Behavior Modification Essay

In this essay, I have addressed a goal that I have and would like to use as an assignment in order to implement better change in my everyday lifestyle and health. A few personal goals that I feel need improvement on personally are to quit eating junk food, to quit smoking, to exercise more, and to sleep less. After thinking about which I would like to change, I decided to focus on exercising more, since with that comes better health, as well as weight loss and toning up. The advantages of changing from sitting on the couch watching tv shows, to getting up and moving around include weight loss, which has always been a goal in my life, because ever since I moved to Saudi, I have been spending my free time either eating, sleeping, or shopping. So I've got a pooch that just wont go away now and exercise would be the first step to a better body figure. Another advantage would be that I would be overall a healthier individual. My skin would be fresher looking, I would have energy to carry out daily tasks without getting tired easily, I would be in control of my health and not have to worry about getting sick easily, since its been scientifically proven that exercise aids in boosting immune systems. The list of the benefits and advantages of exercising regularly could go on forever, but the disadvantages of remaining stagnant could get pretty nasty, since its pretty much the opposite of the advantages list. For example, if I continue a lifestyle of not being active, things could get ugly, in the sense that my health would slowly deteriorate, I would most likely suffer from fatigue since I would never have the energy necessary to go about life for a day, it would be clear from the situation of my skin that I am not active and healthy, etc.

Four different pitfalls that trigger behavior that will keep me from reaching my goal are using school work as an excuse, regular work as an excuse, not enough free time, and the distance to the gym being long and tiring.

The following is a weekly schedule with goals that will let me know whether or not I'm making progress, and whether or not my goal has been met:

Week #1: Exercise one time that week for 20 minutes, only walking/jogging on the treadmill.

Week #2: Exercise two times that week for 20 minutes each, only walking/jogging on the treadmill.

Week #3: Exercise two times a week for 20 minutes one day and 35 minutes the other, only walking/jogging on the treadmill one day, and both walking/jogging on the treadmill as well as machines the other.

Week #4: Exercise two times a week for 35 minutes, carrying out both walking/jogging on the treadmill as well as machines.

Week #5: Continue exercising twice a week.

Week #6: Start exercising 3 times a week.

The following is a written statement, promising the dedication of this behavior modification technique:

I, _____________, hereby promise to continue this exercise improvement program, to alter my stagnant, current, lifestyle, to one more enriching, exciting, and healthy. I give my commitment to follow the above mentioned 6 week program, and continue the program after the 6 weeks.

Four pitfalls that may trigger behavior that would keep me from reaching my goal, and their solutions could be, for the pitfall "school as an excuse" I could try and prevent this issue by possibly setting study days and/or study hours that are dedicated to studying only. For the pitfall "work as an excuse", two solutions could