Bernabe, L.; Bernal, Ja.; Bernal, Jo.; Bernal, V.

;
Biglete, A.; Binsol, P.; Bitoy, A.; Boco, G.
Preventative Medicine: Family Health
Section A, Subsection A3
Dra. Cruz

Health Education Lesson Plan: Effective and Appropriate Exercise

In the span of one hour, the patient should be able to accomplish the following learning tasks:

Time Method of
Objective Content Outline Method of Instruction Resources
Allotted Evaluation

 Explanation and
definition of
1. Know what exercise
Written Recitation and
exercise is and Discussion/Lecture 5 minutes
materials teach-back
its importance  Explanation of the
importance of
exercise

2. Know the  Explanation of the

advantages to advantages of
Written
incorporating incorporating Discussion/Lecture 5 minutes Recitation
materials
exercise into exercise into daily
daily habits habits

 Explanation of
limitations of the
body
3. Know how
to exercise  Explanation of Discussion/Lecture 10 minutes
PowerPoint Question and
understanding Presentation Answer
safely
limitations due to
age-related
changes and
health status
 Explanation of an
effective exercise
4. Know how
PowerPoint Question and
to exercise  Explanation of Discussion/Lecture 10 minutes
presentation Answer
effectively how to measure
efficacy of the
exercise
  Explain the
hazards of
5.
improper
Demonstrate
technique when Written
appropriate 10 Teach-back
exercising. Discussion/Demonstration materials and
technique for minutes demonstration
videos
basic exercises
and skills  Demonstrate the
proper ways on
how to exercise.

6.
Demonstrate  Explanation on
creating an how to create and
10 Written
exercise keep a personal Discussion/Lecture Recitation
minutes materials
regimen for exercise
your own regimen/schedule
personal needs

 To determine
7. Know
other options to
which other
improve lifestyle
lifestyle
in conjunction Discussion/Feedback Recitation and
changes can be 10
with exercise. Responses/Open Papers, pens goal setting
made to work minutes
Forum/Brainstorming evaluation
with exercise
 To set attainable
in improving
goals to further
health
improve lifestyle


Definition of Exercise

Exercise is physical activity that is planned, structured and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning any part of
the body. Exercise is used to improve health, maintain fitness and is important as a means of physical
rehabilitation.

Importance of Exercise

Many adults aged 65 and over spend, on average, 10 hours or more each day sitting or lying down,
making them the most sedentary age group. These elder adults who live sedentary lifestyles are at risk for and
demonstrate higher incidence of falls, obesity, heart disease and early death compared with the general
population. Remaining physically healthy also helps the individual maintain their independence, which becomes
increasingly important not only for health and well-being, but also for self-esteem, confidence and
psychological and emotional health.

Even for younger adults and middle-aged adults, exercise is important in preventing the risk factors for heart
disease, diabetes and other conditions that occur mostly as a result of unhealthy lifestyle habits. In younger
individuals, especially those whose occupations involve much sitting to begin with (i.e. computer processors,
students, secretaries, accountants), the risk for development of factors that can increase heart disease because of
lack of physical activity are profound. Lack of physical stimulation can cause weakening of muscles because of
disuse, which could lead to greater difficulties as the individual ages, especially if the affected areas are joints.
Activity, even if it is stretching and simple aerobic exercise, not only helps physically, but also helps mentally.
Specific exercises can be used to help decrease stress and anxiety and in cases where the occupations of these
individuals are in a very demanding environment, this maintains their mental health and allows them to release
the stress and anxiety that otherwise would act as precursors to panic attacks or burnout.

Active vs. Sedentary Lifestyle

Active Lifestyle Sedentary Lifestyle

 little to no workout
 have a balanced diet
 unbalanced diet
 workout regularly
 more at risk to die earlier in life
 go out a lot
 more likely to be found at home
 mentally stable
 more likely to be depressed

Safe Exercise

Once your doctor gives you the go-ahead to exercise, the tips below can help you avoid injuries:
1. Take five to 10 minutes to warm up and cool down properly.

2. Plan to start slowly and boost your activity level gradually unless you are already exercising frequently
and vigorously.

3. Be aware that training too hard or too often can cause overuse injuries like stress fractures, stiff or sore
joints and muscles, and inflamed tendons and ligaments. Sports prompting repetitive wear and tear on
certain parts of your body — n such as swimming (shoulders), jogging (knees, ankles, and feet), tennis
(elbows) — are often overuse culprits, too. A mix of different kinds of activities and sufficient rest
is safer.

4. Listen to your body. Hold off on exercise when you’re sick or feeling very fatigued. Cut back if you
cannot finish an exercise session, feel faint after exercise or fatigued during the day, or suffer persistent
aches and pains in joints after exercising.

5. If you stop exercising for a while, drop back to a lower level of exercise initially. If you’re doing
strength training, for example, lift lighter weights or do fewer reps or sets.

6. For most people, simply drinking plenty of water is sufficient. But if you’re working out especially hard
or doing a marathon or triathlon, choose drinks that replace fluids plus essential electrolytes.

7. Choose clothes and shoes designed for your type of exercise. Replace shoes every six months as
cushioning wears out.

8. For strength training, good form is essential. Initially use no weight, or very light weights, when learning
the exercises. Never sacrifice good form by hurrying to finish reps or sets, or struggling to lift
heavier weights.

9. Exercising vigorously in hot, humid conditions can lead to serious overheating and dehydration. Slow
your pace when the temperature rises above 70°F. On days when the thermometer is expected to reach
80°F, exercise during cooler morning or evening hours or at an air-conditioned gym. Watch for signs of
overheating, such as headache, dizziness, nausea, faintness, cramps, or palpitations.
 10. Dress properly for cold-weather workouts to avoid hypothermia. Depending on the temperature, wear
layers you can peel off as you warm up. Don’t forget gloves.

Getting Started: Basic Techniques and Low Level Exercises

Proper execution of exercises does not only prevent injury but also leads to increased efficacy of the exercise,
leading to better results. Improper posture, balance and movement are only a few of the many things that can
negatively impact the work that we accomplish while we exercise. By learning and demonstrating proper
techniques, we can prevent injury and keep moving towards success and positive outcomes.

A few examples of proper exercising are illustrated below.

Designing Your Exercise Regimen

1. Assess your fitness level.

In order to properly plan an effective exercise regimen, you should first assess (or re-assess) how fit you
are. This can be done by testing baseline fitness scores, such as pulse or heart rate after walking, how far
you can stretch a body part, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, or measuring how many
push-ups/pull-ups you can do in a period of time. You can some of the simpler assessments by yourself,
but it would be wise to consult with a doctor if you have possible ailments or physical/physiological
limitations (e.g. asthma, osteoporosis) which can have possible effects on your body during exercise.
2. Consider your fitness goals.
Ask yourself: what do you want to get from your exercise regimen? Do you want to exercise to lose
weight? Or do you want to build more muscle? Having goals helps you to have clear checkpoints for
your progress through your regimen.
3. Consider your situation – time, financial situation, etc.

Do you have a full-time job which takes most of your weekday hours? Do you have a spouse and kids to
support? Do you own fitness equipment at home? If not, do you have room in your budget for these
investments? What are your possible alternatives (Gym membership? Shared equipment?)? Now that
you’ve set your goals, it is important to view your goals in the context of your existing schedule so that
you can adjust accordingly.

4. Start out simple and keep it balanced.

When you are starting out, it would be best to keep your exercises simple, so your body can adjust
accordingly. Of course, later on you can gradually incorporate more complex or strenuous exercises, but
if you are a beginner, it would be best to make your workouts easy to follow and execute. Throughout
your progress in your regimen, you should always try to keep your workouts balanced. Choose exercises
which work on both your cardio and your strength. Adjust your sets, reps, rests, distances or durations of
your exercises so that you can create a balanced and efficient workout.

5. Add variety to keep it interesting.

It can be hard to keep a routine going, especially if you have an unpredictable schedule. Finding time to
exercise can be hard, so just treat your exercise times as simple appointments. In order to integrate your
exercise in to your overall daily/weekly routine, it could be helpful to multitask – listen to audiobooks or
read notes while on the treadmill, watch television while doing situps or push-ups. As you progress
through your routine, try adding other exercises into your regimen, and experiment by alternating them.
Take note on how your body responds to possible changes in your regimen, and always be open to
trying new exercises.

6. Give yourself a break.

Breaks are especially important early on in your regimen, when your body is still adjusting to the
increased amount of activity. Always be aware of how your body reacts to exercise, and do not be afraid
to stop or change an activity if you are not feeling well. Between your exercises, you should also plan
your pauses so your body can take a moment to rest before exerting itself once more. Finally, you should
always do warm-ups and cool-downs, before and after your exercise regimen proper.

7. Monitor your progress.

You did not set your goals just to ignore them! Record your progress weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, so
you can keep track of how your body is responding to the exercise regimen. From this, you can make
changes to your regimen accordingly.
Using Diet and Exercise Together

We all know that exercise is a good way to improve health but it is a fact that it alone is not enough; there are
factors which can maintain our healthy state in conjunction with proper exercise. One of which is improvement
of lifestyle. According to studies done and concluded by American Psychological Association, making lifestyle
changes can help improve our health and maintain it in a good and orderly fashion. It may be a tedious process
to begin with due to numerous factors which must be corrected and modified. Not everyone can deviate from
their old habits and change anew. So we should start from small goals which would eventually develop into
bigger ones in the end. Making changes may take time and commitment, but nothing really good is that easy to
attain. By improving our lifestyle and identifying those bad habits which must be corrected. We can lengthen
our life and be able to live it to the fullest. We can start doing this by brainstorming ideas and reflecting on our
own habits. An open forum is a good idea to conduct this to facilitate a freely flowing discussion. Experts in
health must also be there to guide and answer some questions to clear the doubts of the people. Through this we
can help our daily dose of exercise in keeping us in top shape.

Sources

Improper Workout Routines: The Harmful effects of Exercise; Quiñones, E.; September 2008

American Heart Association: Physical Activity Improves Quality of Life

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans";

October 2008

Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389