Phase 3
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

Unhealthy Behavior: Not hitting the gym for aerobics
Group Members: Three close friends
Goals: Attend daily aerobics classes per week
Baseline data: Aerobics is a form of physical exercise offered in gymnasiums and combines rhythmic exercises with stretching to improve cardio-vascular fitness, flexibility, and muscular strength and more importantly reduces predisposition to illnesses (Hales, 2008). With knowledge of these benefits, I and my friends registered for aerobics classes for daily exercising. However, my friends were found to be less active and skipped some classes. Instead of the usual daily one-hour-classes per week, two of my friends went for the aerobics for one per week and sometimes left the class after thirty minutes of exercise. The other third friend is more consistent than the other two and attends aerobics classes for three to four days in a week. The two friends who attend an average of one lesson per week argued that course work took much of their time hence could not attend the aerobics class. They argued that they would not attend aerobic classes even after finishing class work since they were too tired, thus attended the aerobics lessons only when they had no class work, but even then, they would rush out whenever they felt tired. However, they were aware of the benefits that are associated with aerobics.
The other friend who attended aerobics classes for an average of three to four classes per week argued that extreme weather conditions such as cold weather contributed to his absenteeism from aerobics. However, he agreed that aerobics helped him to alleviate stress and made him remain healthy and rejuvenated.
Phase III Goal
The overall goal for the three friends: To hit the gym on average six days per week for one hour for the next two weeks.
Friend 1 and 2: Attend aerobics classes for four days for one hour for the next two weeks
Friend 3: Attend aerobics for six days per week for one hour
Theory
The transtheoretical model, discussed in Phase II was used to explain the behaviors of these group members their intention to adhere to aerobics classes over the long-term. The transtheoretical model of behavior change assesses individuals’ readiness to adopt new healthier behaviors and provides various stages that should be followed when prompting individuals to adopt healthier behaviors. The series of stages outlined by the Transtheoretical Model include the pre-contemplation stage, the contemplation stage, preparation, action, maintenance and termination stage (Hales, 2008). The pre-contemplation stage is made up of people who are not ready or willing to take action to adopt healthy behaviors in the foreseeable future. The contemplation stage involves people who recognize the need to change, while the preparation stage includes individuals who are ready to change. Conversely, the action stage is made up of individuals already taking steps to change behavior, with maintenance involve people who can sustain their healthy behaviors for six months. Finally, the termination stage is made up of people who are sure that they will never turn back to their unhealthy behaviors, the people who will sustain their healthy behaviors unless de-capacitated by old age or sickness (Riekert, Ockene & Pbert, 2014).
According to the Transtheoretical Model, Friends 1 and 2 are in the contemplation stage since they already know the importance of attending aerobics classes yet they do not attend. People in this stage recognize that their behaviors are problematic and start to look for benefits and disadvantages of their continued actions hence they are ready to adopt healthier behaviors. The third friend falls between the contemplation and the action stages since though he attends aerobics classes, factors such as extreme weather significantly affects his decision to attend these classes.
Strategies:
Friend 1 and 2:
 Strategy 1: Prepare to be active
• As explained by the Transtheoretical model, preparing for action is the first strategy to adopting healthier behaviors. As such, friends 1 and 2 have to prepare to exercise and overcome the barriers that hinder him to attend aerobics classes. The main barrier to attending aerobics for my two friends is the lack of appropriate time; thus, scrutinizing their activities on a normal day would be useful in identifying time-gaps that they can attend aerobics (Fertman & Allensworth, 2010).
• They should liaise with aerobics instructors to create a timetable that fits their schedule
• Enroll in a lower level of aerobics classes and advance with time. Enrolling in low-level class will ensure they do not get overly tired before the scheduled class time
 Strategy 2: Act on established preparations
The two should start with a forty-five-minute class then advance over the week up
 Strategy 3: Enhancing long-term participation
• Use daily reminders for daily participation
• Schedule exercise on the calendar
• Record experiences in a journal detailing feeling after attending aerobics and when they have not attended classes.
• Use journaling to document how she feels each day when she does and does not exercise
Friend 3
Strategy 1: Develop a plan to overcome barriers to exercise.
As noted, friend #3 attends aerobics class when weather conditions are favorable and drop down during extreme weather. Thus, the main strategy to promote full attendance would be preparing for extreme weather. This would involve buying warmer sportswear to keep warm during cold weather, and another lighter pair for hot days.
Strategy 2: Mind change Though Friend #3 insists that extreme weather contributes to his lack of attendance, it should be noted that aerobics classes are in a crossed building where effects of extreme weather conditions can be regulated. As such, friend #3 should change the perception that weather conditions will affect his performance in aerobics classes; hence he will attend all classes irrespective of the weather condition.
Strategy 2: Promoting long-term attendance
While it is clear that friend #3 is the most active of the three friends, it would be better that the three identify and stick to a routine where the three attend aerobics classes at the same time. This can be achieved by identifying days and times when all members of the group are free to attend aerobics classes. Attending aerobics classes together will motivate the three to keep up their attendance, thereby improve physical and cardio-vascular fitness. Besides attending aerobics classes, the group should consider diversifying physical exercises and take on other supplementary practices such as running and swimming (Riekert, Ockene & Pbert, 2014).

Reference
Riekert, K. A., Ockene, J. K., & Pbert, L. (2014). The handbook of health behavior change. New York, NY : Springer Publishing Company
Hales, D. R. (2008). An invitation to health. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.
Fertman, C. I., & Allensworth, D. D. M. (2010). Health promotion programs: From theory to practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.