Here, they indicate that "participation in cardio-based workouts (e.g., cardiovascular machines) was positively related to self-objectification, disordered eating behaviour, and appearance-related reasons for exercise, and negatively related to body esteem." (Prichard & Tiggemann, p. 855) Among other things, this implies that in order to yield the true benefits of such an exercise program, one must combine this with other measures of lifestyle change as well. The failure of such programs is often prefigured by the half-hearted commitment that come with selective lifestyle change. Karas (2008) implies that dietary changes are necessary in order to accommodate changes as well. (p. xiii)

Objectives and Action Plan

My objectives are simply to establish an exercise regiment with different permutations which can be executed five times a week. My action plan would be centered on scheduling workouts so that a block of time is already designated to this activity.

Develop a Support Group:

I intend to enlist friends who have always shown a commitment to fitness to participate both with me and independently. We would work with a shared regiment and push each other to remain committed.

Keep Track:

The program is monitored according to daily log which describes the reps I've done and for how long. This will also project goals for pushing myself harder. A food journal might also be recommended.

Reward Yourself and Have Fun:

I would reward myself by organizing competitive sports like ultimate Frisbee and touch football with my friends on a bi-weekly basis as a way to break the monotony of the exercise program.

Reach out to Others:

At the end of a year,...

I will distribute this to friends and family so that others can benefit from the success of my workout regiment.
Self-Evaluation:

I have given myself 24 our of 30 points. I enjoyed success with my program and largely found that I was satisfied with the results. Over the course of several months though, I did find that it was occasionally difficult to maintain the schedule that I had laid out for myself. Some days, I was unable to dedicated the time already blocked off for exercise. This may either mean that my program was too ambitious or that I simply need to make greater time allowances for that which I demand of myself. In either event, the program was still a tremendous success insofar as it produced notable lifestyle changes for me. I am now eating better and living a more active and healthy lifestyle.

Conclusion:

The program will be driven by my success in finding ways to enjoy the selected exercises, by evidence of my success in my bodily indicators such as weight and BMI, and by the support that I gain from those around me.

Works Cited:

Karas, J. (2008). The Cario-Free Diet. Simon and Schuster.

Prichard, I. & Tiggenmann, M. (2008). Relations among exercise type, self-objectification, and body image in the fitness centre environment: The role of reasons for exercise. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 9(6), 855-866.

Ranieri, M.J. (2001). Client Motivation: Part 12. Strength and Conditioning Journal.

ShapeFit. (2010). Cardio Exercises to Burn Major Calories. ShapeFit.com.

Waehner, P. (2010). Cardio Exercises for Home Workouts. About.com: Exercise.