Final Paper 1
Running Head: Behavior Change Final Paper
Behavior Change Final Paper
Seth Reed
SEP 383
Fall 2014
Final Paper 2
When deciding on what behavior change I would make, I immediately
thought of something that involved running. I already knew that my diet was fairly
good, even though I could eat better. Besides slowing down on the beer
consumption, I knew that a behavior change that would really benefit my body and
self would be an aerobic activity. I used to play sports all year around growing up,
and just for the past couple of years I haven’t been nearly as active as I used to be.
Football, basketball, and lacrosse were always my favorite sports, and since
it’s pretty hard to consistently find enough people to actually play a game of football
or lacrosse, and there are six full-court basketball courts across town at the rec
center, basketball was the perfect idea for me. However, I didn’t want to solely rely
on playing basketball because sometimes it can be inconvenient, so my final
behavior change was to play basketball (or an aerobic activity) for at least an hour,
four times per week.
My overall attitude about this behavior change was positive. I really enjoy
playing basketball, so I was hoping that playing a little more often would put me in
better shape physically and mentally. However, I never enjoyed running unless it
was during a competition or a sport. Running for enjoyment was never my favorite
thing to do, so I was a little shaky on seeing how that would turn out if I couldn’t find
a way to play basketball. I was pretty motivated to lose a few pounds and just be in a
little better shape, but I didn’t set any personal goals or anything like that with a
number on it. I mainly just wanted to do something different and enjoy myself. I
went into it optimistic, and fairly organized, ready to make a change.
Final Paper 3
According to the Self-Determination theory, an individual is more likely to do
something if it meets one of three psychosocial needs including, a need for selfdetermination (autonomy), a need for competence, or a need for relatedness (Lox,
Ginis, Petruzello, 2010). These needs are what drive certain behaviors in humans
and my successes and failures can be explained through the self-determination
theory.
First of all, when choosing my behavior change I specifically thought of this
theory and knew that competence, relatedness, and autonomy were the key factors
involved in actually going through with a behavior. I chose basketball because I
played it my entire life; therefor I was competent in my playing abilities. Not only
did I play basketball, I loved it. It was by far one of my favorite sports to play, and
watch. So I knew that I would be more likely to keep a behavior going if it was
actually something that I enjoyed to do. Also, I have a couple of friends that enjoy
playing as well, so that satisfied the relatedness aspect.
In seeing that playing basketball and/or running satisfied all three
psychosocial needs, I obviously had some successful moments. However, despite my
beliefs of having high competency, self-determination, and relatedness, I still had
some failures over these six weeks. I can remember not going a couple times just
because nobody wanted to go with me. I would have thoughts of wanting to go play,
then I’d ask a few friends, and nobody would want to go and all of a sudden I’d
change my mind and conform to what everyone else wanted to do. However, when I
did go, I would always feel good about myself. Playing basketball always puts me in
Final Paper 4
a good mood no matter the final score of the game. My body and mind is always
positively affected after playing basketball because I just love playing.
For some reason, something was still holding me back from being consistent
with the behavior change. In the beginning, I thought that I had high relatedness and
self-determination, and it was all going well. I believed that I would easily get some
friends to come with me whenever I felt like going and eventually relying on them
hurt me. Looking back, my self-determination was low because of that. I thought I
would be intrinsically motivated because of my love of the sport, but I quickly
realized that not having some relatedness affected whether I would feel like going
all the way to the rec center. I live all the way across campus, and have to take the
PRT, which isn’t close, and a lot of times it was inconvenient with my work and
school schedule. Once I got there, and started playing, I loved it though. I always had
a great time and felt great after no matter what. I think my motivation fell
somewhere between introjected regulation (sense of obligation) and external
regulation (gain reward, avoid punishment)(Lox, Ginis, Petruzello, 2010) because all
of a sudden I was making excuses, and putting other things before basketball or
running. Instead of wanting to go, I started to feel like I was only doing it because I
said I would.
As the weeks went on, I noticed that nobody wanted to go with me anymore.
My roommate who always went with me started getting really busy with school and
completely wrapped up in that and all of a sudden the relatedness factor was gone.
As it started getting colder nobody in my friend circle wanted to do any type of
physical activity. So other than times where I would go to the Rec center alone, I
Final Paper 5
started to rely on running outside. However, I just have never enjoyed running. Ever
since I grew up running was a punishment for football and other sports that I
played. So I knew that it would be tough to actually start a running routine and stick
with it. As the days went on, I noticed my motivation was slowly decreasing. Besides
the fact that I knew I had to do this assignment, I only played basketball about once
a week, along with running once a week after that. I still enjoyed playing basketball,
but I kind of put it and other physical activities on the back burner to school, work,
and my social life.
When I first began tracking my physical activity, I did a good job of making
sure that I had at least four days of either basketball or some other aerobic activity. I
would go with my roommate and a couple other friends. I also did a Crossfit
workout with my roommate and it all went very well. I felt great and definitely
wanted to do more workouts like that. However, after the second week, I started
degreasing. I started to let certain barriers get in the way of my behavior staying
consistent. For example, if I had worked that day, I often felt too tired and lazy. I also
was dependent on my roommate for transportation. However, I did not need to be
dependent on him, because I could have taken the PRT. Some days I did take the
PRT, and other times I made excuses like it was too cold out, or I was tired from
work, or I had too much school work to get done.
Instead of making all of these excuses I should have and could have easily
found a way to get my exercise in. I shouldn’t be allowing these barriers to hold me
back, but a lot of times that’s what I did. At first, monitoring my behavior had a
positive affect. I was conscious of my efforts, and it did make me feel bad about
Final Paper 6
myself if I had failed. However, for some reason I decided to brush it off and it
eventually didn’t bother me.
If my excuse was the weather being “too cold”, then I should have worn
appropriate clothing to keep me warm. If I didn’t play basketball because a friend
didn’t want to go I should have either went alone, or went on a run by myself. If I
had a lot of schoolwork or a busy day with work, I should have found time to get
some activity in, because in reality I can’t be too busy. Also, a lot of times I just didn’t
have the right motivation. I just was too busy doing other things and not caring
about being physically active. In that case, I probably should have fixed my behavior
change and made it something more attainable.
Overall, I didn’t succeed in the way that I had hoped. Although I wasn’t as
consistent with my behavior change as I had hoped, I am not disappointed because
there were some positives. I didn’t necessarily meet my standard of four times per
week, but the fact that I did for the first two weeks is a start, and I continued to go
about two times per week after that. I did regress, but it was a start and I know
where to go for the future. I realize where I went wrong with the whole process
from the beginning with a goal that probably could have been more attainable, and I
was conscious of my barriers, somehow I just let them hold me back. In the
beginning when I was succeeding, key factors were the fact that I had relatedness
with my friends who went. I always felt competent, but my self-determination
started to slow me down. Despite loving basketball, eventually it became an
obligation because I just didn’t feel like going or being active when I was busy with
other things.
Final Paper 7
If I’m going to succeed next time I try to change a behavior, I need to go into it
more organized, and goal-oriented. I also need to find an attainable outcome that
can be done without anybody else. If I was more organized I could have found the
easiest ways to fit the workout into my schedule and I wouldn’t have to let barriers
get in my way. I do plan on being more active in the future. I want to run more, but it
seems so hard for me to get past the obligation part. I never enjoyed running, unless
it was competition, like in sports. Once I can find a way to enjoy being more active I
will have a better chance of being persistent with a change.
Final Paper 8
References:
Lox, C., Martin Ginis, K., Petruzello, S. (2010). The Psychology of Exercise. Scottsdale,
Arizona: Holcomb Hathaway, Publishers
Final Paper 9
Reaction to first two weeks of tracking on MyFitnessPal:
After tracking for two weeks I noticed that my sodium level was too high, and
I wasn’t getting enough physical activity. I ate plenty of fruits and vegetables, and
my calorie count wasn’t very high, although it could be lower. I only needed to add
some physical activity.
Daily log:
Week 1
10/7: Played 2 games of full-court basketball
10/8: Played 3 games of full-court basketball
10/9: N/A (too much homework)
10/10: N/A (Had school, work, then went out)
10/11: N/A (Didn’t feel good, watched football, went out)
10/12: Ran for 30 minutes
10/13: CrossFit workout for 30 minutes
Overview:
I had a successful week, getting the four days of physical activity in. I played
basketball twice, went on fall break where there was no court, and ran one day, and
did a crossfit workout the next. I scheduled my week out pretty well, and overcame
any possible barriers.
Week 2
10/14: N/A (sore, took day off)
10/15: Played 2 games of full-court basketball
Final Paper 10
10/16: Played 2 games of full-court basketball
10/17: N/A (work, went out)
10/18: N/A (watched football, homework, went out)
10/19: Ran for 30 minutes
10/20: Played 2 games of full-court basketball
Overview:
Another successful week, I got my four days in. Had school work but still found a
way to fit some activity in my schedule.
Week 3
10/21: N/A (nobody wanted to go w/ me, didn’t feel like taking PRT or running)
10/22: N/A (studying for test, work)
10/23: Played 4 games of full-court basketball (felt good after test, had no other
schoolwork)
10/24: Played 2 games of full-court basketball
10/25: Ran for 45 minutes
10/26: N/A (work, schoolwork, football)
10/27: 2 games of full-court basketball
Overview:
Had another great week. I was even busy with a test and homework, but I found a
way to fit physical activity in my schedule.
Week 4
10/28: N/A (work, schoolwork, nobody wanted to go with me).
Final Paper 11
10/29: 3 games of full-court basketball
10/30: N/A
10/31: N/A (work, Halloween)
11/1: Shot the basketball around and played a couple games of half-court 3 on 3.
11/2: N/A (work, homework, and studying for test, football on tv)
11/3: N/A
Overview:
Didn’t meet my goal of four times per week for the first time. I started to regress for
multiple reasons, one being that I was being purely lazy and didn’t want to take the
PRT because my roommate wouldn’t drive, and the other was a test I was studying
for, and work. I should have found a way to fit another day in though.
Week 5
11/4: N/A (work, school)
11/5: 2 games of full-court basketball
11/6: 2 games of full-court basketball
11/7: N/A (work, went out)
11/8: N/A
11/9: N/A
11/10: N/A (too much homework)
Overview:
Still not at the level I was hoping to be at. Only had physical activity in 2 days of the
week. I just had a lazy week, and seemed to have let the past week keep me down
Final Paper 12
instead of progressing back to where I should have been. I sort of got out of my
routine and didn’t try hard enough to get back in.
Week 6
11/11:N/A (work, school)
11/12: Played 3 full-court games of basketball
11/13: N/A
11/14: N/A (school, work, went out)
11/15: N/A (football)
11/16: N/A (work, football and homework)
11/17: Ran for 30 minutes
Overview:
Definitely slacked off this week again not making any progress. Started getting lazy
and putting schoolwork, work, and my social life before physical activity.