Examples of Course Projects
Cutting Back on Fast Food
Cutting Back on Soda Consumption
Improving Sleep
Stop smoking
Quiet Time Exploration
Putting Exercise into Your Life Five-A-Day
Dietary Fiber Consumption
Increase Your Physical Fitness
Weight Management
Increase Your Flexibility
Dietary Fat Reduction
Food Consumption Patterns
Cutting Back on Fast Food
Decrease the amount of fast food you consume by cutting back. Don't try to go “cold turkey.”
Step 1. During week 1 keep a daily log of the fast food you consume. For each item write down the date, time, cost, how hungry you were, your psychological state at the time (eg: relaxed, happy, stressed, grumpy), and who you were with.
Step 2: Identify and make a list of alternatives to fast food that would work for you, for example, carrying with you something from home or choosing a different restaurant. Purchase any needed alternatives and think about how you will be sure you will consume them.
Step 3. During week 2, choose ONE day on which you WILL NOT consume any fast food by substituting foods from your alternatives-to-fast-food list. Identify any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's activity and develop strategies for overcoming those obstacles.
Step 4. During week 3 choose TWO days on which you WILL NOT consume any fast food by substituting foods from your alternatives-to-fast-food list. Identify any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's activity and develop strategies for overcoming those obstacles.
Cutting Back on Soda Consumption
Decrease the number of sodas you consume a week to one. Cut back gradually; don't try to go “cold turkey.”
Step 1. During week 1 keep a daily log of the sodas you consume. For each soda write down the date, time, cost, how much you wanted it, your psychological state at the time of consumption (eg: relaxed, happy, stressed, grumpy), and who you were with.
Step 2: Identify and make a list of alternatives to sodas that would work for you, for example, water, tea, 100 percent juice. Obtain a fillable water bottle to carry with you and purchase any needed alternatives. Think about and list needed changes in your routine so you can substitute your alternatives for when you would otherwise consume soda.
Step 3. During week 2, choose ONE day on which you WILL NOT consume any soda by substituting beverages from your alternatives-to-soda list. Identify any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out that day's activity and develop strategies for overcoming those obstacles.
Step 4. During week 3 choose THREE days on which you WILL NOT consume any sodas by substituting beverages from your alternatives-to-soda list. Identify any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's activity and develop strategies for overcoming those obstacles.
Improving Sleep
Step 1. During week 1 keep a Daily Sleep Diary and complete the checklist for better sleep
Step 2. Identify and list sleep behaviors that you think you should change, for example, “Do not interact with bright screens one hour before sleep time and read or meditate instead.”
Step 3. During week 2 choose ONE sleep behavior you wish to change and experiment with implementing it. Keep a sleep diary for the week and compare the results with your sleep diary from week 1. Identify any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's activity and develop strategies for overcoming those obstacles.
Step 4. During week 3 choose ANOTHER sleep behavior you wish to change and experiment with implementing it. Add it to the sleep behavior you worked with in Step 3. If you have given up on the behavior from Step 3, choose two behaviors for week 3. Keep a sleep diary for the week and compare the results with your sleep diary from week 1. Identify any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's activity and develop strategies for overcoming those obstacles.
Stop Smoking
Quitting smoking is a process, not an event. Whereas a few ex-smokers quit by waking up one morning and tossing out their cigarettes, most ex-smokers think about quitting for a while before they try to stop. Also, whereas "cold turkey" is one way to quit, smoking addiction is so powerful that success at quitting is more likely when following a plan.
The goal of this project is to learn about the quitting process and to develop a personal plan for quitting. You may carry out the quit-plan as part of your project, but that is not required to receive credit.
Begin your project by checking out the course stop-smoking web page. Note the links to online stop-smoking programs. In your course declaration, answer these questions:
1. What is your age?
2. How long have you been smoking?
3. How many cigarettes do you currently smoke each day?
4. What pleasures do you get from smoking?
5. What are the reasons you are choosing this project?
6. Have you ever tried to stop smoking? If so, what happened?
7. Do you have access to a doctor or other health care provider?
8. What is your opinion of medications that help people to stop smoking?
Quiet Time Exploration
For three weeks, experiment with different methods of relaxation to find one(s) that suits you and that you can practice indefinitely to enhance your health and well-being.
During Week 1 Experiment with three of the following relaxation techniques (or others of your choosing).
• mantra meditation
• breathing meditation
• walking
• tai chi
• image visualization
• progressive muscle relaxation
• hatha yoga
During Week 2
Choose one technique and practice it for at least 3 days for 10 minutes each time
During Week 3
Practice your chosen technique for at least 6 days for 20 minutes each day
For each day of the project record:
• the name the relaxation activity you're doing
• the time you spent doing the activity
• what you experienced doing the activity
• any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's activity
• strategies for overcoming any obstacles
Putting Exercise into Your Life
1.Use your Time Audit to identify four "windows" during the week during which you can exercise.
2. Choose exercise that interests you and schedule it for your four "exercise windows" during a three week period.
3. Keep a diary of your exercise sessions. For each day of the project record:
• the activity
• the time you spent doing the activity
• what you experienced doing the activity
• any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's activity
• strategies for overcoming any obstacles
4. Make a graph in which you record the number of sessions of exercise and their length over the three week action period.
Five-A-Day
For three weeks, try to increase by one (at most two) the number of servings a day of fruits and/orvegetables that you consume.
• Use your Food Diary to determine the number of servings of fruits and vegetables you typically consume (on average) each day.
• Identify three fruits and three vegetables that you like to eat.
• For each day of Week 1, consume one additional fruit or vegetable from your list.
• Keep a diary of your fruit and vegetable consumption. Note any obstacles that get in the way of consuming that one additional serving.
• When you are staisfied that you have incorporated that one additional serving of fruit or vegetable into your diet, add an additional serving from your list.
• Make a graph in which you record the number of servings of fruits and vegetables you consume each day over the three week project activity period.
• Identify all obstacles that prevented you from carrying out your plan.
• Develop strategies for overcoming any obstacles number of servings you actually consume
Dietary Fiber Consumption
1. Use your food diary to determine the number of grams of fiber you typically consume per day.
2. Make a list of foods that you will consume to bring your total number of grams of fiber to 20-30 per day
3. For three weeks, consume 20-30 grams of fiber per day. Keep a dairy in which you • record of number of grams of fiber you consume and their sources
• identify obstacles that prevented your from achieving your goal
• identify strategies for overcoming those obstacles and implement them.
4. Record on a graph the number of grams of fiber you consume daily over the 3 week action period.
Increase Your Physical Fitness
1. Measure your level of fitness using the Harvard Step Test.
• My Fitness Index is: __________
2. Measure your resting heart rate.
• My resting heart rates is_____________beats per minute
3. Determine your Target Zone heart rate. • My is between ________and _______beats per minute
4. Refer to your Time Audit to find at least four times per week when you can exercise for at least 30 minutes.
5. Choose an aerobic activity that interests you and exercise at least four times a week for three weeks. Determine your heart rate at the end of each exercise session to see if you are exercising within your target zone.
6. Keep a diary of your activity. For each day of the project record...
• the activity
• the time you spent doing the activity
• what you experienced doing the activity
• any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's activity
• strategies for overcoming any obstacles
7. For each week of the project record your resting heart rate and your Fitness Index.
8. Make a graph in which you record for the three week period:
• the number of sessions of exercise and their length
• your resting heart rate at the start and end of the project
• your Fitness Index at the start and end of the project
Weight Management
Develop a plan for weight loss/weight management
1. Consult the weight-for-height tables and calculate your Body Mass Index to determine your healthy weight range.
• From the Tables, my healthful body weight range is between _____ pounds and _____pounds.
• My Body Mass Index is __________________
2. If you wish to lose weight, make a plan that combines increased exercise and moderate calorie reduction to produce the loss of one pound a week until 10 percent of the current body weight is reached. List the types and duration of exercise you will do and foods that you will cut down on, and the length of time you will devote to a weight loss regime.
Exercise I will increase:
____________
____________
Foods I will limit:
_______________
_______________
Weeks required to lose 10 percent of current body weight:__________________
3. For three weeks, increase exercise and limit certain foods to begin to accomplish your goal. Keep a daily record of exercise and dietary changes. For each day of the project record...
• the exercise changes you're doing
• the food changes you make
• what you experienced
• any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's plan
• strategies for overcoming any obstacles
4. Make a graph in which you record the number of minutes per day of additional exercise you do and the number and type of calories per day you don't consume over the three week action period.
Increase Your Flexibility
Increase your flexibility by undertaking a regular regime of sketching or yoga.1. Measure your flexibility by using the YMCA flexibility test.
2. Refer to your Time Audit to find at least four occasions per week when you can stretch for 20 minutes each time.
3. Choose a stretching regime that interests you and carry it out at least four times a week for three weeks.
4. Keep a diary of your activity:
• record the number of stretching sessions you do each week
• record the time spent in each session
• record your physical and psychological experiences before and after each session
• identify any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's activity
• develop strategies for overcoming any obstacles
5. Make a graph in which you record the number of sessions of stretching and their length over the three week action period. Determine your flexibility index (inches reached) at the end of each week.
Dietary Saturated and Trans Fat Reduction
Reduce fat saturated plus trans fat consumption to 10 percent or less of daily calories.
1. Use your Food Diary and tables of the compositions of foods (and food labels) to estimate the percentage of calories of saturated and trans fat you typically consume (on average) each day.
2. Make a list of food exchanges that you will employ to lower your fat intake (eg: piece of fruit for a candy bar; pasta for a hamburger etc.).
3. For three weeks, alter your diet to lower your fat intake.
4. Keep a dairy in which you record...
• the amount of fat grams & fat calories you consume each day
• identify any obstacles that prevented you from carrying out a day's activity
• develop strategies for overcoming any obstacles
5. Make a graph in which you record the percent of daily calories derived from fat during the three week action period.
Food Consumption Patterns
Increase your awareness of your food consumption patterns
1. Use your Food Diary to determine the physical, psychological, and social circumstances associated with your consumption of food. Be particularly aware of stimuli other than hunger that trigger food consumption (eg: stressful emotions, boredom, social commitments, social pressure, mindless snacking) and/or situations that limit food intake in spite of feelings of hunger (e: desire to be thin, sports performance etc.).
2. Make a list of behaviors and attitudes that you want to exchange for eating (e: when stressed, taking a few seconds to breathe deeply or taking a walk instead of snacking; eating a low-fat food when socializing with friends) or not-eating (self-acceptance; discussing calorie restriction with a nutrition expert, physician, or athletic coach).
3. For three weeks, keep a daily record of your eating behavior in which you identify
• the physical, psychological, and social circumstances associated with food consumption.
• obstacles that prevent you from achieving your planned food exchanges
• strategies for overcoming those obstacles
