Fitness Worksheet

							                                   Fitness Worksheet
    UCI students lead busy, demanding and pressure-filled lives. Most know something about the value
    of fitness, but many don't apply it to their daily activities. This exercise is to help you appreciate the
    benefits of fitness activities as well as help you increase the opportunities for incorporating fitness
    into you life as a student.

    I. Below is a list of fitness activities a student might choose to engage in to enhance and increase
    her or his fitness. On a scale of 1 to 5, rate each activity: first with respect to how desirable the
    activity is, and second, how likely you are to engage in the activity. Use the 1 to 5 scale rating as
    follows:

           1 = very low, i.e. undesirable, unlikely I would ever do this
           5 = highest desirability, most likely that I will do this

Activity                                                                   Desirability   Likelihood      Total
1. Walking up the stairs instead of using the escalator or elevator        _____          _____           _____
2. Riding your bike, roller blading or skate boarding to class or other
destination                                                             _____             _____           _____
3. Park your car further away from class or work to walk more              _____          _____           _____
4. Stretch or do flexibility exercises while watching t.v. or talking on
the phone                                                                  _____          _____           _____
5. Get some friends and join intramural sports at the campus
recreation center                                                          _____          _____           _____
6. Squat down in good form when you need to pick up something
instead of bending over and straining your back                            _____          _____           _____
7. When you are talking to friends, take a walk while having a talk        _____          _____           _____
8. Wash your car instead of taking it in to be washed (good arm
strokes can create great biceps)                                           _____          _____           _____
9. Clean your apartment/room/house and get fit from sweeping,
dusting, mopping, and moving furniture                                     _____          _____           _____
10. Always remember to squeeze you gluts (buttocks) when walking
and especially when climbing stairs                              _____                    _____           _____
11. Practice your breathing every chance you get (breathing in
through your nose and slowly exhaling out through your mouth)              _____          _____           _____
12. Dancing, either socially or at home alone to get fit and perk up
your mood                                                                  _____          _____           _____
13. Using an exercycle while watching t.v.                                 _____          _____           _____
II. Sum your ratings across for each activity to find your total score for each one. Choose your
three highest scores and describe in a sentence or two how you would incorporate that activity into
your daily life at UCI:

    Activity 1:




    Activity 2:




    Activity 3:




III. For each activity list as many barriers or obstacles as you can identify which would prevent you
from following through and incorporating the fitness activity into your daily life. Include attitudinal,
emotional, and social barriers as well as physical barriers.

    Activity 1:




    Activity 2:




    Activity 3:
IV. For each activity list as many incentives as you can identify which would motivate and reward
you for following through and incorporating the fitness activity into your daily life. As an example,
the following are benefits of walking which could be incentives:

   •   lowers risk of colon cancer                              •   reduces stress and anxiety
   •   helps control weight                                     •   aids sleep
   •   builds aerobic capacity                                  •   boosts metabolic rate while walking & 10 min after
   •   strengthens bones and reduces osteoporosis risk          •   raises resting metabolic rate
   •   eases mild to moderate depression                        •   builds up leg muscles
   •   helps prevent high blood pressure                        •   reduces risk of developing diabetes
   •   reduces risk of heart disease                            •   increases fitness levels as much as running when done
   •   prompts (after 10 min) the release of elation- causing       just a little more often (4 times a week versus 3)
       beta endorphins                                          •   increases overall chances of living a longer life of quality




Your incentives for:

   Activity 1:



   Activity 2:



   Activity 3:




V. What problem-solving can you do to counter the barriers/obstacles you listed for each activity?
List some possible solutions.

   Activity 1:



   Activity 2:



   Activity 3:



VI. Identify the fitness activity(ies) that you now think you are ready to do. Make a plan to write a
reminder message to yourself in a prominent place.