Health Psychology Reflection
April 4th, 2010
Flexibility Self Change Project Results
March 31st, 2010
Before the program my daily exercise patterns contained little to no regular flexibility training. During the program I sustained four weeks of regular flexibility exercise excluding two missed days (see Figure 1 for a graph of the sessions). At the outset of the program I anticipated that more specialized settings for flexibility training such as the gym and yoga class would be the most influential factors. Over four weeks I only used the gym on one occasion and attended yoga class twice. In contrast, shorter workplace stretches and home workouts were far more numerous at 13 and 15 occasions respectively (see Table 1 for a complete record of the sessions).
The workouts were identified and recorded by location including: office, home, gym, or yoga. In practice those distinctions proved excessive as workouts were really were of three varieties: (a) 10 minutes of stretching that could be done anywhere without breaking a sweat (b) 30 minutes of more intentional stretching related exercise that included changing into looser fitting clothing and the use of a yoga mat or (c) 60 minutes of yoga class with basic yoga equipment and an instructor (see Table 1).
The first week total minutes aligned with the time investment I anticipated at three-four hours per week entering into the self-change project. Part of the time spent during the first week was wasted, as I had to keep referring to diagrams and lists of stretches that I hadn’t yet memorized. After the gym session on Tuesday of week one, I went for a short 25km ride on the bike and reported “feeling really good, with legs surprisingly loose and strong. I can’t help but wonder if it isn’t connected to the past two days of stretching”. I went into the first yoga class inspired by the first few days of success but was surprised by pain in my left wrist. I noted in the log “I might need to come up with an additional coping strategy if the pain persists next week.” I missed a Saturday session due to family commitments.
The second week saw a slight decrease in total duration but was marked by daily stretch exercise. This week involved four evenly distributed home stretch sessions, three office sessions, and the weekly yoga class. In the workout journal, following a 20-minute brief home session I commented, “This week has felt balanced. I have enjoyed each session and none of them has felt like a burden. I intentionally cut today’s home session short to remind myself that I am in control of the time. That control is important to me”. Suggestions from my yoga instructor and from a reply posted to my blog helped me manage my wrist pain more effectively.
The third week was the most difficult. I was traveling so no stretch program occurred on Monday. I did regain a few minutes of free time the following morning before breakfast. In the training log Tuesday March 2nd I recorded, “Phew, yesterday I didn’t have a moment of free time and was worried today would be the same. Fortunately breakfast isn’t until 8:30am. I should be able to manage 15-20 minutes for stretching each morning if I use my study breaks for the course well”.
Week four was characterized by a backlog of work because I had been away for four days the previous week. One of the coping strategies I had set-up was “do something, no matter how small, and it will be better than nothing”. I retreated to this strategy for four days in a row doing portions of the office stretch series as breaks. The qualitative reflection during this period was brief with sometimes only a word or two, “relief” appeared in the training log during that period as the stretching had become one of just a few study/work break options.
Bringing the Experience of the Restaurant Home
March 16th, 2010
“We see the world as “we” are, not as “it” is; because it is the “I” behind the “eye” that does the seeing.
Attributed to French Author Anais Nin
This quote can apply to “seeing” but can also apply to eating and tasting as well. This re-scripting exercise may help you enjoy the food you are eating at home just as much as the food you enjoy out at a restaurant.
You will need a nice quiet place where you will be able to concentrate and feel comfortable. It may also be helpful to do this exercise shortly before you have a meal so that your natural desire for food is high. You will need a pen or pencil and a small piece of paper or notebook. You will also need to have been out to a recent delicious meal at a restaurant. If you can’t think of a recent positive experience, take this as an excuse to treat yourself to a nice dinner out before continuing.
Part 1
A night out for Japanese
Start the exercise by taking a few deep breathes to calm your body. Let your mind settle down. Think back to the last time you went out to a favorite restaurant. Remember the atmosphere. Think back to whom you were with or if you were by yourself, the sights you saw. Remember the atmosphere of the restaurant and how you felt as you went in to eat.
Recall how the plate looked when it arrived and how you felt as you tasted the first bite. Without being critical of the words, write down the words that come to mind on a small piece of paper. Keep thinking back on this positive experience of what a meal can be until you have 5-10 words written on the paper. After you have completed your list, spend a few minutes looking over the words. Are there any words there that surprised you? Which of the words hold the highest impact for you?
Part 2
Now, change the setting of this reflection to your home. You are sitting down to the table in front of your favorite meal at home. Everything is presented just like you’d want it. Imagine how it smells. What are you going to eat first? Imagine this meal at home providing the same enjoyment as the meal in the restaurant. Describe this meal with some of the satisfying words you used to describe the meal you enjoyed earlier. Now envision this meal as complete and yourself as satisfied. How do you feel?
Reflection:
“We see the world as “we” are, not as “it” is
Through this exercise you have begun to change. Do you think you can use this experience and the positive thoughts associated with the “at home” imagery when you next approach a meal at home? Tonight when you are at home eating look for where those positive experiences play a role.
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