Running head: BECOMING FIT AND WELL Sheppard 1

Action Research Project: Becoming Fit and Well

Nicole Sheppard
EDUC 526: Capstone Experience in Digital Teaching and Learning
Professor: Matthew Hixson
APU Azusa Regional Center
June 9, 2014


















Running head: BECOMING FIT AND WELL Sheppard 2
Abstract

This action research project focuses on my goal to create and adhere to a fitness
plan in order to live a healthier lifestyle and to lose weight for my wedding in July of this
year. I have never had a workout routine and while my weight remains stable, I know I
am not physically fit in a medical sense. I have always considered myself too busy to
maintain a workout routine and I have never been very good at running or enduring
cardio activities for extended periods of time. Since I do not workout often, my goal is to
create a weekly schedule that includes both cardio exercises and weight bearing exercises
to become more physically fit. By the end of a six-week period, I plan to workout 4 times
a week in which I will increase my walking/jogging mile time as well as weights for
weight-bearing exercises. My goal is not to lose weight, but to gain more muscle
definition and tone.






















Running head: BECOMING FIT AND WELL Sheppard 3
Section One: Introduction
My major concern for not ever having a workout routine is my long-term health,
as I get older. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, less than half
of all adults (48%) meet the physical activity requirements for their age group (Physical
Activity, 2014). Adults between ages eighteen and sixty-four need at least 2 hours and 30
minutes of moderate aerobic activity (or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous aerobic
activity) and at least two days in which weight-bearing activities ought to be performed
(Adult Needs, 2014). I am unfortunately on of those adults who do not meet this
requirement. I have family members who are older and are not as healthy as they could
be in their older years because they never set a workout routine in their younger years.
In addition, I am getting married at the end of the summer and would like to begin
a workout routine in order to be in shape by that date as well. According to the CDC,
physical activity can not only prevent occurrences of high blood pressure and heart
disease, but it also promotes healthy bones, muscles, and joints (Physical Activity Health,
2014). My ultimate goal of the action research would be to maintain a workout routine
even after the wedding in order to increase my health overall. My family has a mild
history of heart disease and diabetes, both of which could be lessened by proper exercise.
It seems like an easy decision for me to create a workout routine that I can abide by even
while working and busy throughout my weeks in order to gain benefits from a plan such
as this one. My overall goal of the action plan is to reduce my mile time from twenty
minutes to ten minutes and to begin to have muscle definition in my arms and legs.
Section Two: Implementation
Running head: BECOMING FIT AND WELL Sheppard 4
To carry out my action research plan, I worked out either before beginning to
grade or lesson plan right when I arrived home, or sometime before nine-o-clock. By
giving myself room and flexibility if something at work or with my family came up, I had
different times during the day that I could utilize for my workout time. There were some
drawbacks, however for giving myself some flexibility. Some days after work I would
nap or fall asleep and lose track of time. On these days, I had too much work to do after
work to have time to workout as well. Therefore, motivation was the biggest drawback
since this routine was something new and it took a while to truly become motivated to
make this new routine work for me. The following routine is what I completed each day I
worked out:
Daily (4 sets a week) cardio one mile.
Daily (4 sets a week) arms-biceps (3 sets of 10) & triceps (3 sets of 20).
Daily (4 sets a week) legs-inner (3 sets of 30) and outer thigh (3 sets 40).
My overall steps were the following:
Step 1: Wrote out a weekly routine that worked with my schedule
Step 2: Chose activities that I enjoyed doing.
Step 3: Do my workout when I arrive home from work.
Step 4: Kept track of my progress over the span of 4 weeks.
Step 5: Got my friends involved to help keep me motivated and on track.
Step 6: Continued to workout even when I missed an entire week. Didnt give up!
Section Three: Results
The results of my action plan were a little disappointing, however I am proud of
being tenacious about the action research plan despite a week of non-activity. I found out
Running head: BECOMING FIT AND WELL Sheppard 5
rather quickly that walking/jogging was not enough exercise for me to feel like I got a
good workout or cardio exercise. I switched machines and began using the elliptical
machine at first due to the treadmills being occupied, but I ended up loving this machine!
My family tends to have worn out knees as we age, so this machine was better for me
anyway. Therefore, my results did not yield the results I was expecting because my
cardio workouts become more about how many miles I could do in a 20-25 minutes
period than about shortening my mile pace as far as time was concerned. In addition, I
was surprised at how just missing a week of workout set me back on my schedule as well.
I was not aware that it was going to set me back almost to where I began missing four
days. It really showed me how important it is to stick to a routine no matter how busy my
life can get. Finally, I was most proud of my weight-bearing workouts and saw changes
in my muscle definition. This gave me hope by seeing changes in just a few weeks.
Below is the chart displaying my miles, as well as my various weight-bearing workouts
as they progressed over the course of 4 weeks.
Week Day 1 mile
pace
Bicep sets Tricep
sets
Inner leg
sets
Outer leg
sets
1 1 Treadmill
20:00 min
.61 miles
20 lbs
3 sets of
10
10 lbs
3 sets of
10
30 lbs
3 sets of
15
30 lbs
3 sets of
15
2 Elliptical
21:00 min
1.07 miles
15 lbs
3 sets of
15
15 lbs
3 sets of
15
40 lbs
3 sets of
15
40 lbs
3 sets of
15
3 Elliptical 15 lbs
3 sets of
15
15 lbs
3 sets of
15
40 lbs
3 sets of
15
40 lbs
3 sets of
15
4 Elliptical 15 lbs
3 sets of
20
15 lbs
3 sets of
20
40 lbs
3 sets of
20
40 lbs
3 sets of
20
2 1 NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE
2 NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE
Running head: BECOMING FIT AND WELL Sheppard 6
3 NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE
4 NONE NONE NONE NONE NONE
3 1 Elliptical
20:00 min
.56 miles
15 lbs
3 sets of
15
15 lbs
3 sets of
15
40 lbs
3 sets of
15
40 lbs
3 sets of
15
2 Elliptical
25:00 min
1.25 miles
15 lbs
3 sets of
20
15 lbs
3 sets of
20
40 lbs
3 sets of
20
40 lbs
3 sets of
20
3 Elliptical
25:00 min
1.19 miles
15 lbs
3 sets of
20

15 lbs
3 sets of
20
45 lbs
3 sets of
15
45 lbs
3 sets of
15
4 Elliptical
25:00 min
1.34 miles
20 lbs
3 sets of
20
15 lbs
3 sets of
20
45 lbs
3 sets of
20
45 lbs
3 sets of
20
4 1 Elliptical
25:00 min
1.39 miles
20 lbs
3 sets of
20
15 lbs
3 sets of
20
45 lbs
3 sets of
20
45 lbs
3 sets of
20
2 Elliptical
25:00 min
1.51 miles
25 lbs
3 sets of
10
20 lbs
3 sets of
15
45 lbs
3 sets of
20
45 lbs
3 sets of
20
3 Elliptical
25:00 min
1.49 miles
25 lbs
3 sets of
10
20 lbs
3 sets of
15
50 lbs
3 sets of
15
50 lbs
3 sets of
15
4 Elliptical
25:00 min
1.54 miles
25 lbs
3 sets of
20
20 lbs
3 sets of
15
50 lbs
3 sets of
15
50 lbs
3 sets of
15

Section Four: Conclusion
I concluded that sticking to a workout routine is both crucial and difficult! I would
change a few things about my action research plan now that I have experienced my plan
for four weeks. First, I would limit weight-bearing workouts to 2-3 days a week and do
these exercises on days in which I do not do any cardio workouts. I lost a week because I
felt like I was pressed for time, but if I had only done cardio or decided to only do
weight-bearing workouts that day I would have had time to do either of those. I believe
by modifying my routine in this way, I could potentially get a workout in everyday but
Running head: BECOMING FIT AND WELL Sheppard 7
vary it. This would motivate me to go to the gym knowing I could focus on one area
instead of feeling like I need a lot of time to devote to make workout areas. I will
absolutely be continuing this as I enter the summer months especially since I will not be
working. I have no excuses not to continue this so that when I begin work again in the
fall this will be normal for me.
Section Five: General Comments
I liked seeing my progress and feeling accomplished about something I did
outside or work. It is so easy to get tunnel-visioned in life, and this helped me to re-focus
and gave me an outlet for frustrations or stress in my life. This action research plan not
only helped me physically, but also mentally. I learned a lot about myself through this
research plan. I learned that I am my biggest motivator and hurdle when it comes to
wellness and being fit. Some days I knew I was going to workout and did not give myself
any other option. On the other hand, some days I came home already defeated knowing I
was not going to workout. In this way, I learned that positive self-talk and cheering
myself on in these ways helps me become a better person all around. On days I was able
to workout, I was more energetic in the morning and felt good about myself. This then
spilled into my relationships and I found myself being more content. I really needed this
in my life and I am thankful for an assignment like this that can help me in all areas of
my life.




Running head: BECOMING FIT AND WELL Sheppard 8
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, May 23). Facts About
Physical Activity. http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/data/facts/html.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2014, May 23). How much physical
activity do adults need?
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014, May 23). Physical Activity.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/healthtopics/physactivity.htm