Three Day Activity Analysis

1.     CheckPoint: Three Day Activity Analysis

·         Due Date: Day 5 [Individual] forum

·         Use the physical activity assessment tool provided on http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov to keep track of any physical activity you do over a 3-day period.

·         Use the registration instructions in Appendix B to set up an account with the MyPyramid Tracker Web site if you have not done so already.

·         Use the Analyze Physical Activities feature on the Web site as a reference to determine how many calories you burned during the 3-day period.

·         Write a 200- to 300-word response addressing the following questions:

o    What everyday changes, if any, might you make to increase the amount of energy expended in your day-to-day activities?

o    What types and amounts of exercise would work best for you?

o    Can the activities be performed year-round? If not, can you suggest alternative activities and locations for inclement weather?149

            After using the physical activity assessment tool I was surprised to find so many normal everyday activities available to put in your activity tool.  I climb stairs at work and home every day and found that there was an activity to include this daily use of the stairs.  This to me is normal every day stuff but when assessing your physical activity it does count.  Even with all of these incidentals there are a few everyday changes I can make.  I might be able to add a walk around the block after dinner in an effort to reach the thousand steps a day.  Apart from adding a walk after dinner, there is not much room in my day for adding everyday activities.  I have struggled for many years trying to find an exercise that can easily fit in with my day and that is something I will enjoy enough to do every day.  I have tried exercise videos, walking exercises, play exercises, and I have even bought a gazelle.  None of these stuck, and none of them changed my weight. I plan on my next test to be a treadmill.  Since I enjoy walking, and it needs to be something I can do late night after the kids are in bed.  A treadmill should be easy to adapt into my normal routine and easy to use. 

            The treadmill should be something I can do year round and can be a good substitute for the activities I can not do during the winter months, such as the walk around the block after dinner.