Genius Hour Closure

The question I decided on when first given the genius hour project led me to different conclusions that I did not expect to find. The question that I asked and would further investigate was; how do I get more people involved in physical activity? I personally could not make people become more active but instead was able to find reasons why they should be and gave them tips on how to become more physically active. The research that was done to complete the project guided me to create tips or guidelines that would help an individual become physically active in their daily life. The tips or guidelines was not the biggest takeaway that I gained throughout genius hour. The effect that physical activity has on an individual’s mental health as well as the large amount of health benefits surprised me. I thought that physical activity was good for you body and did not realize the other benefits that were accompanied with it. The project allowed me to further investigate physical activity and strengthened my opinion on the importance of physical activity in a person’s life.

Overall I feel that the project went well. The project was able to guide itself and was something that I was interested. Since I was interested in the topic it was not difficult to allocate at least an hour of my time a week to finding an answer to my question. The project showed me the importance of physical activity and helped motivate me to become physically active myself. While I did not find an exact answer or way to increase physical activity personally, I was able to offer suggestions and provide reasons to become more physically active. The Genius hour project was something that I enjoyed and look forward to using in the future as a teacher.

Becoming Active

Reflection

This last week I was interested in finding ways that would help people become more active. A lot of people are able to make excuses for their lack of physical activity because they don’t know where to start or because they don’t have enough time to be active while completing everything else. My goal was to find a way to incorporate physical activity into daily routines so that these reasons for not being active would become obsolete. With the extraordinary amount of benefits that are results of being physically active I believe that it is important that people start to live an active life. I found these guidelines and tips to be a great way to begin being physically active or increase your physical activity throughout the week.

Mathur Sunita. (March 20, 2015), "Running in the Morning." (Photograph).  Retrieved from http://bit.ly/2dePWB0

How to be Physically Active!

Pick an activity you like. Being interested in the activity that you are going to partake in to increase your activity level is important. If you are looking forward to going to your activity to get your physical activity for the day you are more likely to continue on. Having an activity that you have no interest in will make you think that physical activity is not enjoyable when it can be if you pick the right activity for you.     

Start Slowly. Beginning to become physically active is a great start but you don’t want to do to much to quickly. Starting a slow rate and progressively increasing the workload will help you continue an active lifestyle but also ensure safety. You will be put at risk of an injury if you do not do much physical activity or haven’t in a while and try to become more active than usual.

Take responsibility for those around you. Making sure that others are physically active will cause you to be more physically active as well. Being an example for friends and family will show them the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and encourage them to join with you. Being responsible for those around you living a healthy lifestyle will help you by also allowing yourself to see the reasons for being active and the benefits that it can have if you ever forget why you started.

Incorporate it into your daily life. With time being a deciding factor for some people on whether or not they can be physically active, making it part of your daily life allows you to become active. Walking or biking to work or school, or even part of the way, allows for you to get exercise without having the trouble of it being out of your way. Becoming more dependent on your own two feet to get you to places instead of your car will allow you to be physically active throughout your day.

Have fun! Make your activity fun and enjoyable. You should not look at physical activity as a nuisance to your life but instead something that you enjoy doing. If your having fun while being active time will go by quicker it will provide you with a better experience.

Public Health Agency of  Canada. (May 23 2011). Be Active (poster). Retrieved from http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-ps/hl-mvs/pa-ap/index-eng.php

Wrapping it up!

These guidelines should help create a fun and lasting physical activity routine. Physical activity should be a part of everyone’s life to create a healthier world. Being physically active should not be seen as a hindrance to people, but should be seen as an enjoyable experience that they can take part in together. If you feel there were some tips or guidelines missing on how to help people become or be more physically active please comment them, as I would love to hear more suggestions!

The Benefits of Being Active

Genius Hour Reflection 2

            In my genius hour this week I examined the benefits of physical activity. Through the research conducted last week and the evidence that physical activity has declined, especially as the person grows older, I decided to research what the benefits could be of physical activity. With the decline in activity levels I wondered why this might be. I know from my own experience that as I have gotten older in life and taken on more responsibilities I have had less time for physical activity and was curious to find out if this is the only reason why.  My thought process was that if people are able to see the benefits that are associated with increasing your physical activity level then they will be more likely to participate in the activities. By seeing the impact that physical activity can have a person will be more likely to make time for physical activity in their lives or place more importance on living an active lifestyle.

Benefits of physical Activity

            Being physically active has a positive impact on a person’s life. The biggest impact that it can have is the reduced health risks that can be imposed on a person as they grow older. While you age you become more susceptible to disease and being active is a way to help you prevent succumbing to sickness. Two major health benefits is the prevention of obesity by increasing the bodies ability to use calories and burn body fat. Being active also will reduce the risk of heart disease as it strengthens your heart muscle and lowers your cholesterol.[1] These two health benefits are in direct relation to a person’s physical activity level and will help the individual live a longer healthier life.

            Many people would not think of physical activity affecting their mental state. Physical activity can have a positive impact on an individual’s mental health, and their ability to learn.[2] Being active can help you maintain a sharp mind as you age. Living an active lifestyle will not only help your body be healthier but also has benefits for your mental health.

            Lastly physical activity can provide a person with a fun experience. Being active is something that you can do with friends. Playing a sport as a group or going on a bike ride provides a social aspect that can help. By being active you will be having fun and creating positive attitude that will stay with you for the rest of the day. Physical activity is beneficial to creating new friendships and provides a social aspect that can not be found from inside your own house.

Ekhartyoga. Benefits of Physical Activity (photograph). Retrieved from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/291467407106070661/ 

The Last Step

            The next part of my genius hour will hopefully be the most interesting aspect yet. I will be examining different ways to increase physical activity in the community. After researching the decline and the benefits that physical activity has on the individual it has only become more evident to me that it is important in life. The final step will be providing a list of resources that people can use to increase their physical activity. I will aim to provide tips and a variety of ways that one can become physically active in order to live a healthier life.

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[1] information retrieved from: www.medicinenet.com. "Health Benefits of Physical Activity." Last edited 8, July, 2004.

[2] information retrieved from: www.cdc.gov "Physical Activity and Health." Last edited 4, June, 2015.