Workout: I went to do some Hot Yoga with my friend (on the left) at Enso Yoga.

Workout: I went on a 16.4 km bike ride from my house to Parc Olivier-Charbonneau which is located at the tip of the Laval island. My bike ride lasted around an hour.

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

I was glad to see concrete improvements in my physical form. I saw my lower body get bigger and my endurance improve during fitness activities.

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

I was disappointed that I could not achieve my original goal of holding the plank for 45 seconds more than I currently can.

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

I started eating more fruits, but my food habits didn’t change in general.

What was the most important thing you learned about yourself?

I have learned that with time we can all achieve the goals we set ourselves. I realized that being more lenient with myself and giving myself the time to improve instead of rushing with ambitious deadlines will conclude in me gaining a good physical skills and abilities. Change and progress take time and it is better to get to the goal and accomplish it than giving up once the deadline has arrived.

Workout: I went to play tennis for an hour with my brother and some friends.

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

Yes.

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

No. Because I have been focusing my training on my lower body strength as much as I was supposed to.

State your new goals if they’ve changed.

I want to be able to do the wall plank for 30 seconds more than my current capacities.

What is working in your program?

Training between classes and after school keeps me motivated. It also assures that I attend my trainings because I don’t have to make the effort of getting up or travelling.

What do you need to change? 

I need to reschedule my Saturday training because I do not have the energy to work out after a 9-hour shift at work.

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

• Mixed nuts
• Apple

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

Training with a group of friends would motivate me to keep being active.

How do you see yourself living an active lifestyle?

I see myself going to run once or twice a week, playing volleyball in a league and practice outdoor actives such as hiking and camping at least once a month.

List three benefits of a healthy active lifestyle.

• Increase energy level
• Improve sleep habits
• Strengthen the immune system

List three possible consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.

• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Poor eating habits

Give two examples of healthy fats.

• Avocado
• Cheese

Workout: I went to swim at the school pool for 45 min. I mostly did the crawl, the breaststroke and the backstroke.

Do you feel different this week: energy levels, quality of sleep, mood, self-confidence?

Overall, I don’t feel much different, but I did notice an improvement in my quality of sleep. I fall asleep more easily now and I wake up less often during the night.

What effect is the activity plan having on you?

It forces me to be more organized and gives me a sense of accomplishment when I achieve my goals and trainings.  

How long should you rest after completing a muscular strength or endurance workout?

Minimum of 48 hours

Why should you rest for that long?

To give time to the trained muscles to recover and repair themselves.

What happens if you don’t?

You interrupt the natural rebuilding process which can prevent your muscles from growing.

How many servings of vegetables should you eat each day?

8 to 10 servings

Are you getting enough?

No.

If not, how could you ensure that you do?

Create a food plan with more vegetables and force myself to eat a new vegetable every week.

What are your three favorite vegetables?

Potatoes, celery, Brocoli

Workout: We did the fitness appraisal which consist of muscular, cardio and flexibility exercises. I did the wall squat, front plank, curl-ups, chair dips, side hops, push-ups and a 12 minute run.

Workout: We did the fitness appraisal which consist of muscular, cardio and flexibility exercises. I did the wall squat, front plank, curl-ups, chair dips, side hops, push-ups and a 12 minute run.

How much sleep should you be getting every night?

7 to 9 hours

Are you getting that much?

Unfortunately, no.

If not, what could you do to ensure that you do get enough sleep?

Manage my time more efficiently.

What are three serious health effects related to insufficient sleep? 

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease

How does your exercise program fit into your weekly schedule?

In theory, it fit in my schedule pretty easily. But it isn’t that easy in practice.

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

It’s hard to find time to exercise because I invest the free time I have in my studies.

What are your stress levels before and after exercise?

Before: My stress level is above average because of my performance issues or my mind focusing on deadlines and assignments.

After: My stress level is low because I’ve clean my mind of all thoughts and focused solely on the sport.

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

School: I have a lot of classes (9) and assignments to manage which doesn’t leave more time for sport.

Traveling time: Travelling by public transport to work and school reduce the amount of free tie I have for fitness activities.

How have you adapted your plan to overcome these barriers?

Yes.

What solutions have you found?

I’ve tried doing some muscular workout in the morning as I wake up. I also started using my bike to run some errands and go to work.

Workout: Originally, we were supposed to go to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, but we went to the neighborhood of Kirkland located west of Vanier College. Our bike ride was 40 km long.  

What are the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) guidelines for effective cardiovascular training (cardio)?

• Adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week.
• One continuous session and multiple shorter sessions (minimum 10 minutes) are both acceptable to accumulate the desired amount of daily exercise.
• Gradual progression of exercise time, frequency and intensity is recommended for a better adherence and less injury risks.

How long and how intense should a session be for health benefits?

An exercise session should last 30 to 60 minutes (for moderate-intensity) or 20 to 60 minutes (for vigorous intensity).

Give an example of something that counts as cardio and something that doesn’t (but some people might think it does)?

True cardio exercise: Swimming

False cardio exercise: Sprinting

What’s the point of doing a warm up?

• Prepare the body for more vigorous demands of activity
• Minimize the risk of injury

What components constitute a successful warm up?

• Start with low intensity exercise that will increase blood flow to the working muscles and gradually increase the intensity of exercises.
• Avoid intense or forceful strong contractions of the muscles until all muscles have been sufficiently warmed up.
• The more intense the activity, the longer the warm up period should be.
• The warm up should be specific to the activity that follows. In other words, warm up the muscles that you’ll use during your training session.

What’s the point of doing a cool down?

• Prevent blood pooling in the lower limbs.
• Prevent dizziness
• Prevent nausea
• Allowing the body to release any muscle tension caused by the previous fitness activity.

When is the best time to perform static stretches and why?

At the end of each workout in order to prevent post-exercise soreness and loss of flexibility.

Why is stretching important?

Poor flexibility is associated with acute injury from strenuous activity, injury in daily life activities, poor posture and body alignment.

How many glasses of water should you drink each day? 

8

What is progressive overload and how does it work?

It’s the gradual and continual increase in overload placed on the muscles as they become capable of producing greater force. For example, you could increase your number of repetition as your muscle gets use to the charge or you can increase the weight you lift to assure a constant growth of your muscle and capacities.

Workout: We biked from Vanier College to Parc-nature du Cap-Saint-Jacques. There, we had time to enjoy the beach and do some paddle board. The ride was a total of 60 kilometers and took around 5 hours.

What type of workouts and physical activities do you like?

I enjoy cardiovascular activities such as running, swimming, and biathlon (cross-country skiing and rifle shooting). I also really enjoy playing volleyball and any nature-related activities such as hiking.

Do you prefer going to the gym or working out at home?

I prefer going to the gym because being surrounded by people with who I share common goals motivates me.

Weights, yoga, biking, or running; what could you see yourself doing for the remaining weeks of this program?

I would see myself biking because this class made me gain interest in biking. Also, it is the easiest exercise for me to fit in my schedule as I can easily bike to work or to a friend’s house.  

What could you see yourself doing as exercise for the remainder of your life?

I would see myself swimming because it’s something that I really enjoy and can do with friends to keep me motivated.

State the FITT Principle for Muscular Strength & Endurance.

F: 2-3 times / week / muscle group (depending on volume and intensity)

I: 1-2 sets / exercise, 10-15 RM, 1-2 exercise per muscle group

T: 10-60 minutes (depending on the numbers of repetitions and exercises).

T: Weight training, machines, body weight exercise, free weights, tubing.

State the FITT Principle for Flexibility.

F: 2-3 times / week / muscle group (depending on volume and intensity) and/or after every fitness training

I: 20 to 30 seconds, repeat 2-3 times (or more depending)

T: 10 to 15 min

T: Dynamic stretch, Static stretch

Biking Trip: Parc de la Coulée-Grou

Workout: We biked from Vanier College to Parc de la Coulée-Grou located in Pointe-aux-Trembles. We biked for a total of 60 km. The trip lasted around 6 hours.

What would you personally like to improve upon or gain from an exercise program?

I want to improve my lower body strength and endurance. I want to be able to do the wall plank for 45 seconds more than my current capacities which is 2 minutes.

List three specific examples of what would motivate you to participate in and stick to a regular exercise routine?  

• Engaging in group workouts with some friends.
• Setting clear and achievable fitness goals and rewarding myself every time I reach one of them.
• Wanting to improve my physical health, psychological health and my self-esteem.

List three specific barriers or excuses which would prevent you from participating in and sticking to a regular exercise routine? 

• I don’t have time to engage in fitness exercises because of my very busy schedule.
• At the end of the day, I am too tired to engage in physical activities.
• I don’t have the motivation nor the money to go get a gym membership.