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1.Describe the aspect of your goal(s) you were most successful in achieving and the benefits experienced throughout the program.

I personally think I was most successful in leading an overall healthy lifestyle throughout the program. By that I mean that I actually developed good habits of eating clean, sleeping and being active. I actually felt a major shift in my mindset and my overall view on my health and my body.

2. Describe the aspect of your goal(s) you were least successful in achieving and why you felt you were not successful.

I would have personally liked to push myself out of my comfort zone a little bit more in this program. I felt like I could perform so much more than I did, in terms of my workout sets, but I listened to my body and stopped when I couldn’t continue anymore. I think that the more time I dedicate to this program, the better I can get at working out at a higher level. Consistency is key and I want to dedicate more time to my fitness in the months to come.

3. Did your diet change during the course of your program? Why and how?

Yes ! I always knew that a workout program would force me to make healthier food choices in my day-to-day life, but I didn’t know I would love it as much as I do now. I can confidently say that food has become my therapy and I make it an obligation to try a new recipe each Friday night and taste it with my family. I explore different vegetarian and even vegan recipes. I discovered new ingredients like sweet potatoes, nutritional yeast, beets and spinach that I have slowly become my favourite things to incorporate to my meals. I am also happy to say that I now eat a healthy complete breakfast in the morning which is a major change for me. I usually felt sick and nauseous in the morning, but now I look forward to eat my overnight oats or my avocado burrito in the morning.

4. What was the most important thing you learned about yourself?

The most important thing I learnt about myself is how impactful a healthy mindset can be on my academics and my overall life. Having such a structured routine through this program helped me become a healthier person and also a happier person somehow. I would have never imagined that I would say that I wake up in the morning fully ready to tackle a new day and new obstacles. I learnt to trust my body and also to listen to it. I listen to it when my muscles are hurting and when my belly is rumbling.

This has been an overall amazing journey and I do count on continuing my workout sets regularly and my healthy life choices 🙂

1. What will motivate you to continue to be active in the future?

I am personally motivated to continue being active because I realize how truly important it is for my physical and mental health. It is not only important to have a well balanced diet but also to be active and workout.

2. How do you see yourself living an active lifestyle?

I see myself finding fun ways in which I can incorporate an active lifestyle into my daily life such as attending yoga, boxing or cycling classes. I also want to start running when the weather will clear up and become a little warmer.

3. What are three benefits of a healthy active lifestyle?

The first benefit of course is an important decrease in dangerous diseases linked to a sedentary lifestyle such as diabetes and obesity. Not only this, but It also increases your digestive system as well as your immune system. On top of these health linked consequences, it also plays a major role in maintaining a healthy and stable mental state. It increases productivity and focus at school and at work.

4. What are three possible consequences of a sedentary lifestyle?

Sedentary lifestyle is linked to many health consequences such as an increase in BMI and a more prone chance to have diabetes. It can also lead to anxiety and migraines because of the lack of stimuli.

5. Give two examples of healthy fats.

A good example would be avocados, that contain high amounts of vitamin of monounsaturated fat, which is a very healthy fat. It is linked to a increased insulin sensitivity, better blood sugar control and lower levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. Another example of healthy fats would be nuts such as cajou, almonds and even peanuts. They contain monounsaturated fat which is linked to lower levels of LDL.

• What’s the point of doing a warm up?

A warm up is meant to get your joints lubricated and your muscles warm. This prevents any injuries or muscles getting pulled during the workout, because the body would be ready to start the exercises and it’s prepped for any intense movements. It can also prevent soreness after the workout and makes the recovery faster.

• What constitutes a successful warm up?

Some really good warm ups constitute of jumping jacks, lunges, hip extensions or even the jump rope; anything that would get you moving and that would get your blood pumping through your system. Ideally you want to do this for about 5-10min and personally I consider this a very important chunk of any workout I do.

• What’s the point of doing a cool down?

Cooling down provides a transition from exercise to a steady heart beat and body temperature. It returns the muscles to their optimal tension and helps avoid dizziness. It is also a great way of relaxing and improves flexibility.

• When is the best time to stretch and why?

It is known that the best time to stretch is when the muscles are already warm and pliable. I usually stretch after exercises, such as muscle toning because my muscles are cooling down from the workout and it is the perfect opportunity to stretch my legs out. Also, workout like yoga usually incorporated stretches gradually and it follow the same logic, that the best opportunity to stretch is when the muscles are pliable.

• Why is stretching important?

Stretching is extremely important because it improves flexibility, which increases the ability of a joint to move through its full range of motion. Overall, it is the best moment to cool down if you are choosing static stretches and it increase your overall flexibility.

• How much sleep should you be getting every night?

It is recommended for young adults (18 to 25 years) to get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.

• Are you getting that much? If not, what could you do to ensure that you do get
  enough sleep?

On average I get at least 6 hours of deep sleep. I feel rested and I feel energized in the morning, ready to tackle the day. However, I know that I should get a few hours more of sleep but my biological clock doesn’t let me sleep more than 6 hours. I have been trying to mediate and do breathing exercises before sleeping, so I plan on continuing these exercises to fall asleep quicker and earlier.

• What are there serious health effects related to insufficient sleep?

On top of hurting the cognitive system by impairing attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem solving, it is also linked to serious health issues. In fact, it is linked to heart disease, heart attacks, heart failure and diabetes. Sleep plays a crucial role in the overall functioning of our body and muscles and we shouldn’t take it for granted.

• Give two examples of healthy snacks that you can munch on while studying.

I love to snack on vegetables (broccoli, celery, carrots and tomatoes) because they’re “hand-foods” and they’re super easy to eat and transport in little tupperwares. Also, I love to much on trial mixes and I recently started making them from scratch with nuts (almonds, cajou, walnuts), dried fruit (grapes, apples), yummy dates and coconut flakes. It;s amazing how easy and yummy it is !!

• Do you need to revise your original goal(s)?

No I don’t need to modify my goal, because I adapted my workout plan to fit my schedule and my life habits. My main goal was to get out of my comfort zone and try one hour of yoga per week as a way to increase my flexibility and strengthen my core.

• Are/is your goal(s) still realistic? Why or why not?

Yes, my goal is still realistic because it is reachable and I just need to push through and keep the same motivation throughout the workout plan. I am already feeling the benefits of my weekly yoga exercises in my posture and in my overall state of mind.

• State your new goals if they’ve changed.

My goal hasn’t changed.

• What is working in your program?

My choices in the exercises for my workout plan are well fitted to my current workout habits and I am already feeling the benefits of the program on my health and my mind set.

• What do you need to change?

I don’t need to change anything major in my program but maybe just add or modify a few exercises in my program every week as a nice way to vary things and keep me motivated.

• How many servings of vegetables should you eat each day?

Based on Canada’s Food guide, a recommended serving of vegetables is about 3-4 with a total of 7-10 portions of fruits and vegetables.

• Are you getting enough? If not, how could you ensure that you do?

I am actually getting getting enough fruits and vegetables because I make it a priority in my diet to get enough nutrients from fresh vegetables. I love to have a diverse diet with different sources of protein and vitamins.

• What are your three favorite vegetables?

My favourite vegetables are carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes. These are very diverse vegetables that can be consumed in different ways and that’s why I particularly love these three vegetables.

1. Do you feel different this week… more energy, better sleep, better mood, or
   increased self-confidence?

I feel a lot better this week, because I got the chance to focus a little bit more on my self and my own fitness. School can get very chaotic and I can become very unfocused and overwhelmed. My workouts realign my ideas and I am a lot more focused afterwards.

2. What effect is the activity plan having on you?

This activity plan is making me more organized and energized. Also, it made me realize how easy it is to incorporate healthy life-choices and exercises. I am a very routine oriented person and having a routine helps me stay organized and prevents me from having serious anxiety attacks.

3. What have been some major barriers so far in your activity plan?

Personally, I haven’t encountered major barriers in my activity plan, but I would be lying if i said that finding the motivation every time to workout is easy. However, this far into my activity plan and my fitness journey, I realized the benefits regular activity has on my physical appearance and my mental state. Also, I successfully found the perfect window to workout after trial and error and working out has become second nature to me.

4. How have you adapted your plan to overcome these barriers?

I changed my workout schedule in order for it to fit better in my schedule and my regular routine. I also realized that I prefer working out in the morning and earlier in the day rather than later in the evening, because I can be productive afterwards and continue with my day.

5. What solutions have you found?

I switched the time for my workouts, because I realized that I perform better in the morning. Also, I prepare myself a good and healthy meal in the morning to motivate myself to workout and maintain my healthy lifestyle.

6. How long should you rest after completing a muscular strength or endurance
workout? Why? What happens if you don’t?

You should rest and don’t workout out the same muscle for approximately 24h to 48h after the workout. This is very important, because it is proven that muscular gains occur after the workout and during the rest period. Muscles require fuel/food and rest in order to rebuild itself from the intense workout. If you don’t rest the muscle group after working it out, you can injure yourself from overworking the same part of your body. In order to prevent this, you can simply have a organized fitness plan that has alternating workouts for different muscle groups.

1. How does your exercise program fit into your weekly schedule?

I usually keep a 1:30 hour block every Wednesday for working out and for me-time. I finish school earlier on Wednesday so that’s perfect for me and for my schedule. I have no problem in finding time for myself and for working out. That’s pretty much it, I take 1 hour to 2 hours every Wednesday and Sunday to workout/meditate and cook a good meal. It helps me cool down and concentrate on myself. In addition to all of this, I love to meditation/stretch every night before going to bed.

3.. Comment on how easy or hard it is to find the time to exercise?

It’s easy for me to find the time to exercise because I know the benefits it brings to my mood and overall health. I need to care for my body and by exercising it fulfills this need. Exercising has brought me so much joy and relief which is the main reason why I constantly find time to do it and it has become almost second nature to me.

2. What are your stress levels before and after exercise?

I am usually very tense and stressed before working out which I only realize once I finish my workout or my yoga session. I feel so much freer and lighter every time I workout or after every yoga session . I also feel so much happier and better. This feeling is totally normal because working out increases your levels of serotonin in the body which is linked to your brain and mood.