures your aerobic (cardiovascular) fitness level based on
how quickly your heart rate returns to normal after exercise.

Instructions:

i. Have the following prepared:

A metronome ((for CBL, it was saved in your memory stick, and for OBL it is
uploaded in your google classroom)

ii. Set metronome to 96 beats per minute for men and 88 bpm for women
and make sure you can hear the beat.
e. 12-inch step, so use a chair or stair, one as close to 12 inches as possible,
otherwise the results will be skewed.
iii. Warm up for 10 minutes.
iv. Stand facing the step. When ready to begin, start the clock or stopwatch
and march up and down on the step to the metronome beat for 3

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 consecutive minutes. Keep your back straight and look forward (you can
rest if you need to but remain standing).
v. When 3 minutes are up, stop immediately and remain standing and take
15 sec HR from 5-20 sec into recovery. (HR x 4)
vi. You may then compute your VO2max using the following formula;
Women: 68.81- (0.1847x HR)
Men: 111.33- (0.42 x HR)

2. Muscular Endurance Testing (Dynamic Strength): The ability to contract the

muscle repeatedly over a period. Low muscular endurance indicates
inefficiency in movement and low capacity to perform work.

a) Trunk curl test/ partial curl-up: indicates the muscular endurance of the
abdominal muscle group, an area of important concern. It is
recommended as a better test of muscular endurance replacing the
one-minute speed sit-up with anchored feet. Studies have shown that
few individuals experience dizziness, headache, nausea, neck pain, or
back discomfort.

Instructions:

i. Mark the other end of your mat/improvised mat with a horizontal line 10cm
from the edge.
ii. Start by lying in supine position with knees bent at 140 degrees towards the
end where you marked the 10cm, heels flat on the edge of the mat
unsupported. Arms should rest at the side while the finger-tips rests on the
line mark of the 10cm.
iii. You may then curl’s up in a controlled fashion until the fingertips are just
able to touch the patellae of the mat; then, the trunk is slowly lowered until
the fingertips touch the 10cm mark on the mat. Continue doing this as
many as you can for 1 minute without resting, have your partner help you
with doing the procedures correctly.

b) Push-up Test: Measures muscular endurance of the shoulder (deltoids, pectorals

and triceps.)

Instructions:

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 i. Subject starts by positioning himself in a prone position and lifting himself
fully using both arms and toes to carry the weight of your body for men
and knees bended for women. Palms should be positioned flat facing
forward vertically on the side, avoid twisting it to horizontal position. Feet
not necessarily be together. Test partner places his/her fist on the floor
below the subject’s chest.
ii. Subject must keep back straight at all times. From the up position, lower
himself/herself to the floor until the chest touches the administrator’s fist
and then push back to the up position again.
iii. Subject repeats push-ups for one-minute non-stop, except in the up
position. Total number of correct push-ups in one-minute is recorded as the
score.

3. Flexibility: Flexibility is included in total assessment because of the widespread

problems of lower back pain and joint soreness. Flexibility is the range of possible
movement in a joint or group of joints. It is necessary to determine the functional
ability of all joints, however, the trunk flexion or the sit -and-reach test serves as an
important measure of hip and back flexibility.

a) Sit and reach wall test: a common measure of flexibility, and specifically
measures the flexibility of the lower back and hamstring muscles. The test is
important as because tightness in this area is implicated in lumbar lordosis,
forward pelvic tilt and lower back pain. This test was first described by Wells and
Dillon (1952) and is now widely used as a general test of flexibility.

Instructions:

i. Subject sits on the floor with no shoes and legs extended in a V shape
angle having 8-12 inches apart. Reach the wall with hands facing down
and extended in between the legs forward.
ii. With the legs held flat by a partner, the subject slowly reaches forward as
far as possible towards the wall, keeping the fingers on baseline and feet
flexed.
iii. The subject first tries to reach the wall using her/his fingertips. If she/he is
able to maintain it for 10 sec, she/he will then proceed to reach the wall
using his/her knuckles for 10 sec. On the third try he/she must reach the wall
with his/her palms flat on the wall for 10 sec. Make sure there are no jerky
movements, and that the fingertips/knuckles/palms remains on the wall.

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 iv. The best of three considered the flexibility score (fingertips, knuckles or
palms touching the wall and/or cannot touch the wall).

b.) Zipper Test: to assess the upper body (shoulder) flexibility, which is important in
performing various jobs such as combining one’s hair, putting an overhead
garment and reaching for a seat belt etc.

i. This test is done on standing position. Keep Left hand behind the head and
back over the shoulder and reach as far as the possible down middle of
the back. Palm should touch to the body and the fingers should be
downwards.
ii. Then carry your Right arm behind back palm facing outward and fingers
upward and reach up as far as possible trying to touch or overlap the
middle fingers of both hands.
iii. Fingers should be aligned. Assess the distance between the tips and
classify them to fingers overlap, fingers touching only or fingertips not
touching.
iv. Do it with the other hand by using the Right hand behind the head and the
Left arm behind your back.

B. Assessing Dimensions of Wellness

Wellness is multi-dimensional. This means that wellness integrate numerous

inter-related domains and it is not only the physical. Models of wellness differ in the
number of dimensions but we will use the 6-dimension model.

1. Click on the link provided for the form and accomplish it. For those without
internet connection, a copy is in the USB stick and a hard copy is included in the
learning packet for CBL subscribers.

Link: https://studentwellness.uci.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Assessing-Your-Life-Balance.pdf

2. Have a copy to be submitted to your instructor.

C. The PAR-Q(Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire) Sheet

Prior to engaging in any physical activity, particularly exercise programme, this
PAR-Q is used to determine health and lifestyle issues that might make your
participation risky. The American College of Sports Medicine's (ACSM guidelines
require that every facility offering exercise equipment must provide a general

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 pre-activity risk assessment, e.g., Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q),
to all new/prospective members (ACSM, 2007).

Download a copy of the questionnaire and answer it. Here is the link:
http://eparmedx.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/PARQPlus2019ImageVersion2.p
df
A hard copy is in the learning packet for CBL subscribers.

Note: Submit a copy of your Fitness Test Form, Wellness Wheel (Assessing Your Life
Balance) and PAR-Q to your instructor (that’s me) through correspondence or other
platforms as arranged by your instructor.

From the fitness test results, you already have a knowledge on your fitness status.
Were you able to see the weak areas and the strength areas? See this video for
understanding the result of your fitness test and why it is important to be fit.

Health Components of Fitness

Watch the videos that are embedded here (but are also available in your USB stick)
and take down notes on the following:

a) What are the health-related components of fitness and their importance?

b) Why is fitness important? Or what are the benefits of physical fitness?

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 Consequences of Physical Inactivity

Lifestyle as a Health Problem

⮚ Most of the leading underlying causes of death are related to lifestyle.

⮚ The big five underlying causes of death are tobacco smoking, high blood pressure,
overweight and obesity, physical inactivity and high blood glucose.

⮚ Because genetics is estimated to be only 16 percent of disease risk Individuals have

control of as much as 84 percent of disease risk and thus quality of life

Leading Health Problems in the Philippines (from DOH website)

• Degenerative diseases are the most prevalent health problems.

1. Cardiovascular disease and cancer comprise approximately 53 percent of all.

2. The third and fourth leading causes are chronic lower respiratory disease deaths (CLRD)
and accidents, but they lag far behind at just over 10 percent of all deaths combined.

● Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death.

⮚ About 30 percent of all deaths are caused by cardiovascular dysfunction.

● Cancer is the second leading cause of death.

⮚ Various cancers cause about 23 percent of all deaths.

⮚ 80% of cancer can be prevented through positive lifestyle choices.

● Chronic lower respiratory disease (CLRD) is the third leading cause of death.

⮚ Tobacco use is the greatest risk factor.

● Accidents are the fourth leading cause of death.

⮚ Alcohol abuse is the number one cause of all accidents.

⮚ An estimated 1.6 million car accidents each year are caused by drivers using cell
phones or texting.

None of the components of wellness works in isolation, in fact, all components work
closely together. For example, people with an anxiety or depressive disorder who also have
a chronic physical illness report more physical symptoms than those who do not have a

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mental health disorder. Also, strong spirituality is associated with lower greater participation
in health- promoting behaviors. Although the wellness components are interrelated,
practicing healthy behaviors related to one aspect of wellness. Rather, total wellness is
achieved through a balance of physical, intellectual, social, emotional, spiritual, and
environmental health.

All Countries, including the Philippines, have vested interest in having a healthy
population. A nation of unhealthy people drains national resources by reducing worker
productivity and increasing the amount of money the government has to spend on health
care. To improve the overall well-being government has established a set of wellness goals
known as Healthy People. The Healthy People initiative seeks to prevent unnecessary
disease and improve the quality of life for all. The wellness goals were first presented in
Healthy People reports published in 1980 and have since been revised every 10-year based
on the progress toward meeting the objectives Each report includes a broad range of
health and wellness objectives based on 10-year agendas Healthy People 2020 is current
set of goals for the nation. The overarching goals are to attain high-quality, longer lives free
of preventable disease, injury, and premature death to achieve health equity, Eliminate
disparities, and improve the health of all groups to create social and physical environments
that promote quality of life, healthy development, and healthy behaviors across all life
stages. (www.healthypeople.gov)

Having known the consequences of unhealthy lifestyle, what then are the
benefits of a physically active lifestyle?

Output 2: List of Benefits of Physically Active Lifestyle

Going over the risk factors of unhealthy lifestyle, you would already identify the
benefits of having a physically active lifestyle. Prepare a list of these benefits clustering it by
physical benefits, mental benefits, emotional benefits, social benefits and include financial
or economic benefits. Use a table format in presenting your list. Submit your output in your
google classroom or as your teacher instructs you and to the CBL students, if hard copy
through courier and if it is soft copy, in your USB stick.

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 Elaborate
DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS AND WELLNESS PROGRAM

After the discussion of physical fitness and its general results, let us now discuss the
dimensions of wellness. Physical fitness and active lifestyle are the ways of achieving
physical wellness. Let us look into the other dimensions.

DIMENSIONS OF WELLNESS

For a broad discussion on this topic, open the embedded learning materials. A
written material and a power point presentation with teacher explanation are embedded
herein. For the CBL, a printed copy is in your packet and the power point is in your USB
stick.

BUILDING WELLNESS PROGRAM

Now that we have discussed the relevance of fitness and the

dimensions of wellness, what then should we do about the results you’ve
got? If you combine the fitness and wellness concepts discussed
previously, you will be well on your way to a lifetime good health, enhanced quality of life,
and a true sense of well-being. Get ready to put together a wellness plan.

A wellness plan is designed to achieve overall health in all facets of your life.
According to HealthCare.gov, a wellness plan is intended to improve and promote health
and fitness. It outlines specific steps necessary to get us from one level of health to a higher
level.
The 4-step plan outlined below will help you achieve a higher level of
wellness.

Step 1. Establish your goals

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This is the most important step in developing your plan. Put your goals into writing. This will
help remind you how specific the goals are so that you can constantly be looking for new
actions to help accomplish the goals.

When planning goals, make sure your goals are SMART.

SMART stands for
S –pecific
M-easurable
A-ction-oriented
R- ealistic
T – ime-stamped

For example, if you decide to reduce the amount of saturated fats in your diet, you
would set a goal of, "Beginning tomorrow, I will reduce my intake of saturated fats by 50%
(SMRT) by reducing the amount of red meat in my diet."
Also, try to reward yourself for accomplishing any of the goals you have listed. This is a great
way to reinforce your planning and actions in trying to accomplish the goals. Be prepared
for setbacks. For example, in reaching your dietary goals, an occasional piece of candy or
soda will not undo all of the benefits accomplished. Just look at the jolt in fat/sugar/
sodium that you got from it and ask yourself if it was worth it. With that, you are educating
yourself as to how and why you are changing your behavior.

Step 2. Select Wellness Concepts to Build Your Wellness Program

While many concepts of wellness play a part in your well-being, we have chosen
the ones with the most significant potential impact on your health to discuss here. Thus, the
major aspects of wellness that will be discussed in upcoming module are dietary
considerations, stress management, and behavior modification. In addition to these
concepts you are to include the wellness dimensions you think you need to improve to
make the wheel of your wellness smoothly rolling.
In the absence of disease, diet and fitness are probably the most significant factors
affecting your wellness. Bad dietary habits can lead to a host of ill health effects such as

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obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many more. Changing dietary habits can
road to significant improvements in health and wellness (as you will see in Module 3)
Everyone has stress, and you should strive to reduce it as much as possible.
However, it is most important to learn how people deal with stress, as most people will not
be able to significantly reduce the stress associated with work, family, and school. (In
module 3, you will learn the ill health effects of high stress levels. In addition, you will
examine the sources of stress in your life and the ways by which you can minimize and
learn to cope.)

From the wellness wheel activity result, you practically discovered areas where you
are strong and where you should also need to give attention to. You include these in
building your wellness program and try techniques that will work well with you.

Step 3. Plan Your Behavior Changes for Wellness

Now that you have learned the importance of setting goals and choosing the
specific areas in which you need to focus your effort, it is also important to give focus on
behaviors that are harmful or detrimental to your health. You need to identify what are
these health detriments that you have in order to take necessary steps in your behavior
change plan. Unhealthy behaviors could be smoking, alcohol abuse, illegal substance
abuse, frequent sleep deprivation and unhealthy eating practices. This will be further
discussed in Module 3 when you will discuss Behavior Modification.

Step 4. Monitor Your Progress and have a Consistent Evaluation

The importance of the upfront planning phase cannot be overstated. Part of a plan
is the evaluation to identify the specific metrics we wish to track as indicators of success. As
with any plan, you need to begin with a weekly log to record your actions aimed toward

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meeting your goals for behavior change. By doing this, you can see the obstacles you
have overcome and accomplishments you have made. This will motivate you to continue.
A sample monitoring log or journal is embedded herein for you to be guided but you can
make your own checklist of monitoring. (For the CBL, a copy is included in your USB stick.)

Now that we went through the steps, be ready to do your personal wellness
program plan. Open the embedded material. It is a template that will guide you in your
wellness journey.

1. Prepare a Personal Wellness Plan following the template given in EXPLORE.

MY WELLNESS PLAN

Using the responses in your Wellness Questionnaire, select 4 dimensions

of wellness and complete the given table below to create your Wellness Plan.

Dimensions of Goal Potential Strategies/

Wellness Barriers for Behaviors to
Achieving the Achieve the Goal
Goal
Dimension #1

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 Dimension #2

Dimension #3

Dimension #4

Criteria for rating:

Category Points
Clarity of statements (guided by SMART) 20
Coherence of inputs 30
Completeness of needed inputs 20
TOTAL POINTS 70

2. WELLNESS INVENTORY IN ESSAY

Make your wellness inventory based from the tests (Fitness Test, Wellness
Wheel, and PAR-Q) that you did and draw a sensible conclusion. This will make you
have a critical look in to your health and wellness status that may propel you to

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 make forethought regarding it. You may use a table, graph, graphic organizer and
the like in presenting your answer. (30 points)

References:

Powers, S. K. (2015). Exercise physiology: theory and application to fitness performance

(9th Ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.

Corbin, C. e. (2011). Concept of Fitness and Wellness: A comprehensive lifestyle approach.

(9th edition). McGraw-Hill International.

Heyward, V. (2006). Advanced fitness assessment and exercise prescription (5th Ed.)
Burgess Publishing Co.

Hoeger, W. W. (2016). Lifetime physical fitness and wellness. Cengage Learning.

National Institutes of Health. Health Information.

https://www.nih.gov/health-information/science-based-health-wellness-resources-your-co
mmunity

Maintain a Healthy Weight

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/index.htm

American Holistic Health Association. On Spiritual Health

https://ahha.org/selfhelp-articles/spiritual-health/

Personal Wellness Plan Worksheet

https://www.cabrillo.edu/services/health/documents/PersonalWellnessPlanworksheet.pdf

World Health Organization (23 February 2018)

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity

22
Module 2: Exercise for Fitness, Health and Wellness

This module prepares you to embark in working towards your fitness, health and
wellness. This will specifically engage you in proper exercise program making that fits your
physical wellbeing. Principles of exercise will be reviewed and will be applied as you create
your exercise prescription plans. You will be tasked to do sample physical activities and
exercises that can be carried out in your exercise program.

UNIT 1: Principles of Exercise

Unit Learning Outcomes:

After studying the concepts discussed on the materials provided for

you, you should be able to:

● match appropriate exercises or training to fitness goals; and

● justify the important role of adhering to the general principles.

Engage
During the past months, most of us were confined indoors and were busy with things
we preferred or required to accomplish. The task below intends to refresh you with those
activities. How do you think the activities have contributed to your improvement?

Activity 1: My Quarantine Activities – a Reflection

23
A. Try to recall at least three activities that you have been doing since the start of the
home quarantine due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Using the table below, describe
briefly at least five activities that you been doing most of the time in each month. (For
offline students, use Module 2 Unit 1 Worksheet No. 1; Online students will get
instructions from your FIT course facilitator)

March April May June July

B. Go over all the activities that you have been doing and classify each activity as to
their purpose whether it is related to Physical, Mental, Social, Emotional, Spiritual,
environmental, and financial aspect.

Purpose Activity
Physical

Mental
Social
Emotional
Spiritual
Environmental
Financial

24
Do you think those activities contributed to your health improvement? How?
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

Review again the list you have made, how many activities do you think have required you
to exert physical effort enough to be considered an activity for your health or fitness? The
answer to that question is for your reflection. However, medical literatures have already
piled up evidences that regular participation in physical activity/exercise is medicine. It is
also a great contributor to well-being. Hence, it is important that while you are young,
choose to be active than to be glued to your gadget.

Explore
Get ready for a work-out! This part of the module will guide you to do a simple work-out.
Please read the instructions stated in activity 2.

Activity 2: Work-out! Please open Unit 1: Introductory Work-out video on the memory stick
accompanying to this module. The same will be uploaded in the google classroom by your
FIT course facilitator.

NOTE: PLEASE LISTEN TO THE SAFETY PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES MENTIONED IN THE VIDEO
BEFORE THE WORK-OUT.

Activity 3: What about the work-out?

1. Describe through a graph or in 1 or 2 sentences the exercises/movements on the first

part of the work-out in terms of intensity.
2. Describe what movements can produce a low/moderate/high intensity exercises
based on the work-out that you had.
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

25
 (For offline students, use Module 2 Unit 1 Worksheet No. 2; Online students will get
instructions from your FIT course facilitator)

Explain
● Go over the PowerPoint presentation: Module 2_UNIT 1_Exercise Basics
accompanying this module. The first part provides an analysis of the work-out which
you just did and will provide further explanation on the general principles of exercise.
o For online students, your FIT course facilitator will upload this in the google classroom.
A summary of the concepts discussed in the material can be found in the following texts:

Kinds of Exercises

1. Aerobic and Anaerobic Exercise – From the word “aero” which means in the
presence of oxygen, muscle groups are activated by this type of exercise rely on the
sufficiency of oxygen during metabolism to extract energy in the form of adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) from amino acids, carbohydrates and fatty acids. It is an
exercise/physical activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained
continuously and is rhythmic in nature. Examples of aerobic exercise include
swimming, jogging, hiking, long distance running and walking.
On the other hand, anaerobic Exercise is an intense physical activity of very
short duration, fueled by the energy sources within the contracting muscles and
independent of the use of oxygen as an energy source. Examples of anaerobic
exercise include sprinting (short dashes like 50, 100, 200-meter dash).
Both exercises have been found to exert potential benefit to the
cardiovascular system. Hence, they are obviously for cardiovascular training.
2. Resistance Exercise/Weightlifting Exercise – This exercise is designed to improve
muscular fitness by requiring a muscle or a group of muscles to contract against
external load. The external load can be dumbbells, exercise tubing, your own body
weight, bricks, bottles of water or any object that cause the muscle to contract. This
is also called resistance training. Resistance training have been shown to have a
positive impact on many health measures, and the collective impact can
significantly improve functionality, well-being and quality of life.

26
 3. Flexibility Exercise - This exercise increases the elasticity of muscles and tendons
surrounding a joint in order to improve flexibility. The following are common types of
flexibility exercises.
a. static stretching – this is executed by extending the targeted muscle group to
its maximal point and holding it for 30 seconds or more. There are two types
of static stretches:
a.1. Active: Added force is applied by the individual for greater intensity
b.2. Passive: Added force is applied by an external force (e.g., partner or
assistive device) to increase intensity

b. dynamic stretching – this is a stretch that requires the use of continuous

movement patterns that mimic the exercise or sport to be performed.
Generally, this intends is to improve flexibility for a given sport or activity.
Example would be a sprinter doing long exaggerated strides to prepare for a
race.

c. ballistic Stretching - this type of stretching involves quick jerking and often
bounce-like movements such as bouncing when trying to touch the toes.
Unfortunately, this kind of stretch has been thought to have more
disadvantages than its advantages as performing jerking movements can
predispose the muscles to injury.  

4. Neuromotor Exercise – this is sometimes called “functional fitness training,” to

improve balance, stability, agility, and coordination.

Elements of the work-out

1. Warm-up – This is a brief (5-15 minutes) period of exercise that precedes the
conditioning portion of exercise session. This period allows the body to adjust to the
demands of exercise. At rest, the skeletal muscles receive about 15-20% of the blood
pumped from the heart; during moderate exercise, they receive approximately 70%.
This increased blood flow is important for warming the body since the blood carries
heat from the active muscle to the rest of the body. It can reduce the strain on the
heart imposed by rapidly engaging in heavy exercise and may reduce the risk of
muscle and tendon injuries.

The warm-up should gradually increase in intensity until the desired intensity of
training is reached.

2. Work-out or conditioning phase – This phase targets your fitness goal. This is also
termed as the conditioning period.
3. Cool-Down – This is a 5 to 15-minute period of low intensity exercise that immediately
follows the primary conditioning period. This will gradually lower the body

27
 temperature and allows blood from muscles towards the heart. This can reduce the
risk of post exercise hypotension (and possible fainting) and dysrhythmias. This
period also facilitates heat dissipation and promotes a more rapid removal of lactic
acid and catecholamines from the blood.

Goal-setting is an important element in starting an exercise plan. Fitness goals are set
based on the physical fitness tests results. Generally, these will fall under any of the
components of fitness such as cardiovascular fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility and body
composition. For those intending to improve athletic performance, training goals would fall
under the components of skill-related fitness. (Note however, that the focus of this course is
on health-related components. Your Course facilitator can surely guide you if your level
calls for skill-related fitness component improvement and maintenance)

When developing muscular training program,

there are at least three primary training goals that are considered. See if which of these
applies to you.

1. Hypertrophy – This refers to an increase in muscle size or mass. For example, when you
want to look more “cut” or “wants bigger biceps” or “acquire the 6packs”, this means
you desire for the aesthetic look of that enlarged muscle groups. Physiologically,
hypertrophy occurs when there is an increase in size of the existing muscle fibers.
2. Muscular endurance - This refers to wanting more stamina and the feel of less winded
after a workout or physical activity.
3. Muscular Strength – This refers to wanting to be stronger of lift heavier weights/objects.
This is generally desiring to exercise at heavier workloads to enhance strength and
power.

28
 In terms of cardiovascular training, the obvious goal is the
development and maintenance of aerobic fitness or
cardiovascular fitness/cardiorespiratory fitness. However,
other people are also focused on weight loss. This is fine, but
it is important to note that weight loss is achieved by both
cardio and weight training. For cardiovascular training, a
training that involves made one mode of exercise will not
necessarily improve a different mode. A person who has a
high level of aerobic endurance as a runner may not be able to achieve the same level of
endurance as a cyclist. This is because the muscle activation patterns, and oxygen
requirement vary greatly among different modes of exercise. Therefore, the responses and
adaptations will not be equal. Therefore, it is better to analyze your current cardiovascular
fitness level (VO2max) so that you can decide and be guided on what level will you be
aiming for. This can also guide you in identifying your mode of aerobic exercise such
swimming, cycling, running, walking, aerobic dancing and other types of sport or physical
activity.

Increased flexibility provides various benefits

which includes reduced muscle tension and increased relaxation, ease of movement,
increase range of motion, improved circulation and air exchange and injury prevention.
Hence, proper flexibility and stretching techniques are essential when planning to engage
in a regular exercise for fitness. Whether your aim is for muscular fitness improvement,
aerobic fitness or weight loss, improvement and maintenance of general body flexibility
should not be undermined. After all, the four components of health-related fitness are all
important.

29
 Another less obvious goal is the development and maintenance of balance or
stability. “Balance” is defined as the ability to maintain a position for a given period of time
without moving. Just like flexibility, this is still a requirement for our body. Training for
balance and stability should form part of the activities or exercises that can be embedded
on your exercise routine as you aim for muscular, aerobic and flexibility fitness.

SAQ1: Based on my fitness test result, what do I really need? What should I do to improve
or maintain my fitness level? Fill-out the blanks:

I want to improve/maintain my ________________ (state what fitness component.

I am interested in doing the following exercises/physical activities: _________________
aerobic fitness.

(note: this is only for reflection. Your answer is ungraded but is needed for the completion
of the course. For offline students, use Module 2 Unit 1 Worksheet No. 3)

The FITT formula

In your previous Physical Education classes, you have learned that the FITT formula in
exercise stands for:

F how often you work (frequency)

I how hard you work (intensity)
T how long you work (time or duration)
T The specific type or mode of physical activity or exercise you choose

30
 Here is a quick example of both a cardiovascular and resistance work-out program that
utilizes the FITT principle.

Cardiovascular training Resistance training

F 4x per week 3x per week
I 80% of MHR; 70% of your maximum 1 rep strength
T 45 minutes 8-12 reps
T Walking Dumbbells

Elaborate
You have now reached the part of the unit where you can already apply the
concepts you have learned: the kinds of exercise, FITT formula, the elements of a work-out.
And some specific fitness goals. Please accomplish the task below. This will initially help you
reflect and decide what you can do to get started with your physically active lifestyle.

Activity 3: My Physical Activity Pyramid

A. Design your physical activity pyramid as your first step towards a physically active
lifestyle for your health and fitness. A sample has been provided below. You may just
replace the data provided whichever is applicable to you. Identify the kinds of
exercises that you want to participate in for aerobic (ex. Swimming, running, etc.) and
strength training (ex. Weight training using machine or free weights). Identify also what
you need to lessen and place them at the peak of the pyramid.

(For offline: for offline students, please use Module 2 Unit 1 Worksheet No. 4 ).
Accomplishing this task is scored as 10pts.

31
 Evaluate
Activity 4. Summative Assessment

Instructions:

1. Your output for this activity should be video recorded and submitted through the
memory stick accompanying this module. For offline students, submit your output
through the memory stick which will be returned at the end of the term. The file
name of your output should be labeled as - FAMILY NAME, CLASSCODE WORK-OUT 1
(Ex. BANDOC, 7888_WORK-OUT 1) For online students, please turn-in your answers as
instructed by your course facilitator at the google classroom.
2. Perform a 5-minute exercise that illustrate the three phases of exercise following time
distribution indicated:

32
 a. Warm-up phase in 1 minute
b. Work-out proper in 3 minutes
c. Cool-down phase in 1 minute
NOTE: The required distribution of minutes is only for assessment purposes. This is for me to
assess whether you have clearly understood one important principle of exercise, that is: THE
ELEMENTS OF THE WORK-OUT.

3. Take note of the following Criteria used in grading your output:

Exercise followed the principle prescribed for warm-up phase – 10pts
Exercise followed the principles prescribed for work-out phase – 10pts
Exercise allowed the principles prescribed for cool-down phase – 10 pts

Activity 5: Reflection: Answer the questions: (for offline students, use Module 2 Unit 1
Worksheet No. 4 for your answers. Online students, please get instructions from your FIT
course instructor)

1. Why do we need to include warm-up exercises and cool-down exercises in your

exercise routines? Support your answer by citing an example from your own
experiences. (10pts)
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________

2. How important is goal setting in fitness development? (5pts)

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

References:

Plowman, S. & Smith, D. (2011). Exercise Physiology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins:
Philadelphia

Powers, S., Dodd, S. & Kackson, E. (2014). Total Fitness & Wellness. Pearson: Boston

ACSM’s Resources for the Personal Trainer. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

UNIT 2: WORKING TOWARDS CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS

33
 Unit Learning Outcomes

At the end of the unit, you should be able to:

● make decisions on what exercise/physical activity to participate in as a lifetime

activity for aerobic fitness;
● design a personal cardiorespiratory exercise prescription; and
● implement the initial part of a designed exercise program.

Engage
Once again, may we review the concepts that you have learned on the general
training principles of exercise specifically on the following: principle of overload,
progression, specificity, reversibility, and recuperation. A brief summary of this is hereby
provided to remind you of this concept. This is very important for your own safety as you
start your journey towards becoming a fit professional.

General Training Principles:

1. The Principle of Specificity states that the effect of exercise training is specific to
those involved in the activity. This is also called SAID principle which stands for
“specific adaptations to imposed demands” – that is what you do is what you get.
Therefore, fitness programs for children and adolescents for example differ from
those for older adults. Training programs for athletes differ from the training
programs for non-athletes. Another example would be, sessions of curl-ups will not
yield improvements on arm muscles, push-ups do.

2. The Overload Principle states that stress placed on the body must be greater than
normal during a specific workout, and it should exceed the stress during the previous
workout in order to improve fitness level.

3. The Principle of Progression states that overload should be increased gradually. The
ten percent rule also states that training intensity or duration of exercise should not

34
 be increased by more than 10% per week. However, a continuous unbroken
increase in load should be avoided. It means that progression occurs in a series of
incremental steps (called steploading) in which every third or fourth change is
actually a decrease in training load. This can be illustrated in the graph. It presents
an incremental step series from week one to three. However, the decrease in
required on week four. This step-down allows for recovery, which leads to
adaptation. Each step should be small, controlled and flexible. A continuous
inbroken increase is training should be avoided.

4. The Principle of Reversibility states that attained fitness level can decline due to
physical inactivity. Hence, one has to maintain a program to sustain the desired
fitness level.
5. The Principle of Recuperation states that the body requires recovery periods
between exercise training sessions to adapt to the exercise stress. Adaptation is the
change in physiological function that occurs in response to training/exercise.
Adaptation occurs during the periods of rest, when the body recovers from the
disruption of previous body condition or fatigue. Everyone who are engaged in
regular work-out should consider this principle in order to get the maximum benefit
from exercise. Again, adaptation allows you to either do more work or do the same
work with a lesser effort.

35
 6.
7.

Explore
The table below is a sample of exercise program that targets a specific fitness goal. Go
over each of them and see if it contains the following:

1. Fitness goal
2. Frequency of exercise
3. Duration of exercise
4. Intensity of exercise
5. Appropriateness of the mode of exercise (type of exercise)

Beginner Exercise Program

Fitness Goal Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Cardio-respi 5 min walking 5 min walking 5 min S
u
ratory (Warm up) (Warm up) walking
(Warm up)

n
10-20 min 10-20 min
jogging jogging 10-20 min

d
(Workout) (Workout) jogging
(Workout)
Muscular
Fitness
5-10 min
(Warm up)
5-10 min
(Warm up)
5-10 min
(Warm up) a
1 set/15 reps 1 set/15 1 set/15 reps y
(6-10 reps (6-10 (6-10
exercises exercises exercises
designed to designed designed to
target major to target target major
muscle major muscle
groups) muscle groups)
(Workout) groups) (Workout)
(Workout)

Flexibility 2 reps/15 secs 2 reps/15 secs 2 reps/15 secs 2 reps/15 2 reps/15 2 reps/15
each (5-15 (5-15 min) each (5-15 secs (5-15 secs each secs (5-15
min) min) min) (5-15 min) min)

Coo Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down Cool Down

36
 Notice that there are fitness goals. It is implied that this individual whose program
was illustrated above intends to improve or perhaps maintain aerobic fitness, muscular
fitness and flexibility. What about the intensity of exercise? For cardio exercises – jogging,
this individual is exercising at lower intensity as indicated by exercising between 50 to 70%
of HRR. For weightlifting, this individual’s intensity of exercise was not specified however as
indicated by the number of reps, it is also implied that he is exercising in low intensity
because he is a beginner. What about the duration of exercise? Well, check the length of
time indicated for each. What about the appropriateness of exercise? Isn’t it that
weightlifting is for muscular fitness? And Jogging as an exercise is aerobic in nature, so it is
definitely for the heart and lungs.

The next section of this unit will now direct you to focus only on one important
component of fitness. This is considered the cornerstone of fitness because it is all about the
fitness of your cardiovascular system. Of course, you are aware how important is our
cardiovascular system.

Explain
Towards Cardiorespiratory Fitness

Cardiorespiratory training is one of the primary components of a balanced exercise.

The table below presents a sample of an exercise prescription for the
development/maintenance of cardiovascular fitness.

Frequency 3 – 5 times per week

Intensity 50% - 85% of HRmax (depends on individual’s MHR)
Time/duration 20-60 minutes per session
Type/Mode Jogging

The following discussions will help you understand how this is done:

The Aerobic/Cardiorespiratory Exercise Program

37
 A. The Warm-up:

Points of Consider:
⮚ Be reminded that this phase is very important because of the benefits that were
mentioned in the previous lesson. – Generally, this is for your SAFETY and for you to
MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS AN EXERCISE PROGRAM.
⮚ In this period, do 5 to 15 minutes of low-intensity exercise and some light and dynamic
stretches.
⮚ Aside from the heart and lungs, body parts which will be engaged or used during
your work-out should be prepared. If your work-out for the day is jogging, then
warm-up will logically include walking for a couple of laps or distance.

B. The Work-out:

On the FREQUENCY of exercise:

Three to five (3-5) sessions per week to achieve near-optimal gains in cardiorespiratory
fitness with minimal risk of injury is recommended. However, better gains of fitness level
can be achieved with as few as 2 exercise sessions per week. You may not actually see
significantly greater improvements in your cardiorespiratory fitness if you exercise more
than 5 days per week, Higher frequency will just yield risk of injury.
On the INTENSITY of exercise:
Your aerobic fitness improves when the training intensity is at least 50% of VO2max. Training
intensities that are too high does not significantly result to greater benefits and even
increases risk for injury. Hence, the recommended intensity is between 50% to 85% of
VO2max.

This means that you have to determine your target heart rate (THR). This is your
recommended heart rate during the work-out phase. This should be maintained to get the
potential benefit that your exercise provides.

DETERMINING YOUR TARGET HEART RATE – the Recommended Intensity of

Cardiorespiratory Exercise

38
*If you take your pulse from you neck, be careful to press lightly. There is a receptor in the
carotid artery that responds to changes in pressure, and too much pressure will make your
heart rate slow down.

1. Take your Resting Heart Rate (RHR) – It is best to take it for 30 to 60 seconds when
you are relaxed – that is after getting up from bed in the morning.
2. Estimate your Maximum Heart Rate (HRmax) using the given formula:
HRmax = 206.9 – (.67 x age in years)

For example, we can estimate a 20-year-old maximal heart rate in the following:
HRmax =206.9 – (.67 x 20)
HRmax = 194bpm
3. Determine your Heart Rate Reserve (HRR). This is the difference between your
maximal heart rate and resting heart rate.

HRR = HRmax – RHR (resting heart rate)

For ex. HRR= 194 – 60 = 134bpm

4. Calculate the 50% and 85% of HRR using the formula:

a. .50 x HRR = 50% of VO2max .50 x 134 = 67bpm
b. .85 x HRR = 85% of VO2max .85 x 134 = 114bpm
5. The final step is to add the RHR back to the values you have computed in step 4.
50% of VO2max + RHR
85% of VO2max + RHR

For ex. 67 + 60 = 127bpm

114 + 60 = 174 bpm

● The 2 values that you get is NOW your TARGET HEART RATE (THR).
On the given example, the THR is 127 – 174bpm. This means that this 20-year-old
individual should exercise within this range. His heart rate DURING the exercise is
recommended to fall within the computed range. Below it is very low in intensity and
more than the range is considered a very high intensity for him.

SOME IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS:

● When is the best time to check if you are exercising within the rage of your target
heart rate? This is approximately right after the first 10 minutes of your work-out
phase.

39
 ● If it is not within the range, you should either increase or decrease the effort that you
exert during the work-out.
● After regularly exercising for quiet sometime maybe after two months, check again
your RHR. If there are changes, then recompute your THR. As an indication of fitness
improvement, Resting Heart Rate should be lower as compared to the initial RHR
before your regular aerobic exercise program implementation.
● Exercising at intensities beyond the recommended level shifts you from aerobic
exercise into anaerobic exercise. Although this may increase your power, aerobic
exercise is best for improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness.
● Similar increases in cardiorespiratory endurance may be achieved by
moderate-intensity, longer-duration activity as opposed to a vigorous- intensity,
shorter-duration activity.
● The moderate-intensity values for even as low as 60% to 70% of HRR is most
applicable to individuals who are less fit. This is also implied that this is the intensity
heart rate of beginners.
● Vigorous – intensity exercise, shorter duration activity is preferred by some people
because they can be active for shorter periods of time. The drawback to this type
of activity is that you are at greater risk of injury and it can feel strenuous.
● Moderate intensity, longer duration exercises can provide the same benefits with a
lower risk of injury and less strenuous. The only drawback is that it takes a longer
duration.

On the Time/Duration of Exercise

The duration of exercise does not include the time allotted for warm-up and cool-down.
The recommended duration of the work-out is 20 to 60 minutes.
⮚ The principle of individuality, progression and specificity should be considered.
Hence, the duration will depend most likely with your current fitness level. A
beginner will exercise in shorter duration.
⮚ At the same time, if you choose lower-intensity exercise rather than high-intensity,
you will need to make the duration of exercise longer. If you exercise in higher
intensity, then a shorter duration is advised. You will see similar improvements.

40
On the Type/Mode of Exercise
Choose an activity that uses repetitive, rhythmic, large-muscle movements performed
continuously over an extended time. Start-and-stop sports such as basketball, tennis, and
racquetball also are aerobic, if skill levels allow for continuous play and are intense to
raise heart rate to target levels.

Some Factors to Consider when Choosing the Mode/type of exercise:

1. Availability
2. Ability to perform the activity/exercise
3. Preference/ interest
4. GOAL
5. MEDICAL CONDITION – medical examination is very important before
participating in a regular exercise. The result of medical examination is a more
exact way of determining your personal strengths and limitations. The doctor can
specify your appropriate target heart rate. This is for your safety.

TWO training techniques are usually used today:

1. Cross training - This is the use of multiple training modes. To train, you can
participate in an aerobics class in one day, rune one day, and swim another day.
This reduces boredom and reduces injury of overused muscles.
2. Interval Training – This includes repeated sessions, or intervals of relatively intense
exercise alternated with lower-intensity periods to rest or recover. Usually, this is
used in the improvement phase of the work-out plan when you have been
working out for quiet sometime.

You are now ready to DEVELOP YOUR EXERCISE PLAN. Think about what physical
activity/exercise would you be doing while you read through the following:

DEVELOPING PERSONAL EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION

Initial Conditioning Phase

Starting slowly will allow the body to adapt gradually to exercise and to avoid
soreness, injury, and discouragement. Generally, this stage lasts 4 weeks, but it can be as
short as 2 weeks or as long as 6 weeks, depending on your initial fitness level. For
example, if your cardio respiratory fitness is poor, the initial conditioning stage will likely at

41
least closer to 6 weeks, but if you start at a relatively high cardiorespiratory fitness level, 2
weeks might be sufficient.
You should include 5- to 15-minute warm-up and cool-down phases with each
workout. In the initial conditioning period of your workout, exercise intensity will be low,
typically 40%-60% HRR. For people who have never been involved in a regular exercise
program or who have very low fitness, the initial intensity might even be less than the 50%
HHR we calculated earlier. It is acceptable to start at an intensity of 40%-50% HRR if that is
comfortable for you. The duration of the session will likely be short. Initial sessions for a
person with very low fitness might be as short as 10 to 15 minutes. At these intensity and
duration levels, an exercise frequency of 3 or 4 days is ideal. Here are some key points to
remember for your initial conditioning stage:
✔ Start at an exercise intensity that is comfortable for you.

✔ Increase your training duration or intensity when you are comfortable, but do not
increase intensity and duration at the same time. Gradually increase your
duration, and then work on increasing the intensity. Your goal should be 20 to 30
minutes of continuous low to moderate (40%-60% HHR) activity at the end of the
initial conditioning phase.
✔ Be aware of new aches or pains. Pain is a symptom of injury and indicates that the
body needs rest to repair itself
Improvement Phase
The improvement phase can range from 12 to 40 weeks and your program will
progress more rapidly during this period than in the initial conditioning phase. Duration
and frequency are increased first, and then the intensity is increased toward the upper
end of the THR (60%-85% HRR or RPE of 13-16). The changes should be gradual, with
increases in duration of no more than 20% per week until you can do 20 to 30 minutes at
a moderate to vigorous intensity. Frequency of 3 to 4 days might still be appropriate, but
if you want greater changes in your cardiorespiratory endurance, increasing to 5 days
might be necessary. A general recommendation is to increase the intensity by no more
than 5% of your HRR every sixth exercise session. If you are exercising 3 days per week,
that means an increase every 2 weeks. As you can see the changes are gradual, and
you should not feel pressure to make increases faster than you feel comfortable doing.
Maintenance Phase
The average college-aged student will generally reach the maintenance phase of
the exercise prescription after 16 to 28 weeks of training, but it might take longer for those
who started at a low fitness level. In the maintenance stage, you have achieved your
fitness goal, and your new goal is to maintain this level of fitness. You still need to exercise
regularly, but you do not need to keep increasing all of the components of your exercise
prescription. Several studies have shown that the key factor in maintaining
cardiorespiratory fitness is exercise intensity. If you keep your intensity at the same level

42
you reached in the final weeks of the improvement stage, you can reduce your
frequency. Exercising as few as 2 days per week can still maintain your fitness level. If you
keep to the same frequency and intensity as you achieved during the final wheel of the
improvement stage, you can reduce duration to 20 to 25 minutes per session. However, if
you hold frequency and duration constant, decreasing intensity by even one-third can
significantly decrease your cardiorespiratory endurance. So, if you keep up your exercise
intensity, you can cut back the duration or frequency and keep your hard-earned
benefits.
Adapted from: Powers, S., Dodd, S. & Jackson, E. (2015). Total Fitness and Wellness

The tables below further illustrate an application of the discussion provided above.
(Beginner)
Week/Days Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Initial Conditioning
Week 1 10 min 10 min 10 min
Week 2 10 min 10 min 10 min
Week 3 12 min 12 min 12 min
Week 4 12 min 12 min 12 min
Week 5 15 min 15 min 15 min
Week 6 15 min 15 min 15 min
Improvement
Week 7 20 min 20 min 20 min
Week 8 20 min 20 min 20 min
Week 9 25 min 25 min 25 min
Week 10 25 min 25 min 25 min
Week 11 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 12 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 13 35 min 35 min 35 min
Week 14 35 min 35 min 35 min
Week 15 40 min 40 min 40 min
Week 17 40 min 40 min 40 min
Maintenance
Week 18 30 min 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 19 30 min 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 20 30 min 30 min 30 min 30 min
Intensity key
Initial Conditioning- 60% of HR max
Improvement- 70 % of HR max
Maintenance- 75% of HR max

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 (Intermediate)
Week/Days Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Initial Conditioning
Week 1 10 min 10 min 10 min
Week 2 15 min 15 min 15 min
Week 3 15 min 15 min 15 min
Week 4 20 min 20 min 20 min
Improvement
Week 5 25 min 25 min 25 min
Week 6 25 min 25 min 25 min
Week 7 25 min 25 min 25 min
Week 8 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 9 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 10 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 11 35 min 35 min 35 min
Week 12 35 min 35 min 35 min
Week 13 40 min 40 min 40 min
Week 14 40 min 40 min 40 min
Maintenance
Week 15 30 min 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 16 30 min 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 17 30 min 30 min 30 min 30 min
Intensity key
Initial Conditioning- 70% of HR max
Improvement- 75 % of HR max
Maintenance- 80% of HR max
(Advanced)
Week/Days Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Initial Conditioning
Week 1 15 min 15 min 15 min
Week 2 20 min 20 min 20 min
Improvement
Week 5 25 min 25 min 25 min
Week 6 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 7 35 min 35 min 35 min
Week 8 40 min 40 min 40 min
Week 9 40 min 40 min 40 min
Week 10 40 min 40 min 40 min
Week 11 40 min 40 min 40 min
Week 12 40 min 40 min 40 min
Week 13 40 min 40 min 40 min
Week 14 40 min 40 min 40 min
Maintenance

44
Week 15 30 min 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 16 30 min 30 min 30 min 30 min
Week 17 30 min 30 min 30 min 30 min
Intensity key
Initial Conditioning- 75% of HR max
Improvement- 80 % of HR max
Maintenance- 80- 85% of HR max

Elaborate

The discussion about developing an exercise prescription plan have provided tips on
starting your aerobic work-out. It was pointed out that starting slowly is the key for safety
and for you to maximize the benefits that this exercise will provide you. By now you have
also finalized what activities will you be participating in as you start a physical active
lifestyle. Please accomplish activity 1 to help you draft your plan. This is ungraded however;
it is needed for the completion of the course.

Activity 1. My Exercise Prescription Plan. Please use Module 2 Unit 2 Worksheet No. 1 to
place for your answers.

1. Why do you want to do aerobic exercises?

_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

2. What aerobic exercises/cardiorespiratory exercises will you be participating in?

_________________________________________________________________________________

3. How many times will you be doing the activity within a week?
_________________________________________________________________________________

4. Do you think you are at the beginner’s stage? Intermediate stage? Or advanced stage?
(Encircle what stage are you in. If you are physical active for quiet sometime now then
perhaps you are in the intermediate stage or even advance stage. However, if you have not
been active then obviously, you are at the beginner’s stage).
Beginner Stage Intermediate Stage Advanced Stage

45
 Evaluate
Accomplish activity 2 to 4 to finally assess your progress in this lesson:
For offline students, use Module 2 Unit 2 Worksheet No. 2 for your answers. For online
students, please get the instruction from your course facilitator through the Google
classroom.

Activity 2: What is my target heart rate?

Instructions: Determine your target heart rate by using the steps discussed. Fill out the blanks
below:
YOUR target heart rate (THR) range is calculated in steps.
STEP 1: Calculate your estimated maximal heart rate (HRmax).
AGE: _____ RHR: ________
(HRmax)= 2069 – (.67 x age) HRmax = _______
STEP 2: Calculate your heart rate reserve (HRR) by subtracting your resting heart rate from
your HRmax (use the 60-seocnd count from above).
HRR= HRmax – resting heart rate HRR=____
STEP 3: Calculate 50% and 85% HRR (use decimal values).
Lower end of THR = 0.5 (HRR) = ____________
Upper end of THR = 0.85 (HRR)= _____________
STEP 4: Add your resting heart rate back to these values.
50% HRR + resting heart rate = ______________
85% HRR + resting heart rate = _______________

46
THR = _________________________bpm to __________________bpm
Finally, what type of exercise will you be participating in? __________________
Who are your companions in this doing this activity? (mention 1 or
more)___________________________________________________________

47
 Develop your personal exercise program/prescription based on your current fitness level and goals. Record the
appropriate information in the spaces provided below. The first row is made for your guide.

Place here dates and time of exercise. Fill out only columns of applicable
days.
Wee Phase Intensity Exercise Duration(min/da Monda Tuesday Wednesda Thursday Friday Saturday Sunda
k (COMPUTED Mode y) y y y
THR)
1 Initial phase 124 – jogging 20 mins/day Aug 20 Aug 20 Aug
140bpm 6:00-6:4 6:00-6:40A 20
0AM M 6:00-6:
40AM
2 124 –
140bpm
3 124 –
150bpm
4 124 –
160bpm
5 Improvemen 124
t phase -174bpm
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13 Maintenanc
e Phase
14 124-174bpm
15 or

48
16 recompute
if there is an
improvemen
t in the RHR

Activity 4: Read the instruction very carefully. Start your cardiorespiratory exercise now. Set your schedule and start
implementing the plan you have developed in activity 3. Document one of your work-out sessions by taking a video clip
for each phase of your work-out as follows. Show also in your video that part when you are checking your target heart
rate to make sure that you are exercising within your prescribed intensity of exercise. However, NOTE that the whole
session ideally lasts for 20 to 60 minutes or more. I am confident that you will still perform this work-out as you have
planned because it is for your own good – for your own fitness.

Warm-up – 1 minute
Work-out – 4 minutes (show also yourself here taking your pulse to intentionally check if you are exercising
within your Target Heart Rate Range)
Cool-down – 1 minute

Compile these video clips in a folder labeled as FAMILY NAME, Module 2 Evaluation Activity 4. (ex. BANDOC Module 2
Evaluation Activity 4) and submit it through the memory stick accompanying this module. This will be returned at the end
of the term.

Criteria:

1. Followed the elements of exercise (warm-up, work-out/conditioning and cool-down) 10pts

2. Exercises within the target heart rate based on the result in activity 2 - 10 pts
3. Documentation (video) is Dependable (reflects actual execution of the work-out) – this will NOT need editing as it
will just GET MUCH OF YOUR TIME. - 10 pts

49
50
 Unit 3: Working Towards Muscular Fitness
Unit Learning Outcomes: At the end of the unit, you should be able to:
● identify exercises or physical activities that target muscular fitness;
● design a muscular program targeting muscular fitness; and
● perform the designed muscular exercise program.

Engage
Go back to your pre-test result by referring to your Fitness test Form. Do you think you
need to improve your muscular fitness level? If yes, this unit will help you work towards it. If
your answer is No, it is still best to maintain it, right? Remember that one principle in training
is the principle of reversibility. This states that when you stop doing exercise your attained
fitness level can go back to the initial level.

Explore
Reminder:
It is important to note that before accomplishing this part, you should have read and
explore the material about exercise programming- Module 2 Unit 3 Muscular Exercise
Programming. For offline students, please check your memory stick. For online students,
your course facilitator will give you instructions.

Without muscle, humans couldn't live. Muscles allow someone to inhale, speak,
move, etc. Also, muscle regulates or controls breathing, digestion, and heartbeat as a
result it's important to exercise our body to assist our muscles to develop their functions. As
to grasp what reasonably exercise is suitable with our different a part of our body it's
important to understand what muscular fitness is. For an easier way to understand,
muscular fitness means having muscles that can lift heavier objects or muscles that will work

51
longer before becoming exhausted. Muscles are designed to produce quick power,
strength to beat force, and to sustain locomotion for extended periods of time. That being
said muscular fitness is when the muscle has the flexibility to perform all of those tasks
efficiently and effectively. By altering the variables during exercise training, we will train our
muscles to be effective at performing these tasks.
As a result, muscular improves when a person does different activities that build or
maintain muscles (strength) or that increase in how a person can use his or her muscles in a
certain period of time (endurance). It is recommended to follow a scientific and
progressive model to reinforce muscular fitness. This will take us thru exercises designed for
stabilization, strength endurance, maximal muscle strength, and muscle power. Such
activities like push-ups, weight lifting, leg lifts, etc. that can improve muscular fitness, for
example, it is noticeable that people who engage in muscular activities have a higher
muscle fitness that they can carry heavy stuff or materials more easily, pick up things
without feeling as much strain, or carry heavy items longer before getting too tired to
continue. Having stronger muscles also protects the joints

While there are five components of fitness, muscular strength and muscular
endurance can fall into the identical umbrella of muscular fitness: Muscular endurance is
the ability to repeat muscle movement over a period of time while muscular strength is the
ability of a muscle group to apply a maximal force against resistance at one time. Both of
these components focus on training on the neuromuscular system, but in different ways.
Strong, healthy, and fit muscles help you to perform daily physical activities. Also, muscular
fitness helps you to reduce fatigue, avoid back pain, and prevent muscle injuries and
muscle soreness.

Benefits of Improving Muscular Fitness

● Ability to do more strenuous work
● Less susceptible to muscular fatigue
● Improved appearance, good posture, build strong, healthier muscles and bones
● Ability to do more work over a longer period of time
● Less injury prone
● Athletic performance
● Helps maintain healthy body weight by burning calories and enhancing your body
composition, which is the ratio between fat and muscle.
● Boost mood and energy levels while promoting healthy sleep patterns. This may boost
confidence, provide a sense of accomplishment, and allow you to add more difficult or
strenuous activities to your fitness routine.
● More stability, balance, and flexibility

52
An illustration of the major parts of the muscular system is provided for your reference.
Locate the different muscles on your body while you study the material. This will help you in
accomplishing the next activity. At the same time, knowing the different muscles will guide
you identify appropriate exercises when you are already on your own.

Activity 1. Complete the table below. (Use Module 2 Unit 3 Worksheet No. 1)
List of specific muscular exercise List at least 3 major muscles involved
that target the muscle
Push-ups
Curl-up
Plank

53
Deadlifts
Pull-ups
Side Lateral Raise
Squat
Leg Curl

Explain
Muscular Exercises
It is important to develop a routine that you enjoy while targeting your fitness and wellness
goal. You may change your exercise routine as often as you like to target the different
muscle groups or to prevent you from getting bored. Along with the different components
of exercises, lamp up your usual activities to build muscular strength and endurance. Make
a point to incorporate more of these everyday tasks into your daily routine so you can
enjoy the benefits of a strong body.

Muscular Programming (Open Module 2 Unit 3 Muscular Exercise Programming PPT). Before
you do the activity, make sure that you have read, viewed and explored the material
about exercise programming.

Elaborate
Let’s do this.
Activity 2. Creating a Muscular Exercise Program
Create a sample muscular exercise program using the 3 split template previously discussed.
It means that you will be creating a program for Full body split, Push-pull-leg split and 5-day
split based on the table. (Use Module 2 Unit 3 Worksheet No. 2)
A. Full Body Split
B. Push-Pull-Leg Split

54
C. 5-day split

Below is a sample list of muscular exercises. Choose which of those are appropriate for full
body split, Push-pull-leg split and 5-day split.
Table A: Gym work-out/with equipment or machine

Over
Leg raise Plank Crunches Flat bench head Pull ups
press Shoulder
press

Deadlifts Squats Lunges Calf Raises Inclined Inclined

dumbbell dumbbell
press press

Dumbbell Low cable Barbell row Single arm Cable upright

Triceps Reverse row dumbbell row row
extensions grip lat pull
down

Weighted Dips Dumbbell

Leg press Leg Leg curls Standing calf shoulder press
extensions raise

Barbell Inclined Dumbbell Side lateral Triceps Triceps dips

Curls dumbbell curls raises Press
hammer down
curls

Table 2: Home workout: Alternative

Towel Tower pull Towel Rows Bent over rows Towel lat pull Single arm
bicep up down bent over row
curls

Bicep curl Prone Pike Suitecase Back pack Chair dips

cobras push-ups military press push ups

55
Elevated Tricep kick Tricep Back pack Bulgarian split Jump squat
push ups backs extensions squats squats wall sit

Back pack Single leg Fast feet Lunge pulse

RDLS hip thrusts Knee drove

Evaluate
Now it’s your turn to implement the program you created in activity C.
Choose among the three programs that you created.

UNIT 4: DEVELOPING YOUR EXERCISE PROGRAM - FLEXIBLITY

Unit Learning Outcomes

At the end of the unit, you should be able to:

● enumerate the benefits of flexibility training;

● demonstrate proper execution of exercises; for flexibility development; and
● develop a personal flexibility exercise prescription; and
● design your personal full-body work-out which you can implement as you start your
journey towards a physically active lifestyle.

Engage

56
 This part of the module aims to enhance your knowledge and skills in implementing
an exercise program for flexibility development and maintenance. Let us take a look at
some benefits which may surely convince you to practically move and stretch out those
muscles.

Benefits of Flexibility
● Increases range of motion (flexibility)
● Allows greater freedom of movement and improved posture
● Helps prevent low back pain
● Increases physical and mental relaxation
● Decreases muscle tension and soreness
● Reduces the risk of injury

Explore

Stretch Out!

● For offline students, a video on “Flexibility Work-out” has been prepared for your
guide – Module 2 Unit 4 Flexibility Work-out Video
● For online students, your course facilitator will provide you the material in the google
classroom

Activity 1: Perform the flexibility work-out using the video as a guide. Note the following
while doing the exercises:

✔ Based on the exercise performed do you think there is a need to include the major
parts of the body in a flexibility work-out?
✔ How long is the stretching held?

✔ How will you perform the flexibility exercises correctly and safely?

✔ How many times do you think you should be doing this kind of exercise to become
flexible?

57
 Your answers to the questions should be consistent with the foregoing discussions. At
the same time, those are actually some point that you have to consider in
developing and

Explain
Let us now look into some concepts that clarify the questions above. Flexibility
development also follows the parameters of the FITT acronym. At the same time, proper
body position and exercise execution should be done to maximize the benefits produced
by the flexibility training program.

Flexibility Program Development

Frequency It is currently recommended that stretches be performed at least 2-3

days a week, including two to four stretch repetitions per muscle group.
Studies have found no increase in hamstring flexibility in 93 female and
male subjects when the frequency of stretching has increased from one
to three times per day. Little research exists to refute the practice of
stretching daily whether followed by other physical activity or not.
Intensity Moving into position of mild discomfort before holding a stretch is the
current recommendation on static flexibility training intensity. This is
usually held between 13 to 15 seconds for beginners and up to 25 to 30
secs for advanced.
Time/Duration Holding the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds for active static stretches is
recommended. (note: for this lesson, stretches are focused on static
stretches)
Type/Mode General stretching routine be used to best improve flexibility. This means
that stretches should involve all the major muscles and tendon groups
of the body. General flexibility is ideal.

Below is a sample of a Flexibility Training Program. Notice that there are at least 6 to 8
exercises involved and the duration of stretches is 15 seconds for the beginners and
progresses in the intermediate group to 20 and 30 seconds. Furthermore, the number of

58
sets has been increased from 1 to 3reps. For advanced program, it can actually reach until
4 reps but are held only until 30 seconds.

Flexibility Exercise Program (BEGINNERS)

Week/ Monday TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

Days
(WARM UP) (WARM UP) (WARM UP)
5-10 MIN 5-10 MIN 5-10 MIN
AEROBICS AEROBICS AEROBICS
(WORKOUT) (WORKOUT) (WORKOUT)
6-8 EXERCISES 6-8 EXERCISES 6-8 EXERCISES
1 REP/ 15 SECS 1 REP/ 15 SECS 1 REP/ 15 SECS
WEEK 1
and 2
(WARM UP) (WARM UP) (WARM UP)
5-10 MIN 5-10 MIN 5-10 MIN
AEROBICS AEROBICS AEROBICS
(WORKOUT) (WORKOUT) (WORKOUT)
6-8 EXERCISES 6-8 EXERCISES 6-8 EXERCISES
2 REP/ 15 SECS 2 REP/ 15 SECS 2 REP/ 15 SECS
WEEK 3 (COOL DOWN) (COOL DOWN) (COOL
Breathing Breathing DOWN)
Exercises Exercises Breathing
5 minutes 5 minutes Exercises
5 minutes

Sample Flexibility Exercise Program (INTERMEDIATE)

Week/ Monday TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

Days
(WARM UP) (WARM UP) (WARM UP)
5-10 MIN 5-10 MIN AEROBICS 5-10 MIN AEROBICS
AEROBICS
WEEK 4- (WORKOUT) (WORKOUT) (WORKOUT)
7 5- 10 6- 10 7- 10
EXERCISES EXERCISES EXERCISES
2 REP/ 20 SECS 2 REP/ 20 SECS 2 REP/ 20 SECS
(COOL DOWN) (COOL DOWN) (COOL DOWN)
Breathing Breathing Exercises Breathing Exercises
Exercises 5 minutes 5 minutes

59
 5 minutes
(WARM UP) (WARM UP) (WARM UP)
5-10 MIN 5-10 MIN AEROBICS 5-10 MIN AEROBICS
AEROBICS
(WORKOUT) (WORKOUT) (WORKOUT)
WEEK 6-8 EXERCISES 6-8 EXERCISES 6-8 EXERCISES
8-11 3 REP/ 20 SECS 3 REP/ 20 SECS 3 REP/ 20 SECS
(COOL DOWN) (COOLDOWN) (COOL DOWN)
Breathing Breathing Exercises Breathing Exercises
Exercises 5 minutes 5 minutes
5 minutes

Here are some things to avoid during stretches

1. Don't hold your breath. Try to breathe as normally as possible during the exercise.
2. Do not fully extend the knee, neck, or back.
3. Do not stretch muscles that are already stretched.
4. Do not stretch to the point that joint pain occurs.
5. Avoid stretching when having someone help you with passive stretches. Make sure
you communicate about the end of the range of motion.
6. Avoid forceful extension and flexion of the spine.

For further understanding, illustrations are provided in the document in your memory stick.
● For offline students, open the document in your memory stick labeled as “Module 2
Flexibility Exercises”
● For online students, your course facilitator will provide you the material in the google
classroom

Elaborate

What about my flexibility?

You have now reached the part of this lesson where you can already ask the personal
question – what about my flexibility? Go back to the two flexibility tests that you have
performed. How did you make it? Do you think you need to improve more? Or maintain?

60
Below is a sample of Flexibility Progression Log used to record one’s progress in increasing
flexibility in selected joints. When you use it, record the date, hold time, and sets for each
of the exercises in the left column to track you progress. You can use this as you go along
with your flexibility exercise routine. This is only a sample for your use.

Flexibility Progression Log

Dates

Set/Hold Set/Hold Set/Hold Set/Hold

1. Lower leg Stretch

2. Shin Stretch
3. Thigh Stretch
4. Leg stretch
5. Modified Hurdler’s stretch
6. Inside legs stretch
7. Hip and gluteal stretch
8. Lower back stretch
9. Side stretch
10. Trunk stretch
11. Chest stretch
12. Neck stretch

61
 Evaluate
Activity 2: Perform correctly the flexibility exercises indicated below. Use the illustration
provided in “Module 2 Flexibility Exercises” as your guide. Take a photo of you doing the
correct exercise. (Photo size).

1. Lower leg stretch 7. Hip and gluteal stretch

2. Shin Stretch 8. Lower back stretch
3. Thigh Stretch 9. Side stretch
4. Leg stretch 10. Trunk stretch
5. Modified Hurdler’s 11. Chest stretch
stretch 12. Neck stretch
6. Inside legs stretch

For offline students, submit this in printed form or as a file properly labeled, or as a
PowerPoint presentation (Family Name, First name FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES). For example –
BANDOC, MAUREEN_ FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES); For online students, instructions will be handed
in by your FIT course facilitator.

Criteria: 50pts
Completeness of Exercises Performed
Proper and Clarity of Execution
Activity 3. SUMMING IT UP! Design a Full Body Exercise Plan that fits you.

As you prepare towards being a professional someday you have indeed a busy schedule.
And you will find it difficult to exercise into your day. Designing a full Body Exercise Plan is
best for you. As final requirement for this MODULE, design a Full Body Exercise Plan. Please
read the instructions below:

1. Use the format below to design your own plan. Instead of walking, think of other
exercises/activities; instead of a crunch, push-ups or dips, think of other
activities/exercises.
2. Insert appropriately (own preference) on the matrix when you should be doing your
warm-up and cool down phase.
3. Add 2 more number of weeks that will reflect your knowledge of the progression
and overload principle.
4. The checklist below will further guide you to complete properly the task. Submit this
together with your developed work-out plan. Use MODULE 2 Workout plan
Worksheet.

62
 5. This is graded and scored as 40pts. Each item will be scored by your instructor for
5pts each. You get the other 10pts if you have properly accomplished this task as
instructed.

Put a check mark on the first column if you are convinced that you have successfully
accomplished the task identified on the second column.
1. Fitness goals are clearly stated.
2. Boxes are appropriately filled out (except for recovery periods like Sundays)

3. Principle of progression and overload have been reflected based on the

frequency, intensity, and duration of exercises
4. Activities are clearly indicated.
5. The execution of Warm-up and cool-down phase is reflected on the
program (no need to identify exercises for this. Just insert in the appropriate
row or space the words warm-up or cool-down)
6. Aesthetically designed the overall output. Use drawing materials or digital
means to design the overall output.

References:

Hoeger, W. & Hoeger, S. (2015). Lifetime Physical Fitness and Wellness. Cengage Learning:
USA

Koetecki, J. (2014). Physical Actvity and Health: An Interactive Approach. Jones & Bartlett
Learning: Burlington MA

Powers, S., Dodd, S. & Kackson, E. (2014). Total Fitness & Wellness. Pearson: Boston

ACSM’s Resources for the Personal Trainer. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

63
Module 3: Working Towards a Healthy Lifestyle Choice

Now that you have a clear understanding of health and wellness and how to fix
your physical wellness through proper exercise programming, you are now ready to
embark in working towards it. You will be tasked to implement physical activities and
exercises that are carried out in your exercise program. Along with this, you are further
involved in discovering essential information in your fitness and wellness journey such as
behavior modification, diet and nutrition, and the persistent issue of stress.

Unit Learning Outcomes:

After studying the concepts discussed on the materials provided for

you, you should be able to:

● perform the exercises program with determination;

● demonstrate understanding on the principles of nutrition and the role of diet in the
success of any fitness program;
● identify variety of activities that promotes effective stress management; and
● create plans incorporating the factors that influence healthy lifestyle choices.

Engage

64
Making good lifestyle choices means caring for your health and wellbeing. Your journey
towards a healthy lifestyle should be a positive experience. Every move in a positive
direction is a step forward. So, let’s start your journey now!

Note: You will now implement your exercise program plan today as your Week 1. Use the
exercise program that you design in Module 2 Unit 4 Activity 3.

Explore

65
Hand in hand with your exercise program, here are some factors that influence fitness,
health and wellness.

● Go over the different presentations: Module 3_Presentations accompanying this

module. The first presentation, Module 3_Diet and Nutrition provides an analysis on
the principles of nutrition and the role of diet in the success of any fitness program.
The next presentation is found in Module 3_Stress Management that deals with
variety of activities that promotes effective stress management. Lastly, making
healthier behavior choices through behavior modification can be found in Module
3_Behavior Modification.
o For online students, your FIT course facilitator will upload this in the google classroom.

A summary of the concepts discussed in the material can be found in the following texts:

A. Diet and Nutrition

What is Nutrition?

Nutrition is the study of food and the way the body uses it to produce energy and
build and repair itself. It involves understanding the relationship between food and health
or disease. Good nutrition means a diet that supplies all of the essential nutrients required to
maintain a healthy body. Consuming too much or too little of any of the essential nutrients
will eventually lead to health problems. In the past, it was dietary deficiencies of nutrients
that caused health problems for many people; for example, insufficient intake of vitamin C
can lead to scurvy, and insufficient iron intake can lead to a form of anemia.

Diets that are too high in calories, sugar, fats, and/or sodium have been linked to
diseases and conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, obesity, and diabetes.

What are Nutrients?

Nutrients are basic substances in foods that your body uses to maintain health. They
can be divided into two categories: Macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients

Macronutirents (carbohydrates, fats, and proteins) are needed in greater amounts;

they primarily build and maintain body tissues and provide energy for daily activities.

● Carbohydrates

Whole grains, pasta, fruits, and vegetables are excellent sources of carbohydrates, the
main source of fuel for your brain. Carbohydrates are especially important during many
types of physical activities because they are a key energy source for muscular contraction.
However, not all carbohydrates are created equal--- simple carbohydrates (or sugars) are

66
easier for the body to break down and use for energy; complex carbohydrates (starch and
fiber) can be used for energy but also serve other purposes.

Types of Carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates consist of chain of one or two simple sugars. Glucose is the
most noteworthy of the simple sugars because it is the only sugar molecule that can be
used directly by the body. To be used for fuel, all other carbohydrates must be converted
to glucose.

The body stores glucose in a form of glycogen in the skeletal muscles and the liver.
Glucose that is not immediately used for energy or stored as glycogen will be stored as fat
for future energy use. The central nervous system uses glucose almost exclusively from its
energy needs. If you don’t consume enough carbohydrates in food, your body has to
make glucose from the protein. This is undesirable because it results in the breakdown of
the body protein for use as fuel. Dietary carbohydrates are important not only as a direct
fuel source, but also for their protein- sparing effect.

There are several other simple sugars found in foods, including fructose, (found
primarily in fruits) galactose and lactose (found in milk and dairy products), maltose (found
in some grains), and sucrose (commonly known as table sugar, is the white, granular
products used for household baking).

Complex Carbohydrates come in the forms of starch and fiber. Starches are long
chain of glucose units and are often used for the sudden burst of energy we need during
physical activity. Fiber is a stringy, nondigestible carbohydrate found in plants. Because
fiber is nondigestible, it is not a fuel source. However, it is important to prevent some
chronic diseases.

The Importance of Fiber

Dietary fiber provides bulk in the intestinal tract. This bulk aids in the formation and
elimination of food waste products, thus reducing the time necessary for the wastes to
move through the digestive system and lowering the risk of colon cancer. It is also thought
to be a factor in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and breast cancer and in
controlling blood sugar in individual with diabetes. Some types of fiber bind with cholesterol
in the digestive tract and prevent its absorption into the blood, thereby reducing blood
cholesterol level.

Fiber can be classified according to its viscosity (its thickness when mixed with
digestive juices in the intestines). Soluble fiber is more viscous than Insoluble fiber and is
usually found in oats, barley, beans, peas, and citrus fruits. Insoluble fiber is typically
concentrated in whole wheat and vegetables. The primary health benefits of insoluble

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fiber are its water binding capacity, which quickens transit time in the large intestine. A
faster transit time also helps maintain regulatory of bowel movements and reduces the risk
of colon cancer.

● Protein is essential to building muscle mass. It is commonly found in animal products,

though is also present in other sources, such as nuts and legumes.

When protein is broken down in the body it helps to fuel muscle mass, which helps
metabolism. It also helps the immune system to stay strong. It helps you stay full.

●  Fats are an essential part of our diet and are important for good health. There are
different types of fats, with some fats being healthier than others. To help make sure
you stay healthy, it is important to eat unsaturated fats in small amounts as part of a
balanced diet.

When eaten in large amounts, all fats, including healthy fats, can contribute to
weight gain. Fat is higher in energy (kilojoules) than any other nutrient and so eating less fat
overall is likely to help with weight loss.

Eating less saturated and trans fats may help lower your risk of heart disease. When
buying products check the labels and choose the varieties that are lower in saturated and
trans fats and higher in poly and monounsaturated fats.

So, a diet that is low in saturated fats and trans fats, but that also includes moderate
amounts of unsaturated fats will help you stay healthy.

Saturated fats

Eating greater amounts of saturated fat is linked with an increased risk of heart
disease and high blood cholesterol levels. These fats are usually solid at room temperature
and are found in:

● Animal-based products:
o Dairy foods – such as butter, cream, full fat milk and cheese
o Meat – such as fatty cuts of beef, pork and lamb and chicken (especially
chicken skin), processed meats like salami, some plant-derived products:
Palm oil, Coconut, Coconut milk and cream, Cooking margarine, Many
manufactured and packaged foods:
▪ Fatty snack foods (such as potato chips, savory crackers)
● Deep fried and high fat take away foods (such as hot chips, pizza, hamburgers)
o Cakes and high fat muffins
o Pastries and pies (including quiche, tarts, sausage rolls, pasties, croissants)

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 o Sweet and savory biscuits

Unsaturated fats

Unsaturated fats are an important part of a healthy diet. These fats help reduce the
risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol levels (among other health benefits) when they
replace saturated fats in the diet.

There are two main types of unsaturated fats:

Polyunsaturated fats:

Omega-3 fats which are found in fish, especially oily fish

Omega-6 fats which are found in some oils such as safflower and soybean oil, along
with some nuts, including Brazil nuts.

Monounsaturated fats:

These are found in olive and canola oil, avocados and some nuts, such as cashews
and almonds.

Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) are in much smaller amounts by your body, but they
are essential for numerous processes, including regulating cell function. The final class of
nutrient is water, which is important for the body function that you can’t survive more than
a few days without it.

Vitamins play a key role in many body functions, including the regulation of growth and
metabolism. Some vitamins are soluble in water; others are soluble in fat. Water soluble
vitamins include the B vitamins and vitamin C. These vitamins are generally not stored in the
body and can be eliminated by the kidneys. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble. They
are stored in the body fat and can therefore accumulate the toxic levels.

Selected vitamins: Food Sources, Functions, and Deficiency and Toxicity Symptoms

Fat Soluble

Vitamin Selected food Selected Deficiency Toxicity

Source Functions Symptoms Symptoms

A Liver, spinach, Necessary for Night blindness, Birth defects,

carrots, sweet vision, bone impaired loss of appetite,
potatoes, other growth, fertility blurred vision,
orange and

69
 green leafy immunity, hair loss, liver
vegetables infertility damage.

D Fortified milk: Regulates blood Rickets in Hypercalcemia

produced in the calcium levels; children, bone (calcium level is
skin under bone health; weakness, and above normal),
sunlight cell increased calcium
differentiation fracture in deposits in
adults kidney and liver.

E Vegetable oils, Antioxidant; Anemia, Inhibited blood

whole grains, improves impaired nerve clotting
nuts, seeds absorption of transmission,
Vit. A muscle
weakness

K Green leafy Helps with blood Reduce ability No known

vegetables, clotting to form blood symptoms
cabbage, clots
cauliflower

Water- Soluble

Thiamin (B1) Whole grains, Coenzyme in Beriberi, weight No known

organ meat, carbohydrate loss, confusion, symptoms
lean pork metabolism and muscle
some amino weakness
acid
metabolism

Riboflavin (B2) Dairy products, Coenzymes; Sore throat, No known

enriched bread helps maintains swelling of the symptoms
and cereals, mucus tongue, anemia
lean meat, membranes
poultry, and fish

Niacin (B3) Eggs, poultry, Coenzyme in Pellagra, rash, Flushing, liver

fish, milk, whole carbohydrates vomiting, damage,
grains, nuts, and fatty acid constipation glucose
enriched breads metabolism; and diarrhea intolerance,
and cereals. plays role in blurred vision
DNA replication

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 and repair and
cell
differentiation

Vitamin B6 Eggs, poultry, Coenzyme Dermatitis, Skin lesions

fish, whole involved in anemia,
grains, liver, amino acid and convulsions
kidney, pork carbohydrate
metabolism;
synthesis in
blood cells

Vitamin B12 Meat, fish, Coenzymes that Pernicious No known

poultry, fortified assists the with anemia, pale symptoms
cereals blood formation skin, fatigue,
and nervous shortness of
system functions breath,
dementia

Folate Green leafy Coenzyme Macrocytic Masks symptoms

vegetables, involved in DNA anemia, of vitamin B12
yeast, oranges, synthesis and weakness and deficiency;
whole grains, amino acid fatigue, neurological
legumes metabolism headache, damage
neural tube
defects in
developing
fetus

Vitamin C Citrus fruits, Antioxidant; Scurvy, bleeding Nausea and

peppers, assists with gums and joints, diarrhea,
spinach, collagen loose teeth, nosebleeds,
strawberries, synthesis; depression, abdominal
tomatoes, enhances anemia cramps
potatoes immune
function;
enhances iron
absorption

Minerals are chemical elements such as sodium and calcium that are required by
the body for normal functions. Like vitamins, minerals play important roles in regulating key
body function, such as the conduction of nerve impulses, muscular contraction, enzyme

71
function, and maintenance of water balance. Minerals serve a structural function as well;
calcium, phosphorus, and fluoride all are important components in bones and teeth.

Three minerals that play important roles in the body are calcium, iron, and sodium.
Calcium is important in the bone formation. A deficiency of calcium contributes to the
development of the bone disease called osteoporosis. A deficiency of dietary iron may
lead to iron-deficiency anemia, which results in chronic fatigue. High sodium intake has
been associated with hypertension, a major risk factor for heart disease.

Selected Minerals: Food Sources, Functions, and Deficiency and Toxicity Symptoms

Minerals Selected Food Selected Deficiency Toxicity

Sources Functions Symptoms Symptoms

Calcium Milk and milk Builds bones Osteoporosis, Can interfere

products; and teeth; helps bone fracture, with the
sardines; dark maintain acid- convulsions, and absorption of
green leafy base balance; muscle spasm, iron, zinc, and
vegetables; maintains heart failure. magnesium;
fortified orange normal nerve shock, fatigue.
juice transmission Kidney failure.

Phosphorus Meat, poultry, Maintains fluid Muscle weakness Muscle spasms,

fish, eggs, milk, balance; plays or damage, convulsions.
soft drinks a role in bone bone pain, Low blood
formation dizziness calcium levels

Magnesium Grains, Essential Hypomagnesium, Diarrhea,

legumes, nuts component of resulting in low nausea,
(almonds and bone tissue; blood calcium abdominal
cashew), seeds, bone growth; levels, muscle cramps
soybeans supports muscle cramps, spasms,
contraction and or seizures;
blood clotting chronic diseases
such as heart
diseases, high
blood pressure,
and osteoporosis

Potassium Potatoes, Regulates Muscle Muscle

bananas, muscle weakness, weakness,
contraction and irregular

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 tomato juice, transmission of paralysis heartbeat,
orange juice nerve impulses; confusion vomiting
maintains blood
pressure

Sodium Salt, soy sauce, Maintains Muscle cramps, Water retention;

fast foods and acid-base dizziness, fatigue, high blood
processed balance; assists nausea, pressure; may
foods with nerve vomiting, mental increase loss of
transmission and confusion calcium in urine.
muscle
contraction

Trace Minerals

Irons Meat, poultry; Assists with Anemia, fatigue, Nausea,

green leafy oxygen depressed vomiting,
vegetables; transport in immune function, diarrhea,
fortified grain blood and impaired dizziness, rapid
products muscle; memory heartbeat,
coenzyme for death
energy
metabolism

Zinc Whole grains, Coenzyme for Growth Intestinal pain,

meat, liver, hemoglobin retardation, nausea,
seafood production; diarrhea, vomiting, loss of
plays role in cell delayed sexual appetite,
replication, maturation, hair diarrhea;
protein synthesis loss headache,
depressed
immune
function

Iodine Iodized salt, Synthesis of Goiter, Goiter

seafood, thyroid hypothyroidism,
processed food hormones; deficiency during
temperature pregnancy can
regulation cause birth
defects

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Fluoride Fluoridated Maintains Dental cavities Teeth fluorosis
water, tea, fish health of bones and tooth (staining and
and teeth decay; lower pitting of the
bone density teeth); skeletal
fluorosis

Selenium Organ meats, Antioxidant; Keshan disease, Brittle hair, skin

such as liver immune impaired rashes,
and kidney; function; assists immune function, weakness,
pork; seafood in production of infertility, muscle cirrhosis of the
thyroid pain liver
hormone

Water makes up approximately 60%- 70% of your body and it is important for
everything from temperature regulation, digestion, absorption, and blood formation to
waste elimination. Water is especially important for physically active people. A person
engaged in heavy exercise in a hot, humid environment can lose 1- 3 liters of water per
hour through sweating. Losing as little as 5% of body water causes fatigue, weakness, and
the ability to concentrate; losing more than 15% can be fatal.

You should consume 8-10 cups of water per day through foods and beverages.
Drinking water throughout your day will help you meet this goal, as will eating food with
high water content, such as fruits and vegetables. People who experience excess
sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting or who donate blood may have higher water requirements.

Daily Water Balance in the Body

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Why We Need Energy?

We need energy to grow, stay alive, keep warm and be active. Energy is provided
by the carbohydrate, protein, and fat in the food and drinks we consume. Different food
and drinks provide different amounts of energy. Carbohydrate is the most important source
of energy for the body. Sources of carbohydrate include starchy foods, e.g. bread, rice,
potatoes, pasta, pulses, and breakfast cereals.

Daily Energy Requirements (Estimated Calorie Requirements)

Estimated amounts of calories needed to maintain energy balance for various

gender and age groups at three different levels of physical activity. The estimates are
rounded to the nearest 200 calories and were determined using the Institute of Medicine
equation.

Age
Gender (years) Sedentaryb Moderately Activec Actived
Child 2-3 1,000 1,000-1,400 1,000-1,400
Female 4-8 1,200 1,400-1,600 1,400-1,800
9-13 1,600 1,600-2,000 1,800-2,200
14-18 1,800 2,000 2,400
19-30 2,000 2,000-2,200 2,400
31-50 1,800 2,000 2,200
51+ 1,600 1,800 2,000-2,200
Male 4-8 1,400 1,400-1,600 1,600-2,000
9-13 1,800 1,800-2,200 2,000-2,600
14-18 2,200 2,400-2,800 2,800-3,200
19-30 2,400 2,600-2,800 3,000
31-50 2,200 2,400-2,600 2,800-3,000
51+ 2,000 2,200-2,400 2,400-2,800
a) These levels are based on Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) from the Institute of
Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes macronutrients report, 2002, calculated by
gender, age, and activity level for reference-sized individuals. "Reference size," as
determined by IOM, is based on median height and weight for ages up to age 18
years of age and median height and weight for that height to give a BMI of 21.5 for
adult females and 22.5 for adult males.

b) Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated

with typical day-to-day life.

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 c) Moderately active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to
walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light
physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life

d) Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more
than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity
associated with typical day-to-day life.

26 Weight Loss Tips That Are Actually Evidence-Based

If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission.
How this works. The weight loss industry is full of myths.

People are often advised to do all sorts of crazy things, most of which have no
evidence behind them.

However, over the years, scientists have found a number of strategies that seem to
be effective.

Here are 26 weight loss tips that are actually evidence-based.

1. Drink Water, Especially Before Meals

It is often claimed that drinking water can help with weight loss — and that’s true.
Drinking water can boost metabolism by 24–30% over a period of 1–1.5 hours, helping you
burn off a few more calories (1Trusted Source, 2Trusted Source). One study showed that
drinking a half-liter (17 ounces) of water about half an hour before meals helped dieters
eat fewer calories and lose 44% more weight, compared to those who didn’t drink the
water (3Trusted Source).

2. Eat Eggs for Breakfast

Eating whole eggs can have all sorts of benefits, including helping you lose weight.
Studies show that replacing a grain-based breakfast with eggs can help you eat fewer
calories for the next 36 hours as well as lose more weight and body fat. If you don’t eat
eggs, that's fine. Any source of quality protein for breakfast should do the trick.

3. Drink Coffee (Preferably Black)

Coffee has been unfairly demonized. Quality coffee is loaded with antioxidants and
can have numerous health benefits. Studies show that the caffeine in coffee can boost
metabolism by 3–11% and increase fat burning by up to 10–29% (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted

76
Source, 8Trusted Source). Just make sure not to add a bunch of sugar or other high-calorie
ingredients to your coffee. That will completely negate any benefits.

4. Drink Green Tea

Like coffee, green tea also has many benefits, one of them being weight loss.
Though green tea contains small amounts of caffeine, it is loaded with powerful
antioxidants called catechins, which are believed to work synergistically with caffeine to
enhance fat burning.
Although the evidence is mixed, many studies show that green tea (either as a
beverage or a green tea extract supplement) can help you lose weight.
Green tea is available at most pharmacies, health stores, and grocery stores, as well as
online.

5. Try Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is a popular eating pattern in which people cycle between

periods of fasting and eating. Short-term studies suggest intermittent fasting is as effective
for weight loss as continuous calorie restriction.
Additionally, it may reduce the loss of muscle mass typically associated with
low-calorie diets. However, higher-quality studies are needed before any stronger claims
can be made.
6. Take a Glucomannan Supplement

A fiber called glucomannan has been linked to weight loss in several studies.
This type of fiber absorbs water and sits in your gut for a while, making you feel fuller and
helping you eat fewer calories.
Studies show that people who supplement with glucomannan lose a bit more
weight than those who don't.

7. Cut Back on Added Sugar

Added sugar is one of the worst ingredients in the modern diet. Most people
consume way too much.
Studies show that sugar (and high-fructose corn syrup) consumption is strongly
associated with an increased risk of obesity, as well as conditions including type 2 diabetes

77
and heart disease. If you want to lose weight, cut back on added sugar. Just make sure to
read labels, because even so-called health foods can be loaded with sugar.

8. Eat Less Refined Carbs

Refined carbohydrates include sugar and grains that have been stripped of their
fibrous, nutritious parts. These include white bread and pasta.
Studies show that refined carbs can spike blood sugar rapidly, leading to hunger,
cravings and increased food intake a few hours later. Eating refined carbs is strongly linked
to obesity. If you're going to eat carbs, make sure to eat them with their natural fiber.

9. Go on a Low-Carb Diet

If you want to get all the benefits of carb restriction, then consider going all the way
and committing to a low-carb diet. Numerous studies show that such a regimen can help
you lose 2–3 times as much weight as a standard low-fat diet while also improving your
health.

10. Use Smaller Plates

Using smaller plates has been shown to help some people automatically eat fewer
calories. However, the plate-size effect doesn’t appear to affect everyone. Those who are
overweight seem to be more affected.

11. Exercise Portion Control or Count Calories

Portion control — simply eating less — or counting calories can be very useful, for
obvious reasons. Some studies show that keeping a food diary or taking pictures of your
meals can help you lose weight. Anything that increases your awareness of what you are
eating is likely to be beneficial.

12. Keep Healthy Food Around in Case You Get Hungry

Keeping healthy food nearby can help prevent you from eating something
unhealthy if you become excessively hungry.
Snacks that are easily portable and simple to prepare include whole fruits, nuts, baby
carrots, yogurt and hard-boiled eggs.

13. Take Probiotic Supplements

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 Taking probiotic supplements containing bacteria of the Lactobacillus subfamily
have been shown to reduce fat mass. However, the same doesn’t apply to all
Lactobacillus species. Some studies have linked L. acidophilus with weight gain.

14. Eat Spicy Foods

Chili peppers contain capsaicin, a spicy compound that can boost metabolism and
reduce your appetite slightly. However, people may develop tolerance to the effects of
capsaicin over time, which may limit its long-term effectiveness.

15. Do Aerobic Exercise

Doing aerobic exercise (cardio) is an excellent way to burn calories and improve
your physical and mental health. It appears to be particularly effective for losing belly fat,
the unhealthy fat that tends to build up around your organs and cause metabolic disease.

16. Lift Weights

One of the worst side effects of dieting is that it tends to cause muscle loss and
metabolic slowdown, often referred to as starvation mode.
The best way to prevent this is to do some sort of resistance exercise such as lifting
weights. Studies show that weight lifting can help keep your metabolism high and prevent
you from losing precious muscle mass. Of course, it's important not just to lose fat — you
also want to build muscle. Resistance exercise is critical for a toned body.

17. Eat More Fiber

Fiber is often recommended for weight loss. Although the evidence is mixed, some
studies show that fiber (especially viscous fiber) can increase satiety and help you control
your weight over the long term.

18. Eat More Vegetables and Fruits

Vegetables and fruits have several properties that make them effective for weight
loss. They contain few calories but a lot of fiber. Their high water content gives them low
energy density, making them very filling.
Studies show that people who eat vegetables and fruits tend to weigh less.
These foods are also very nutritious, so eating them is important for your health.

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19. Get Good Sleep

Sleep is highly underrated but may be just as important as eating healthy and
exercising.
Studies show that poor sleep is one of the strongest risk factors for obesity, as it’s
linked to an 89% increased risk of obesity in children and 55% in adults.

20. Beat Your Food Addiction

A recent study found that 19.9% of people in North America and Europe fulfil the
criteria for food addiction.
If you experience overpowering cravings and can't seem to curb your eating no matter
how hard you try, you may suffer from addiction.
In this case, seek professional help. Trying to lose weight without first combating food
addiction is next to impossible.

21. Eat More Protein

Protein is the single most important nutrient for losing weight. Eating a high-protein
diet has been shown to boost metabolism by 80–100 calories per day while shaving 441
calories per day off your diet.
One study also showed that eating 25% of your daily calories as protein reduced
obsessive thoughts about food by 60% while cutting desire for late-night snacking in half.
Simply adding protein to your diet is one of the easiest and most effective ways to lose
weight.

22. Supplement with Whey Protein

If you struggle to get enough protein in your diet, taking a supplement — such as
protein powder — can help.
One study showed that replacing some of your calories with whey protein can cause
weight loss of about 8 pounds over time while increasing muscle mass.

23. Don't Do Sugary Drinks, Including Soda and Fruit Juice

Sugar is bad, but sugar in liquid form is even worse. Studies show that calories from
liquid sugar may be the single most fattening aspect of the modern diet (54 Trusted
Source).

For example, one study showed that sugar-sweetened beverages are linked to a
60% increased risk of obesity in children for each daily serving.

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Keep in mind that this applies to fruit juice as well, which contains a similar amount of sugar
as a soft drink like Coke.
Eat whole fruit, but limit or avoid fruit juice altogether.

24. Eat Whole, Single-Ingredient Foods (Real Food)

If you want to be a leaner, healthier person, then one of the best things you can do
for yourself is to eat whole, single-ingredient foods.
These foods are naturally filling, and it's very difficult to gain weight if the majority of
your diet is based on them.

25. Don't Diet — Eat Healthy Instead

One of the biggest problems with diets is that they rarely work in the long term.
If anything, people who diet tend to gain more weight over time, and studies show that
dieting is a consistent predictor of future weight gain.
Instead of going on a diet, it is better to aim to become a healthier, happier and
fitter person. Focus on nourishing your body instead of depriving it. Weight loss should then
follow naturally.

26. Chew More Slowly

Your brain may take a while to register that you've had enough to eat. Some studies
show that chewing more slowly can help you eat fewer calories and increase the
production of hormones linked to weight loss.

Also consider chewing your food more thoroughly. Studies show that increased
chewing may reduce calorie intake at a meal.

These practices are a component of mindful eating, which aims to help you slow
down your food intake and pay attention to each bite.

The Bottom Line

It’s easy to find healthy foods to include on a weight loss diet. These are mainly
whole foods like fish, lean meat, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and legumes.
Several processed foods, such as probiotic yogurt, extra-virgin olive oil and oatmeal are
also excellent choices.
Along with moderation and regular exercise, eating these nutritious foods should
pave your way to success and a healthier life

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B. Stress Management

Stress has a powerful impact on various aspects of your life—not only can it affect
your mood, energy level, relationships, and work performance, stress can also cause and
exacerbate a wide variety of health conditions.

In this part of the unit, let us understand what stress is all about and identify variety of
activities that promotes effective stress management.

Defining Stress

Stress is defined as a physiological and mental response to things in our environment

that we perceive as threatening. Any factor that produces stress is called a stressor.

There are different classifications of stressor, and each can affect our behavior,
health, and life. Stressors can be acute (work pressure, meeting deadlines, searching
something but you misplaced it), and chronic (broken hearts, stressed families, failed
relationships or marriages, chronic illness and successive failure in life). Although it is clear
that chronic stress or extreme stress is unhealthy, some degree of stress is required to
maximize performance. For any type of performance activity, there is an optimal level of
stress that pushes us to perform and excel. This level is specific to each individual, and it is
motivating and energizing. Stress that is positive and that is associated with improved
performance is called eustress. Some level of stress is desirable and beneficial, but too
much stress or poorly managed stress can have a negative impact on health and lead to
poor performance and decisions. Negative stress is called distress. Eustress and distress are
types of stress.

Physiological Changes of the Stress Response

In reacting to stress, the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system are
responsible for the changes that occur during the stress response. The parasympathetic
branch of the autonomic nervous system is in control at rest (maintaining your resting heart
rate and blood pressure, growth, digestion and storing energy), and the sympathetic
branch is activated when you need to react (increase in heart rate, faster breathing,
perspiration). Cortisol is the main stress hormone produced by the endocrine system.

The Fight and Flight Response

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 The changes in the body that occur during stress response prepare our bodies to
fight (face) or flee (run away) the stressful situation. The responses are collectively referred
to as the fight-or-flee response. Once a person perceives a treat, the brain initiates a
sequence of physiological and physical changes that prepares the body for action.

Factors Affecting Stress Level

Although everyone feels stress, life events and situations do not affect everyone the
same way. Personality factor, past experiences, and gender are the three influences on
the way we perceive situations and cope with stress. Common stressors include academic
and financial responsibilities, managing interpersonal relationships, and everyday life
hassles.

Managing Stress

As you become aware of how you respond to the demands placed on you,
managing your stress become more practical. The ideal way to lessen the effects of stress
on your life is to reduce the sources of stress. Common relaxation techniques can help you
cope with stress.

Rest and Sleep is one of the most effective means of reducing stress and tension.
Although individual needs vary greatly, adults typically need seven (7) to nine (9) hours of
restful sleep per night and about fifteen (15) to thirty (30) minutes of rest during day. A
well-rested body is the best protection against stress and fatigue.

Exercise from light to moderate can reduce many types of stress and anxiety. You
can benefit from the calm feeling that comes after an exercise session. The recommended
types of exercise for optimal stress reduction are low-to-moderate intensity aerobic
exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, and cycling. Yoga, tai-chi, and Pilates are other
popular exercise that helps you relax and reduce stress.

Progressive Relaxation is a stress reduction technique that uses exercises to reduce

muscle tension which is the common symptom of stress. It is done by contracting muscle
groups and then relaxing them one at a time, beginning with your feet and then moving
up to your body to your hands and neck, until you achieve complete state of muscle
relaxation.

Breathing Exercises can also help you relax by inhalation and exhalation that
maintain a slow and regular breathing pattern. By combining stretching and breathing, it
provides greater relaxation and stress reduction.

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 Meditation has been practiced for ages to help people relax and achieve inner
peace. Sitting quietly, concentrating on a word or image, breathing slowly and regularly
can achieve a complete state of physical and mental relaxation.

Visualization is sometimes called imagery that uses mental pictures to reduce stress.
The idea is to create an appealing mental image that promotes relaxation and reduces
stress.

Developing spiritual wellness and social network can be very important in managing
stress. Avoiding unhealthy habits is the key to maintaining manageable stress level.

Stress can be difficult to pin down because it is a very individual thing so your
approach must be personalized, too. Typically, we interpret stress as a negative thing, but it
doesn’t have to be that way. Positive and negative stress is a constant influence on all of
our lives. Understanding how to identify and control your reactions to stress can lessen its
negative impact. The thing that we must do is to maximize the positive stress and to
minimize the negative stress. Thus, managing stress will results to improve physical health,
boost mood, enhance relationships and improve sleep.

C. Behavior Modification
The key to improving health lies on our ability to change our behaviors.
Changing behavior towards a healthier lifestyle is something we can all do. So, let us start
our meaningful journey towards behavior modification as a healthy lifestyle choice.

There are many different methods and philosophies of dealing with “inappropriate,”
“abnormal,” or “undesirable” behavior. Behavior modification is one of these. Behavior
Modification is the techniques used to try and decrease or increase a particular type of
behavior or reaction. It focuses on observable, describable, and measurable behaviors. It
also aims to manipulate the antecedents and consequences of behavior so that the
likelihood of appropriate behavior is increased, and inappropriate behavior is decreased.

Environmental Influence in Human Behavior

Different behaviors are deeply associated to your environment. Humans interact

with the environment constantly. It significantly influences the choices you make, personal
responsibilities, and in some instances, may lead you to act in ways that are counter to
your true preferences. Altering the environment can be an effective driver of behavior
change. Designing environment to promote healthy behaviors holds the promise to reverse
the increase of inappropriate lifestyle choices. When you learn how to optimize your
environment, you learn how to make behavioral change easier and more successful.

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 If you want to avert health crisis due to improper lifestyle choices, you need not only
focus on changing individual behaviors, but also on changing the environment that give
rise to those behaviors.

Behavior Modification Strategies

Knowing your stage of change will help you develop the best plan of action for
changing your behavior. Here are some behavior modification strategies to help you in
successfully changing your behavior.

Setting realistic short-term and long-term goals is essential for effective behavior
change. Your goals should be what we refer to as SMART goals. SMART is an acronym for
Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic, and Time-stamped. For example, if you
want to lose weight, your SMART goal might be:

Specific and Measurable – “I want to lose 10 pounds.”

Action-oriented – “I will accomplish this by doing aerobic exercise for at least 45

minutes, 5 days per week, doing resistance training at least 2 day per week, and
decreasing my caloric intake by 250 calories per day.”

Realistic and Time-stamped – “I want to reach this goal within 2 months.”

Self-monitoring involves analyzing your behavior to determine what influences your

unhealthy behaviors and patterns. Self-monitoring helps you see the things that trigger and
reinforce your unhealthy choices so you can make changes. Self-monitoring also can be
used to chart your progress as you work toward your goal.

Counter conditioning or substituting behavior is replacing an unhealthy behavior

choice with a healthier one. Something as simple as keeping fresh fruits and vegetables for
snacks instead of potato chips can help you make dietary changes.

Self-reinforcement is developing a system to reward yourself when you meet your

goals. Make sure your reward is meaningful and motivating for reaching your goals.

Decisional balance involves weighing the positives and negatives of the behavior
you want to change. This strategy is usually more helpful for people in the last three stages
of change, when they are expecting positive outcomes of new behaviors. In the first two
stages, you are more likely to see the negatives of the behavior, so decisional balance
might be counterproductive for changing your behavior.

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 Relapse prevention is used to keep you lapsing back to your unhealthy behavior.
This strategy involves identifying the ‘high-risk” situations that are likely to trigger your
unhealthy choice and then developing a specific plan for action to avoid or eliminate
those situations. It is important to remember that setbacks are normal and a lapse is not a
failure. If you experience a lapse to your old behavior, reevaluate your behaviors and
develop a new plan of action.

Before you can change a wellness-related behavior, you must recognize that the
behavior is unhealthy and that can make changes through assessing your habits.

Assessing your Habits needs you to identify alternative behaviors for your unhealthy
behavior. After determining which behaviors, you want to change, you can use
self-monitoring to study your habits to make the best plan of action. When you assess your
patterns, consider why you make the choices you make and why you want to change.
Also, you need to assess the things and people in your life that facilitate healthy decisions
and that present barriers for healthy decisions. Finally, when assessing your habits,
understanding the motivation for your choices will help you develop the best plan to make
your changes permanent.

After you assessed your current behavior patterns, you need to identify behavior
change.

Identifying Behavior Change focus on the barriers that may prevent you from
changing your behavior such as lack of time, social and environmental influences,
inadequate resources, and lack of motivation and commitment. For example, you want to
start an exercise program, but you have a full load of classes. You feel that lack of time is a
barrier. Or you want to stop smoking, but your friends smoke when you hang out together.
Your barrier would be the social pressure you feel from your friends. Your goal is to reduce
or eliminate your barriers, and this is the perfect opportunity to use relapse prevention
(lapsing back to your unhealthy behavior) through different strategies.

Going back to our example, getting up a half-hour earlier might help overcome the
barrier of perceived lack of time. But to address the social barrier to your quitting smoking
you will need some help from your friend. People who care about you typically be
supportive if they know about your goals, but they cannot help if you do not communicate
your desire to change. Telling your friends, you want to stop smoking and that you do not
want to be with them when they smoke will help them support your decision. Relapse
prevention can be very effective in changing behavior.

Now you can begin to develop a game plan for changing your behavior.

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 Changing Unhealthy Behaviors might lead you to become overwhelm due to such
result. You might see multiple behaviors you could change to improve your wellness. Trying
to make too many changes at once is usually very difficult and reduces your chances for
success. Recognize that you do not need to change all of your unhealthy behaviors at the
same time.

Before you can develop your plan of action, you need to have accurate
information about the behaviors. You will get a lot of information from different book, your
instructor, or you might also need to seek out additional resources such as a counselor, a
fitness specialist, and the like.

When deciding which changes you want to make first, consider the number of
behaviors you want to change and the effort it will take to change them. Some behaviors,
such as flossing your teeth regularly or performing monthly self-exams, are simple and do
not require as much effort. However, starting with a new exercise program, quitting
smoking, or changing your diet require more effort. Most people can successfully make
more than one simple change at a time. However, for more complex behaviors, breaking
them into smaller steps (shaping) is recommended to make the change seem less
intimidating. Your success with the simple behaviors and the small steps on the way to the
complex behavior will increase your confidence and motivate you to work toward total
wellness.

Finally, you need to set goals and develop your specific plan for changing the
behavior. Some gestures like putting a monthly reminder on your cellphone to do a
self-exam or hanging a plastic tag on your shower head might do the trick. Using counter
conditioning by trading a sedentary choice for an active one will increase lifestyle physical
activity. However, for many behaviors, you will need a more detailed plan of action. For
example, changing your eating habits might include meeting with a dietician, making
grocery lists, planning meals ahead of time, and having an accountability partner. Also,
these changes will likely be made in stages. Using shaping will make the change seem
more manageable.

The ability to achieve total good health has been dependent on an individual’s
willingness to implement change in his or her everyday life. Behavioral modification design
ultimately helps people find useful tools and tactics for making healthy lifestyle changes. It
also helps determine how able and ready a person is to make a change, and what triggers
are most likely to instigate that change.

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 To sustain healthy lifestyle changes, we must make the healthy choice the easy
choice. Empowering you to restore and maintain healthy lifestyles, recognizing exercise as
a vital sign is one step forward in this process.

Explain

To better understand the different topics presented, this part of the module will explain
further the connection between these factors to fitness, health and wellness.

Diet and Nutrition. What you eat has great effect on your overall wellness. Eating
well is arguably the single most important thing you can do for your body and long term
health: It contributes to whether you are at a healthy weight, your likelihood of developing;
your mental health, your confidence, and your ability to have a family. Diet is a key to
maintaining a healthy weight and keeping a healthy weight. Keeping a healthy weight
means that you are less likely to experience complications such as high blood pressure and
irregular blood sugar, and you are at lower risk for diabetes, heart diseases and other
weight- related illnesses. You are also likely to have a higher quality of life and greater self-
confidence when you are at a healthy weight.

Stress Management. It’s important for students to realize that they will experience
stress. Being stressed doesn’t mean that you’re not being a successful student – in fact,
even the most successful students’ experience stress. As long as you know that you can
cope with stress and even use it to your advantage sometimes, you can deal with it
successfully. As a student, you will need to find and implement positive stress management
strategies. One of the easiest coping strategies is exercises. Exercises affect your whole
body and are a good way to relax, reduce tension, and relieve stress. They also have the
benefit of being able to do them anywhere and anytime.

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 Behavior Modification. The ability to achieve total good health or wellness has been
dependent on an individual’s willingness to implement change in his or her everyday life.
Behavioral modification design ultimately helps people find useful tools and tactics for
making healthy lifestyle changes. It also helps determine how able and ready a person is to
make a change, and what triggers are most likely to instigate that change.

To sustain healthy lifestyle changes, we must make the healthy choice the easy
choice. Empowering you to restore and maintain healthy lifestyles, recognizing exercise as
a vital sign is one step forward in this process.

If you’re trying to become more physically active, realistic, well-planned goals keep
you focused and motivated.

Several key principles can be applied to help you set your wellness goal. These include:
● Pinpoint your ultimate goal.
● Find out how to achieve your ultimate goal.
● Set small, specific mini-goals.
● Monitor your progress regularly.
● Adapt to changing circumstances.
● Don’t be too hard on yourself

Now that you’re already discovered the different information about healthy lifestyle
choice, take note of the following:
● Your habits have a direct impact on your well-being because it has an overall effect
on your general health.
● Lack of physical activity, an unhealthy diet, stress, sleep deprivation, smoking and
inadequate oral hygiene will negatively affect your immune system and your
general health.
● Different lifestyle factors also influence one another. So, you have everything to gain
from making healthy lifestyle choices. Working toward a healthy lifestyle choice is an
investment in your health and wellbeing.

Elaborate

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 In order to boost more on your understanding about the lesson, let us now take a
look on how important planning is in making sample programs in working towards healthy
lifestyle choices.

Diet and Nutrition Plan

What you eat each day affects your health and how you feel now and in the future.
Good nutrition plays a major role in helping you lead a healthy lifestyle. When combined
with physical activity, your diet can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight and
reduce your risk of chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, and promote
overall health and wellbeing.

Creating and maintaining healthy eating habits doesn’t have to be hard. If you start
by incorporating small changes into your daily habits, you can make a big impact on your
eating pattern and create lasting, healthy eating habits. Try including at least six of the
following eight goals into your diet by adding one new goal each week.

1. Make half your plate fruits and vegetables

Choose red, orange, and dark-green vegetables along with other vegetables for
your meals. Add fruit to meals as part of main or side dishes or as dessert. The more colorful
you make your plate; the more likely you are to get the vitamins, minerals, and fiber your
body needs to be healthy.

2. Make half the grains you eat whole grains

Switch from a refined-grain food to a whole-grain food. For example, choose

whole-wheat bread instead of white bread. Read the ingredients list and choose products
that list whole-grain ingredients first. Look for things like: “whole wheat,” “brown rice,”
“bulgur,” “buckwheat,” “oatmeal,” “rolled oats,” quinoa,” or “wild rice.”

3. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk

Both have the same amount of calcium and other essential nutrients as whole milk,
but fewer calories and less saturated fat.

4. Choose a variety of lean protein foods

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 Protein foods group includes not only meat, poultry, and seafood, but also dry
beans or peas, eggs, nuts, and seeds. Select leaner cuts of ground beef (where the label
says 90% lean or higher), turkey breast, or chicken breast.

5. Compare sodium in foods

Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose lower sodium versions of foods like soup,
bread, and frozen meals. Select canned foods labeled “low sodium,” “reduced sodium,”
or “no salt added.”

6. Drink water instead of sugary drinks

Drink water to cut back on unnecessary calories from sugary drinks. Soda, energy
drinks, and sports drinks are a major source of added sugar and calories in American diets.
To add flavor to your water, add a slice of lemon, lime, apple or fresh herbs like mint or
basil.

7. Eat some seafood

Seafood has protein, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids (heart-healthy fat). Adults
should try to eat at least eight ounces a week of a variety of seafood. Children can eat
smaller amounts of seafood. Seafood includes fish such as salmon, tuna, and trout and
shellfish such as crab, mussels, and oysters.

8. Cut back on solid fats

Eat fewer foods that contain solid fats. The major sources are cakes, cookies, and
other desserts (often made with butter, margarine, or shortening); pizza; processed and
fatty meats (e.g., sausages, hot dogs, bacon, ribs); and ice cream.

Stress Management Plan

Stress is a natural part of life. It is simply our body’s way of responding to any type of
demand and it is required for growth to occur. When you experience healthy stress, you
are motivated to complete projects and get things done. On the other hand, when you
experience unhealthy stress, you having trouble sleeping and you are easily agitated.
Unhealthy stress is associated with a myriad of mental and physical health problems.
Therefore, it is helpful to have a stress management plan in order to bring your life into
balance.

Your stress management plan can include the following:

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1. Identify and Then Address the Problem.
● First decide if a problem is a real tiger or just feels like one.  If it can’t hurt you
chances are that it can be better handled with clear thinking. This means
turning off those thoughts that make you interpret the situation as a disaster.
o When I have too many problems, I will work on just one at a time. For
example, I am going to pick one huge problem and break it into
smaller pieces. I will take big assignments and learn to make lists or
timelines

2. Avoid stress when possible.

● Sometimes we know exactly when we are headed for trouble. Avoiding
trouble from a distance is easier than dealing with it up close. You know the
people who might be a bad influence on you, the places where you’re likely
to get in trouble, and the things that upset you. Choose not to be around
those people, places, and things that mess you up.
o I know that everyone has stress, but there are things that I could stay
away from that really stress me out. I will avoid certain people, like who
mess with your head, intentionally and repeatedly do and say things
that they know upset you, expect you to prioritize them but refuse to
prioritize you, and can’t and won’t apologize sincerely.

3. Let some things go, so I can focus on others

● It’s important to try to fix problems, but sometimes there is nothing you can do
to change a problem. For example, you can’t change the weather, so don’t
waste your energy worrying about it. You can’t change the fact that
teachers give tests, so just study instead of complaining about how unfair
they are. You can’t change the fact that your parents need to know where
you go, so prove that you’re responsible and deserve more freedoms. People
who waste their energy worrying about things they can’t change don’t have
enough energy left over to fix the things they can.  Also learn when not to
take things personally. You feel badly for no reason when you take something
personally that really has little to do with you.
o I realize that I waste some of my energy worrying about things I can’t
fix. Here are some things that I will try to let go, so I can focus on the
problems I can change like avoiding negative influences and letting
go of the thoughts that don’t uplift me.

4. The Power of Exercise.

● Exercise is the most important part of a plan to manage stress. When you are
stressed, your body is saying, “Run!” So do it. Exercise every day to control
stress and build a strong, healthy body. You may think you don’t have time to

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 exercise when you are most stressed, but that is exactly when you need it the
most. If you are stressed about an assignment, but too nervous to sit down
and study—exercise! You will be able to think better after you have used up
those stress hormones. Some people exercise before school because they
can focus and learn better.
o I will do something that makes my body work hard for at least 20
minutes every other day – more is better. I know that strong bodies
help people better deal with stress, and this will keep me in shape. The
kinds of things I like to do include brisk walking, swimming, and cycling.

5. Active Relaxation.
● You can flip the switch from being stressed to relax if you know how to fool
your body. Because your body can only use the relaxed or emergency
nervous system at any one time, you can turn on the relaxed system. You do
this by doing the opposite of what your body does when it is stressed.
o I will try to teach my body to relax by using exercise that controls the
body and releases tension like Tai Chi or boxing, deep breathing, yoga
and meditation.

6. Eat well.
● Everyone knows good nutrition makes you healthier. Only some people
realize that it also keeps you alert through the day and your mood steady.
People who eat mostly junk food have highs and lows in their energy level,
which harms their ability to reduce stress. Instead of eating greasy or sugary
foods, eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains—they keep you focused
for a longer time. 
o I know that having a healthy body helps people deal with stress better.
I have already agreed to exercise more. I understand that good
nutrition also makes a difference in my health and how well I deal with
stress. The changes I am ready to make include drinking fewer sodas
and sugary drinks, drinking more water, eating less greasy meals or
snacks, and eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods

7. Sleep well.
● Most kids don’t get the sleep they need to grow and think clearly. Tired
people can’t learn as well and can be impatient and irritable.
o I know that people who get a good night’s sleep do a better job of
dealing with stress and do better in school. For me to get the sleep I
need, I will try to go to bed at 10:00.
o I will consider the following plan to help me get the best night’s rest like
exercise 5-6 hours before bed, finish homework after exercise because

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 I will be my calmest, clearest and most focused, take some time to
relax or hang out after homework and begin to dim the lights 30
minutes before bed.

8. Release emotional tension.

● Sometimes feelings become so overwhelming that we cram them all away in
an imaginary box and think we’ll deal with them later. But later, there’s so
much stuff in the box that there is too much to deal with. This can make your
head feel as if it is spinning. Sometimes you get angry or frustrated without
even knowing why. You just know there is too much stuff going on in your
head. It's good to pick just one problem to work on and forget the rest for the
moment. When we decide to deal with only one problem at a time, it’s much
less scary to open the box.
o I will try to let my worries go, rather than letting them build up inside by
talking to a friend I have chosen wisely because I know he or she will
give good advice.
o I will talk to my Mother, Father, Teacher
o I will pray to gain strength.
o I will meditate.
o I will write out my thoughts in a diary, journal, or blog.
o I will let myself laugh more.
o I will let myself cry more.
o I will make lists to get organized.

Behavior Modification Plan

Now is the time to consider in making a change. Select one health behavior that you
want to change and use the ideas below to indicate how you will accomplish the change.

1. Select a behavior to change (What behavior do I want to change?)

o My behavior change will be sleeping pattern.

2. Use self-monitoring to assess your behavioral patterns. (How will I know that I’m
making progress?)
o I will use journal logs to monitor my behavior pattern to chart my progress as I
work toward my goal.

3. State at least one barrier you will face. (What make it hard to change?)
o There is too much work to finish that will lead me working late at night.

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 4. State at least one thing that will support your change. (What are the things to
consider?)
o A well-rested body is the best protection against stress and fatigue so rest
and sleep are important.

5. Name the people you will be able to count on for support and accountability (What
can other people do to help me change my behavior?)
o My parents, siblings, and friends will help me to achieve my goals. They will
be the one to support me by reminding me about changing of my behavior
for the betterment of my health and life.

6. Identify strategies to use to help change the behavior. (What steps do I need to take
to make these changes happens?) For each strategy you list, write a specific plan for
how you will use it. (What is something I can do to start changing my behavior?)
o Practice relaxation- by practicing certain exercises like deep breathing,
journaling, listening to calming sounds and progressive muscle relaxation can
use to physically relax my body and clear my mind before bed.

7. Write out your long-term goal and at least two short-term SMART goals that will help
you get there. (What can I do to start preparing to change?)

Long-term Goal:
● Getting a full eight hours every night or sleeping and waking up earlier. 

Short-term Goal:
● Planning to go to bed 10 to 15 minutes earlier each week
● Reducing evening electronic use like television and cellphone

8. List different reinforcements. (How will you reward yourself when you achieve your
short- and long-term goal?)
o I will buy a pair of shoes.

Please go over on the attached example of a plan in Module 3_Example Plan for
your reference on your memory stick accompanying to this module. The same will be
uploaded in the google classroom by your FIT course facilitator.

Now you are ready to apply what you have learned through creating a plan in
dealing with healthy lifestyle choice.

Activity 2: Healthy Lifestyle Choice Planning

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 Create a plan on how to improve your healthy lifestyle choice. Just reflect on the ideas
you think would work best for you. Please open Module 3_Worksheet No. 2 on your memory
stick accompanying to this module. The same will be uploaded in the google classroom by
your FIT course facilitator.

(For offline: submit this as a file in the memory stick which will be returned after this
course; for online students, get instructions from your FIT facilitator on how to turn in this
output). Accomplishing this task is scored as 60 points.

Evaluate

This final phase of the module provides you the opportunity to review and reflect on
your learning and new understandings and skills on the topic about working towards
healthy lifestyle choice.

Activity 3: Summative Assessment

Multiple Choice:
______1. Which of the following is NOT a physical symptom of stress?
a. muscle tension c. anxiety
b. headaches d. back pain

______2. Positive stress that is associated with optimal performance is called _________.
a. distress b. visualization c. eustress d. productive stress

______3. What is the primary role of carbohydrates in the diet?

a. building tissue c. forming hormones
b. providing energy d. forming enzymes

______4. Water is important for __________.

a. providing energy c. forming blood
b. building bones d. building protein

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______5. What is the special mineral that is important for physically active individual for hydration?
a. vitamins b. sodium c. iron d. water

______6. The most important source of energy for the body is ___________.
a. minerals b. protein c. carbohydrates d. fats

______7. Which of the following is NOT a healthy way to cope with stress
a. exercise b. alcohol c. meditation d. visualization

______8. What is the acronym SMART mean?

a. Specific, Manageable, Accountability, Revisable, Time Sensitive
b. Sensitive, Multiple, Action-Oriented, Reasonable, Time-stamped
c. Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, Time-stamped
d. Short-term, Measurable, Accountability, Realistic, Tough

______9. Which of these might cause stress?

a. planning a wedding c. traveling for vacation
b. driving during rush hour d. all of the choices

_____10. Which of the following is NOT an example of eustress?

a. Joy experienced on a roller-coaster ride
b. Injury that removes from sports participation
c. Excitement while getting wedded
d. Excitement of winning a race

Alternate Response:
______1. Most people do not need help to make a health behavior change.
______2. Exercise is an effective coping strategy for stress.
______3. Stress can and does facilitate higher performance and productivity.
______4. Consuming only too little of any of the essential nutrients will eventually lead to health
problems.
______5. A vegetarian has still have a chance for protein intake.

Essay: In not more than 100 words, discuss the following questions.

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 1. What is the relationship of nutrition and wellness?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Why is stress management important to health?

_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Note: For offline students, Use Module 3 Worksheet No. 3 for your answers.

References:

Bekken, E. (2016).What Impact Does the Environment Have on Us? Retrieved from
https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/healing-environ
ment/what-impact-does-environment-have-us

Ginsburg K. & Jablow M. (2011). Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Giving Kids Roots
and Wings. 2nd ed. Elk Grove Village, IL: American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved
from
https://www.amazon.com/Building-Resilience-Children-Teens-Giving/dp/1581105517

Hanly, L. (2020). Healthy Eating. Retrieved from

http://www.haelthyeating.sfgate.com/eating-affect-overall-wellness-11113.html

Perm, J. (2014). Healthy behavior change in practical settings. The Permanente Journal,
18(4), 89–92. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4206177/

Powers, S. , Dodd, S. & Jackson, E. (2014). Total fitness and wellness. Pearson Education,
Inc.

Resnik, D. & Portier, C. (2008). Environment and Health. In M Crowley (Ed.), From Birth to
Death and Bench to Clinic: The Hastings Center Bioethics Briefing Book for
Journalists, Policymakers, and Campaigns (pp. 59–62). Garrison, NY: The Hastings
Center. Retrieved from
https://www.ehinz.ac.nz/indicators/overview/what-is-environmental-health/

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Module 4: Making Behavioural Change for a Lifetime Healthy Lifestyle Choice

This module aims to provide you more tips in maintaining healthy practices with the
hope that these will be integrated into your lifestyle as you go through your journey towards
becoming a professional and thereafter becomes a lifelong habit. The self-change
approach, and the trans-theoretical model of behavior change shall be introduced as
your guide as you start shifting unhealthy behaviors into healthy behaviors.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the module, you should be able to:

● assess yourself on the implementation of your physical activity/exercise plan,

stress management plan, and diet and nutrition plan;
● illustrate how a behavior change approach will best guide you as you start your
journey towards adapting a healthy lifestyle; and
● create a wellness creed or commitment plan towards achieving a healthy
lifestyle.

Engage
Healthy lifestyle

Lifestyle is the most modifiable factor that influences our health. A healthy lifestyle is
described as a recurring pattern of health-promoting and disease-preventing behaviors
undertaken to achieve wellness.

As a college student you are developing a personal healthy lifestyle, which with
slight modifications, you will likely follow for the rest of your life. Every action you choose sets
into motion a behavior that may become a health habit. A health habit is a health-related
behavior that is firmly established and often performed automatically, with thought.
Although the habit may have developed because it was reinforced by specific positive

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outcome, eventually it becomes independent of the reinforcement process and is
maintained by the environmental factor with which it is customarily associated. As such,
the habit can be highly resistant to change. The good news is that there are
comprehensive self-change strategies available for modifying deeply rooted harmful
behaviors.

Before we dive into studying these strategies, it is best that you revisit your own
implementation of the exercise plan, stress management plan and diet plan which you
have drafted in modules 2 and 3.

Explore
During the past weeks, you were busy implementing the exercise program that you
have developed in module 2 hand in hand with the implementation of your plan in stress
management, and diet plan in module 3. Take time to assess your implementation by
accomplishing activity 1 of this module. (for offline students, please use Module 4
Worksheet No. 1; for online students, get the instruction from your FIT course instructor)

Activity 1: My Exercise, Stress, Diet and Nutrition Plan-Feedback.

(note: For offline students, use Module 4 Worksheet No. 1 for your answers and save the
same to the memory stick which will be sent back at the end of the course. For online
students, you course facilitator will give you instructions)

C. Recall the progress of your plan that you have developed in module 2 and 3. Using the
table below, describe briefly at least 2 major developments or changes that you have
observed in the implementation of your exercise plan, stress management plan, and
diet and nutrition plan.

Plan Major development/Changes

Exercise Plan 1.

2.

Stress Management 1.
Plan
2.

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 Diet and Nutrition 1.
Plan 2.

D. Describe how these changes contributed to your overall improvement.

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

If you are a beginner and you have just engaged yourself in regular exercise for two
weeks, you might have experienced some body pains. However, I am confident that by
now you have already recovered, and your body is now adapting to that healthy
practice. Sooner you will see the benefit for as long as you continue with what you have
started. This is also true to your diet plan and stress management plan. Your diet plan will
make you more conscious of selecting healthy foods because you know that indeed it is
for your health. The stress management plan is timely because of the situation we are all in.
You should deliberately implement this. Everyone experiences stress but the only difference
why some people are always well, and others are not is that they know how to manage it.

The next section will help you understand some self-change strategies
available for modifying deeply rooted harmful behaviors.

Explain
The word ‘change’ often goes with a negative implication however we sometimes
fail to look at the bigger picture and realize that practically we need to pursue it because
we want to become better than we are. Most of us strive to be self-changers especially in
when it comes to our health behaviors.

Please go through the following discussions to learn more.

The Self-change Approach

Sell-change means that we can control our behavior that when it is necessary to
change, we can do it. We want to be able to control our behavior so that we can change

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in a desired way. For example, increasing physical activity if we are sedentary and
managing stress more effectively if we are feeling overwhelmed and shifting to a healthy
diet if we don’t have one.

Self-change means recognizing the changes you want and being able to actualize
your own values. When it comes to an unhealthy lifestyle behavior, it can be a difficult task
to change, however, because the thoughts that have fed our behavior for so long are
deeply ingrained in our mind, and a habit of thought is hard to break. Many times, our
good intentions result in an unsuccessful attempt at behavior change. These failed
attempts may occur because we pursue things the wrong way. Instead, we must learn to
adequately prepare or ready ourselves for our eventual change.

Making important lifestyle changes such as becoming physically active, quitting

smoking, switching from junk food to nutritious food, or managing stress requires that we go
through a series of stages to adequately prepare ourselves for that change. Behavioral
research suggests that you will more likely succeed if you think of change as a journey. It
helps to have a map and to know where you are heading, the best ways to get there, and
the ways to travel without getting lost or running into detours. There exists such a map, and
it is discussed in the next section (trans-theoretical model). This map can keep you from
getting lost and repeating errors that caused your previous good intentions to result in
failures. The approach is simple to understand and makes a lot of sense when it comes to
modifying problem behaviors and adding new, healthier behaviors.

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The Trans-theoretical Model of Behavior Change

The Trans-theoretical Model describes change as progressing through six stages. This
is the process that most of us go through along our way to eliminating problem behavior or
adopting new healthy habits:
1. Pre-contemplation
2. contemplation
3. preparation
4. action,
5. maintenance, and
6. termination
Below is a brief description of the six stages.
A. Stage 1: Pre-contemplation is the stage during which individuals are not intending to
make a long-term lifestyle change in the foreseeable future. This is the “I won’t stage”
stage.
B. Stage 2: Contemplation is the stage when the individual starts to think seriously about
intending to make a long-term change in the near future. This is the “I might stage”
stage.
C. Stage 3: Preparation is the stage is when the individual intends to take action in the
immediate future. This is the “I will” stage.
D. Stage 4: Action Stage is the stage when the desired level of the new behavior has
been reached. And is consistently adhered to although it has been done for perhaps
6 months. This is the “I am” stage.
E. Stage 5: Maintenance stage. This is the stage when the behavioral practice is
becoming habit. This is the “I still am” stage.
F. Stage 6: Termination Stage. This is the stage when the individual does not need to
make effort of maintaining the change because the behavior change is completely
integrated into his lifestyle. This stage is usually after a positive behavior have been
maintained for more than 5 years. But do not worry, if you are really up to your health

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 and wellness, taking steps towards changing unhealthy behaviors to healthy ones as
early as now is the right move. It is one of the best things that you can do to yourself.

Note: View the Trans-theoretical Model of Behavior Change PowerPoint Presentation on

your memory stick to listen to a more comprehensive explanation.

2Ws and H of Change!

The next questions that we need to answer are when and why we change? And How we
change?

Note: View “2Ws and H of Change PowerPoint Presentation” on your memory stick to listen.
This provides some answers to these questions. This is a very important material. Read and
listen carefully.

Summary:

❖ The self-change approach assumes that we can manage and control our own lives.
We want to be able to control our behavior so that we can change in a desired
way, increasing physical activity if we are sedentary and managing stress more

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 effectively if we are feeling over whelmed. Self-change means recognizing the
changes you want and being able to actualize your own values.

❖ The transtheoretical model of health behavior change is based on a time or

temporal dimension, the stages of change, to integrate processes and principles of
change using well-established psychological theories of behavioral change
interventions. Behavioral research suggests that you will more likely succeed if you
think of change as a journey. It helps to have a map and to know where you are
heading, the best ways to get there, and the ways to travel without getting lost or
running into detours. The transtheoretical model is such a map.

❖ The stages of change are a variable process that is organized on a continuum

according to the decision-making process that is required to effect change. This
process begins with a firm conviction of maintaining the status quo by never
changing (precontemplation) and proceeds through the conditions of intending to
change someday (contemplation), soon (preparation), now (action), and forever
(maintenance). The basic premise is that behavior change is a process and not an
event, and that individuals are found at varying levels of motivation, or readiness to
change.

❖ Understanding and predicting when change occurs related to a specific behavior

can largely be explained by decisional balance and self-efficacy. Decisional
balance reflects your relative weighing of the pros and cons of changing. The pros
represent the positive aspects of changing, or the benefits of change. In contrast,
the cons are the negative aspects of changing or the cost of change. Self-efficacy
assesses your belief that you can perform the behavior to the desired outcome; it is
your perceived confidence that you can change and maintain your behavior
across a variety of difficult situations.

❖ The processes of change represent the mechanisms through which different

techniques influence a change. The processes are divided into two categories:
cognitive/emotional (involving thinking, attitudes, and feelings) and behavioral
(involving actions). Cognitive/emotional processes include (1) increasing
knowledge, (2) experiencing negative emotions, (3) caring about others, (4)
comprehending personal benefits, and (5) committing yourself: behavioral

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 processes include (a) rewarding yourself. (b) eliciting social support. (c) substituting
alternatives, and (5) reminding yourself.

Activity 2. MAKING A BEHAVIORAL CHANGE PLAN

When you commit in writing what you want to accomplish, you increase the
likelihood that you will act accordingly within a certain period of time. The table below will
help you start making this plan. Fill-in the table appropriately. Recall the concepts
discussed previously on the PowerPoint presentations. (For offline students, use Module 4
Worksheet No. 2. For online students, get instructions from your FIT course instructors)

Start date: _____________________________Finish date: ____________________________________

Goal: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Motivation(benefits):
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Identify your current stage of change:

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Match your current stage of change and other stages you anticipate progressing through with the
appropriate processes of change. (refer to figure 1 on the PowerPoint presentation2 of this module)

_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

_____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

What specific techniques wily o use for each of the processes identified above?

Processes Specific Techniques

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 Stage of change on the finish date:

Mini goals

________________________________________ ________________________ ___________________________

________________________________________ ________________________ ___________________________

________________________________________ ________________________ ___________________________

I __________________________ agree to work toward a healthier lifestyle and in doing so shall comply
with the terms and dates of this contract.

Signature: ___________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Witness: _____________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Criteria:

✔ Completeness (all blanks are filled out) 20pts

✔ Consistency of Content (appropriateness and parallelism) 20pts

Evaluate

Activity 2. DEVELOP YOUR COMMITMENT PLAN/WELLNESS CREED TOWARDS ACHIEVING A

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

The following guide questions will help you:

Creating a wellness creed towards achieving a healthy lifestyle

What is a creed?

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 ⮚ A motivational statement

⮚ A statement of purpose

⮚ A commitment to personal development

⮚ A path to a better tomorrow

⮚ A standard for success

⮚ A common language that expresses a vision

Steps in creating a wellness creed

Step 1: Identify who you are

⮚ I am…(choose positive words; use adjectives)

Example: I am a diligent student who will be a great psychologist
Step 2: What do I believe?

⮚ Write about your life principles, skills, and talents that may affect your lifestyle.
Example: I believe that what we need to sow today what we want to reap
tomorrow.
Step 3: Statement of Goal/s or desired results

⮚ Write about your long- term and short- term fitness goals.
Example: I plan to achieve and maintain a healthy and fit body throughout my
lifetime.
Step 4: Plan of action

⮚ Write steps to realize your goals.

Example: I will exercise regularly. I will strictly adhere to my diet plan. I will keep doing
my fitness plan with confidence and hard work.
Step 5: Put together the sentences from each step to create your own wellness creed.

Rubric

Attractiveness 1 3 5 7
of Recreated
Creed  Student Student Student makes Student makes use

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 makes limited makes some good use of excellent use of colour,
use of colour, use of colour, colour, text and text and design.
text and text and design.
design. design.

Originality of 1 3 5 7
Personal
Creed  Student's Student's Student's Student's personal creed
personal personal personal creed exhibits a unique level of
creed creed exhibits originality and reflection
exhibits little exhibits some considerable of personal faith.
evidence of evidence of evidence of
original original original thought.
thought. thought.

Total 2 6 10 14

References:

Hoeger, W. & Hoeger, S. (2015). Lifetime Physical Fitness and Wellness. Cengage Learning:
USA

Koetecki, J. (2014). Physical Actvity and Health: An Interactive Approach. Jones & Bartlett
Learning: Burlington MA

Powers, S., Dodd, S. & Kackson, E. (2014). Total Fitness & Wellness. Pearson: Boston

ACSM’s Resources for the Personal Trainer. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

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