Blog 10: Senior Project Update

(1) What are you currently doing in your independent component? 

• Currently, I am on day 24 on the Supreme 90 day program. I have seen progress since day 1, however, I'm having trouble sticking to the healthy eating portion of the project. I am going to start a journal that will keep track of my caloric intake to make it easier for me to see if I'm over eating, or not getting enough nutrients. 

(2) What is a recent piece of research (article, interview, or audio-visual) that have you reviewed you would say was significant in helping you understand where to go next in your senior project?  The piece of research should be something you reviewed in November.  Please explain what you learned and where are you going next because of this piece of research.

• I read an article titled "The Exercise Effect." This article is by a psychologist that uses exercise to help her patients. She finds exercise can help alleviate depression, enhance mood, preventing anxiety, mental health, and diseases like diabetes or obesity. At the end she states if exercise is so effective, how come people don't do it? She stated that results take time to show, or people might start off too strong. A good dosage of exercise offers "near instant gratification" Where I'm going next is with energy. People don't always want to exercise because they don't have enough energy. I understand that the way we fuel or provide energy to our body is through our diets. I want to see what vitamins and minerals are necessary to keep our body energized and on our toes.

(3) Provide evidence from your independent component or the piece of research as something you recently did.  For example, a photo of something you working on for your independent component or your notes from the video you watched. 

• I just did an update on my independent component. It is the blog entry right before this one, so if you would like to read about it, click here. The picture shows my progress from day 1 to day 9. 

Additional Post: Independent Component

So, I meant to post this up sooner, but never had the time. This is the difference from day 1 to day 9 doing the Supreme 90 day program. Last Tuesday, I believe, was day 18. There was not much of a difference from day 9 to day 18 (the reason why I am not posting another picture) because I did not track my calories. We threw a party for my little cousins birthday, and since then my eating went out of control (day 10). I did follow the exercise routine, however, the results were not the same as when I was following the program strictly. I was keeping a mental note of my caloric intake from day 1 to day 9, and I think keeping it all in my head made it overwhelming, so I want to start writing down all of my food intake for the day. I think writing everything down will help me keep track of everything better. I noticed that with all of the unhealthy food around me, I was sort of pressured into eating the unhealthy foods. The food was in reach and already cooked, which was much easier than taking the time to make a salad or steam some veggies and cook some rice. Having a healthier food environment will definitely make this easier. Today is day 24, and I have yet to workout, but my caloric intake has been decent. I have seen progress up to now, I have no problem with the workouts, one thing I need to improve is  my willpower in sticking to my diet. Some motivation maybe? I don't know. We'll see.

Blog 5b: Science Fair Proposal

1. What is your topic?

• Fitness

2. What is the driving problem behind your experiment and the quote by an expert to support that problem? (Expert citation must be MLA format.)

• "Runner's knee happens when the kneecap (patella) tracks incorrectly over a groove in the thighbone (femur) known as the femoral groove when you bend and straighten your knee. In healthy knees, the patella rests in the femoral groove and slides easily up and down when you use your knee. But when the patella is out of place, it can irritate the femoral groove and wear away the cartilage beneath the patella, leading to knee pain."
• Atanda, Alfred, Jr., MD. "TeensHealth." Runner's Knee. Teens Health from Nemours, Oct. 2010. Web. 07 Nov. 2012. <http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/sports/runners_knee.html>.

3. What is your hypothesis? (Must be in If-Then form.)

• If a proper shoe arc is used, then the tension on the patellar tendon, when a person is running, will be reduced hence, diminishing the risk of getting runner's knee.

 4. Write a paragraph summary of how you will perform the experiment. Include the tools you plan on using.

• I am going to make a model of the knee with its juxtaposing bones, the patellar tendon, and a foot. In order to make this model I will be using this source as a guide on how to create the model, it includes a detailed list of all the materials needed. However instead of screwing down the 'tibia' I am going to attach a shoe stretcher to the tibia, and will not screw the shoe stretcher down. I need to do that so I can put shoes on the model, and see which shoe will provide less tension to the patellar tendon. The shoe that puts less tension on the patellar tendon will be the shoe to best use while running. 

5. Select one of the following Project Categories for your experiment:
Animal Biology & Physiology

Blog 9: Working EQ and Possible Answers

(1) What was the working EQ you used during your presentation?

• "What is most important in order to become healthy and fit?"

(2) Did you decide to revise your working EQ after your presentation? If so, write your revised EQ here.  If not simple write "I am not going to revise my EQ at this time".

• I am not going to revise my EQ at this time.

(3) What are possible answers to your current working EQ? 

• My answers as of right now are exercise and a good nutrition plan.