Luke Schulz

Behavior Change Assignment Part 1

NEP 1111
03/03/2024

Personally, I have been a physically active person for my entire life, starting sports when
I was seven or eight years old. Growing up I played football, baseball, and basketball, which
took up my time year-round and always kept me in solid shape. As I have gotten older and
walked through the life of a college student, I have felt myself to begin to lack the mentality to
continuously motivate myself to stay active. During this recent winter break, I began to go to
the gym more often than I had previously in all of college. Now this semester I have completely
changed my behavior and turned my physically well-being around. I have been going to the gym
at least five times a week so far, every week this semester.
In terms of my current standing in my personal wellness journey, I feel like right now I
am doing a really good job of staying consistent in doing physical activity each day, whether
that be the gym, basketball, or golf. I do find myself lacking in terms of stamina and distance
running, as back in high school I could run up to five miles at a time and now I struggle with
running two. I also would like to burn off some of the unnecessary fat that I have collected
throughout college. There are physical habits that I would like to begin improving on, as well as
one I would like the change. When it comes to the wellness assessment from week one, I
scored a 42/50. I could improve on my financial wellbeing, I’m doing okay in the intellectual
categories, and I’m having success in social aspects.
This semester, I would like to focus mostly on building up how many miles I can run at a
time. Doing this, I could both build my stamina and burn calories and get my body into better
shape. I can start the habit of running a mile or two to begin, with the goal of each week
building up to add another half mile. A habit I would like to change would be how well I eat. I
find myself eating fast food a few times a week, which is both expensive and unhealthy. If I can
stay more consistent in spending my money on groceries and eating better foods, such as
chicken or pasta, I can improve my physical goals faster. I could reward myself after a week of
five or more workouts with an off day on Sunday to rest and recover my body. Long-term, this
will allow me to build more muscle through rest and stay consistent in my physical endeavors. If
I don’t complete my goals, I’m not sure I can find a proper way to punish myself, but I’m sure
me, as well as my roommates who I work out with, will keep me consistent.
I created a personal SMART goal to keep me consistent this semester in my physical
wellness journey. My specific goal would be to work out in the gym at least five times a week.
Making the number five or more is measurable, as it tracks the exact number of times I go per
week. This is a very achievable goal as I am already consistent enough and on pace to stay that
way. In terms of relevance, I understand that working out has its benefits on my personal
health and fitness and will also help build my character. Lastly, my goals are time-bound, as it
lists a certain criteria per week, and is also based in the time frame of this class being one
semester, with the hopes to continue after, providing a sense of urgency and focus.
Looking forward I can find a few barriers that could hinder my performance of staying
consistent in my physical wellbeing journey. The first one I can find is my class schedule. My
roommates like going to the gym early in the day, which twice a week I have class when they
go. In order to avoid this, I could become more familiar and comfortable in the gym in order to
begin going by myself when necessary. Another barrier that is going to arise would be spring
break. I have plans to travel during that week and might not have access to a consistent gym. I
could counter this by doing body weight workouts such as pushups and sit-ups, as well as going
for outdoor runs around where I am at the time. My access to habit change is best seen with
my roommates who, if acting with the same mind set as I have, will help me conquer success.