INSANITY By: Kayla Gilmore

WHY DO PEOPLE REPEAT THE SAME THINGS BUT EXPECT DIFFERENT RESULTS? QUESTION TO INVESTIGATE:

BACKGROUND INFORMATION HOW I CHOSE MY QUESTION: I AM AN EMPLOYEE AT A FITNESS CENTER IN JOHNSTON. I OVERHEARD A TRAINER TALKING TO A CLIENT WHO WAS FRUSTRATED THAT SHE WAS NOT LOSING WEIGHT. HE SAID “DO YOU KNOW THE DEFINITION OF INSANITY? IT IS DOING THE SAME THING AND EXPECTING DIFFERENT RESULTS.” THIS ENCOURAGED ME TO RESEARCH WHY PEOPLE DO THIS.

EXISTING PERSPECTIVES

IN THIS BOOK, THE AUTHOR MENTIONS SEVERAL FACTORS FOR WHY PEOPLE DO NOT TRY NEW EXERCISES SUCH AS: -LACK OF MOTIVATION -EMBARRASSMENT -LACK OF EDUCATION -NOT PHYSICALLY ABLE TO FIT ON EXERCISE EQUIPMENT DUE TO OBESITY CREATIVE FITNESS: APPLYING HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY AND EXERCISE SCIENCE TO EVERYDAY LIFE BY: HENREY B. BILLER

THE AUTHORS OF THIS BOOK EXPLAIN THAT AN INCREASING NUMBER OF THE POPULAION IS SEDENTARY. THEY ARE AWARE THAT THEY ARE CONTINUING BAD HABITS, BUT HAVE NO MOTIVATION TO CHANGE THEIR LIFESTYLE. TO MOTIVATE THEM, THEY SUGGEST: -INCREASE SOCIAL SUPPORT (ENCOURAGE THEM TO JOIN PROGRAMS SUCH AS A WALKING GROUP) -ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES THEY LIKE (DOES NOT ALWAYS HAVE TO BE DONE IN A FITNESS CENTER) -SET GOALS -TAKE PICTURES TO TRACK PROGRESS MOTIVATING PEOPLE TO BE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE BY: BESS MARCUS AND LEIGHANN FORSYTH

A SURVEY WAS MADE OF 7 QUESTIONS AND HANDED OUT TO ONLY FEMALE MEMBERS OF THE FITNESS CENTER WILLING TO FILL OUT THE SURVERY MARCH 16, (ONLY FEMALES WERE ALLOWED TO FILL OUT THE SURVEY BECAUSE AFTER WORKING AT THE FITNESS CENTER FOR SO MANY YEARS, I HAVE OBSERVED THAT MORE FEMALES COMPLAIN ABOUT THEIR RESULTS THAN MALES). POSSIBLE ANSWER CHOICES WERE BASED ON WHAT I EXPECTED PARTICIPANTS TO ANSWER BASED ON PREVIOUS PERSPECTIVES. SURVEY

ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE APPEARANCE OF YOUR BODY? IF YES, DO NOT ANSWER ANY MORE QUESTIONS. IF NO, PROCEED TO QUESTION 2. 2 ANSWERED YES 48 ANSWERED NO QUESTION ONE:

DO YOU DO A VARIETY OF WORKOUTS (I.E CARDIO, WEIGHT TRAINING, GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES) OR DO YOU DO THE SAME TYPE OF WORKOUT EVERY TIME YOU COME TO THE FITNESS CENTER? IF YOU ANSWERED THE SAME, PROCEED TO QUESTION ANSWERED THAT THEY DO A VARIETY 19 ANSWERED THEY DO THE SAME THING QUESTION 2

WHY DO YOU DO THE SAME EXERCISES? (IF OTHER, PROCEED TO QUESTION 4. IF ONE OF THE OTHER CHOICES ARE SELECTED, PROCEED TO QUESTION 5) ZERO ANSWERED THAT THEY ARE SEEING RESULTS 11 ANSWERED THEY ARE EMBARRASSED TO TRY NEW EXERCISES BECAUSE THEY THINK PEOPLE WILL STARE AT THEM 4 ANSWERED THEY DO NOT THINK THEY ARE PHYSICALLY CAPABLE OF DOING OTHER EXERCISES OTHER THAN WHAT THEY ARE USED TO 4 ANSWERED OTHER. QUESTION 3

IF YOU ANSWERED OTHER, PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY. (below are the comments that members wrote) 1.I want to try new things but I do not know what to do. 2.I have never done resistance training, I do not know where to begin. 3.I never see girls lifting weights, I do not want to be the only one. 4.I do not know how to use the machines. QUESTION 4

QUESTION 5 IF THE FITNESS CENTER OFFERED FREE TRAINING SESSIONS, WOULD YOU ATTEND? (IF YES, PROCEED TO QUESTION 6) 15 ANSWERED YES 4 ANSWERED NO

QUESTION 6 WOULD YOU FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE TRYING GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES IF INTRODUCTORY/BEGINNER CLASSES WERE AVAILABLE? 17 ANSWERED YES 2 ANSWERED NO

WHAT DO YOUR WORKOUT MOSTLY CONSIST OF? 17 ANSWERED CARDIO 2 ANSWERED WEIGHT TRAINING QUESTION 7

BY THE RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH DONE, I DETERMINED THAT MANY OF THE MEMBERS REPEAT THE SAME ACTIONS BECAUSE THEY ARE EMBARRASSED TO DO NEW EXERCISES IN FRONT OF PEOPLE. POST RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES

IN THE FUTURE, I HOPE TO OWN A FITNESS CENTER. AFTER DOING THIS PROJECT, THERE ARE MANY THINGS I LEARNED I SHOULD INCLUDE AND MAKE AVAILABLE TO THE MEMBERS: HOW THIS INFORMATION IS HELPFUL

BEGINNER GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES IT SEEMS AS THOUGH SOME MEMBERS ARE INTIMIDATED BY THE CLASSES BECAUSE MANY OF THE MEMBERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN CLASSES HAVE BEEN FOR A WHILE AND ARE EXPERIENCED. BEGINNER CLASSES MIGHT ENCOURAGE NEW MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE.

STUDIES SHOW RESISTENCE TRAINING PROMOTES MANY HEALTH BENEFITS SUCH AS WEIGHT LOSS, PREVENTION OF ARTHRITIS, DIABETES, OSTEOPOROSIS, AND HEART DISEASE. IF MEMBERS USE WHAT THEY LEARN FROM THE TRAINING SESSIONS, THIS WILL MOST LIKELY GIVE THE MEMBERS RESULTS THEY HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR REGARDING PHYSICAL APPEARANCE BUT GIVE THEM MANY HEALTH BENEFITS AS WELL. FREE TRAINING SESSIONS

AFTER ONE MEMBER EXPLAINED THAT SHE DOES NOT WANT TO BE THE ONLY GIRL LIFTING WEIGHTS, A WOMEN ONLY ROOM MIGHT MAKE WOMEN MORE COMFORTABLE. A WOMEN’S ONLY AREA

IN THIS MAGAZINE, BOB HARPER, A TRAINER ON THE POPULAR TELEVISION SHOW THE BIGEST LOSER, SUGGESTS FIVE THINGS TO STAY MOTIVATED TO EXERCISE SHAPE MAGAZINE

"Your body has changed from exercising and eating well, so you know the program works," says Harper. "Don’t start questioning it or give up because you've stopped seeing noticeable progress. If you’re doing everything right, your body just has to go through an adjustment period." TIP ONE: TRUST THE PROCESS

"Don’t focus on the 10, 20, or 50 pounds you're still hoping to lose," says Harper. "That's too daunting. Take it day by day with small goals. When you get up, think, 'Okay, I have to do my cardio workout and I’m going to make smart choices at lunch.' Check your healthy habits on your to-do list." TIP TWO: TRY NOT TO OBSESS

"You’ve been pushing yourself for a couple of months now. If you're feeling worn out, take a day off, then return to your routine the next day," suggests Harper. "The workouts are designed to break down your muscles so they get stronger, but they won't if you don't give them time to recover." TIP THREE: LET YOUR BODY REST

If you keep doing a particular workout that you love— maybe 45 minutes on the elliptical—stop! "Instead, slash the time in half and jack up the intensity," says Harper. "Your muscles will think, 'What the heck is going on?' and that's exactly what will get you over the hump." TIP FOUR (ARGUABLY THE MOST RELATIVE TIP TO MY BEAUTIFUL QUESTION): DON’T GET COMFORTABLE

“Every month it's filled with ways to change up your workout and stay inspired. Use them!" says Harper. "I also recommend taking group fitness classes, where you're surrounded by likeminded people who enjoy working out. They're fantastic motivation.” TIP FIVE: KEEP READING SHAPE

 BY ENCOURAGING THE FEMALE MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN NEW EXERCISES AND USING THE NEW MOTIVATION TECHNIQUES I LEARNED FROM RESEARCHING MY QUESTION, MOST LIKELY RESULTS WILL BE SEEN. I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, THAT WHEN RESULTS ARE SEEN, THERE IS MORE MOTIVATION TO KEEP GOING. AS THE OWNER OF THE FITNESS CENTER, IT WILL HELP MY BUSINESS BECAUSE MEMBERS WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO RENEW THEIR MEMBERSHIPS. IT WOULD BE A GOOD BUSINESS DECISION TO OFFER THE PREVIOUS IDEAS TO THE MEMBERS.

 MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS PROJECT TAUGHT ME HOW TO ACHIEVE MY ULTIMATE GOAL AND SATISFY MY ULTIMATE DESIRE: TO HELP PEOPLE LEAD A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE!

Works Cited Biller, Henry B. Creative Fitness: Applying Health Psychology and Exercise Science to Everyday Life. Westport, CT: Auburn House, Print. "Bob Harper's Top 5 Tips to Stay Motivated." Shape Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Apr Marcus, Bess, and LeighAnn Forsyth. Motivating People to Be Physically Active. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, Print. BIBLIOGRAPHY