Physical Activity Blog
22 JULY, 2025

Personal Change Blog: Getting More Active

Entry 1: Goal setting

I have long learned that I should exercise more. I spend a lot of time sitting (studying, scrolling, or resting), and I can sense it affecting my energy, mood, and attention. I am aware too that physical activity can enhance my physical and mental health (Warburton & Bredin, 2017), which is why I concluded that I should make a real change. I have a very easy goal I need to achieve: try to exercise at least half an hour a day, five days a week. I rely on psychological concepts to keep myself on track. According to the transtheoretical model (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983), change occurs progressively, and therefore I am taking small steps and gradually increasing. Plan: Choose a time to work out regularly. Experience something like walking, dancing, yoga, and strength. Monitor my activity by means of a lightweight app. Weekly self-reflection to keep activated

I also try to walk every day as much as I can, even on days I don’t do a full workout—just to stay active and keep my body moving.

 

Entry 2: On to the Job The most difficult part was to start. This week I did two walks and one session of strength. I came out sore and tired but in some way proud. Believing in yourself is brought up as self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1997). Something like that I am trying to establish. Thereby, I am not throwing blame at myself that I did not do more, but rather applauding the fact that I was there. What helped: Having fun exercises (dance videos, podcasts of walking). Maintaining my objectives is realistic. Taking credit for small victories.

Entry 3: Searching for a Rhythm This week was improved. I began to exercise at about 5.30 in the evening each day and it has become second nature. I even put my clothes on the previous evening to eliminate excuses. I got to know that connecting habits to cues, such as to a particular time of the day or a certain place, will help me continue with them (Lally et al., 2010).

New strategies:

Time and place are equal. Hyped playlist. On busy days, trying to keep the workouts short and simple. Entry 4: No More Excuses

This week could have been better. One day it was snowing, and I was not in the mood to go out. However, I did not skip it and recalled one of the tricks by Gollwitzer (1999), implementation intentions. In essence, you think, what if X occurs, then I will act Y. My contingency: When I am unable to go out, I will do a YouTube workout. When I am exhausted, I will stretch for 15 minutes.   It worked! I did not break it. Entry 5: Happy High

And here is the cool part: I also began to feel not in the same way. When I do move, I feel more energetic, less stressed, and I am better focused. This is supported by science; exercise improves mood by release of endorphins and decreases cortisol (Craft & Perna, 2004). This week: Experimented with the morning working out routine. Woke up more alert during the day. Monitored mood following every session. I also slept better.

Entry 6: Socio-socializing There is a friend whom I invited this week virtually. We also Skyped each other during the same exercise. It also added a lot of fun. In fact, one of the main components of maintaining physical activity is social support (Bauman et al., 2012).

Added boosts: Check in to the workout with your friends. Participated in an internet fitness club. Kept everyone in the social media updated on my progress (accountability!). Entry 7: In Retrospective I have been doing this for nearly a month, and I cannot tell you how great I feel now. I have occasionally gone missing one day or two, but still, I was consistent, and this is the most important thing. What worked:

 Planning ahead. Having adaptability when things did not go so well. Having a recollection of why I began. Entry 8: Final considerations and where to go now Also, this month taught me that it is possible to change, taking it step by step and being not so hard on yourself. There is still work in progress, but I have prepared myself a stepping stone to a better lifestyle where physical activities are involved. Next objective: Go to 45-minute sessions, and more strength training. Would I suggest this? Absolutely. The knowledge of why I had the habit to act in the way I did made me adhere to it. I am happier, healthier, and more assertive. 

 

References
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W.H. Freeman.
Bauman, A. E., Reis, R. S., Sallis, J. F., Wells, J. C., Loos, R. J., & Martin, B. W. (2012). Correlates of physical activity: Why are some people physically active and others not? The Lancet, 380(9838), 258–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(12)60735-1
Craft, L. L., & Perna, F. M. (2004). The benefits of exercise for the clinically depressed. Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 6(3), 104–111. https://doi.org/10.4088/pcc.v06n0301
Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493
Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998–1009. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.674
Prochaska, J. O., & DiClemente, C. C. (1983). Stages and processes of self-change of smoking: Toward an integrative model of change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51(3), 390–395. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.51.3.390
Warburton, D. E. R., & Bredin, S. S. D. (2017). Health benefits of physical activity: A systematic review of current systematic reviews. Current Opinion in Cardiology, 32(5), 541–556. https://doi.org/10.1097/HCO.0000000000000437