The Impromptu Interview

What I did:
I wanted to interview my friend, Christina, who had joined a weight loss/management group and had lost a lot weight and had kept it off. I really value her opinion because we both have the same body type-very muscular and muscle prone but also not naturally “skinny.” Well, I was planning on calling her, but she had called me first. I was not “officially” prepared to talk to her, but there was no sense in waiting. I asked her a general question to get the conversation going, “what did you change in your diet to lose your weight.” She mentioned some things that I had already read about, including switching to whole grains, paying attention to portion size, eating balanced meals, and snacking more frequently. She also added that because she is not working anymore, she does not have a daily schedule, which has caused her to slip back into some old habits. Because I had already done a lot of research on this and had taken notes, I was able to ask her more specific questions about the process that I had questions about from my research. One big question that I had was about counting calories as that was a big focus of a lot of information that I found. She said she did not count calories, but because she was a label reader before she bought anything, the calories weren’t a big issue. She was more concerned with the amount of added sugar, whole grains, and serving sizes. Another major idea that emerged from my research was that journaling your food intake will really make you aware of what and how much you are eating. When I brought that up, she concurred with that and said that it really made her aware of all the extra stuff she was eating, but also the portions that she was eating. She said she would take a Tupperware full of spaghetti for lunch the next day until she realized that she was taking about 4 cups of spaghetti when a ½ cup is a serving size. A lot of what she said was confirming of research, but it was great to hear it from someone who applied it to their life and it worked. It made it more real, not just “researched.” I did not write much of the information down that we talked about because most of it I already had.

In the grocery store after our conversation, I found the magazine “Fitness (March, 2005),” and written on the cover was “16 all-time best weight-loss tips from women who kept it off.” I just had to buy it, justifying the purchase as researchJ It was really interesting reading what worked for these women and how it compared to the research that I had done and my conversation with Christina. I really enjoyed reading about their biggest temptations, some of which included Baskin Robbins ice-cream, chocolate, bread, cheesecake. What I enjoyed the most about these temptations was that they were ok, and they gave into them, in moderation. It made me feel like I really had a chance at being successful at eating healthy because these same temptations that I was having were actually ok, and normal.

Then, believe it or not, I was at my friends house that night hanging out on her couch and there, on top of her magazine pile, was “People” from January 10, 2005. On the cover was the title “Half their size! No Gimmicks! No Surgery! Just real people, real diets, real secrets.” I couldn’t believe it. I immediately picked it up and started reading it. I realized that I am now interested in anything that has to do with my topic because I have background knowledge in it and I want to learn as much as I can. Talk about a motivated researcher!

What I learned:
Before you interview, develop good background knowledge:
If I hadn’t completed the research that I had, there was no way that I could have talked with Christina about good nutrition, I would have been a passive participant. Further, without my background knowledge, I wouldn’t have been able to connect what she had said and apply it to a question that I had. I probably would have just said “Ok” and then looked at my list of questions and asked the next one.
Primary Sources/Testimonials make information come to life! I related to Christiana when I talked to her. They both made me feel more connected to the information that I was collecting.
Keep a watchful eye:
It seemed that everywhere I went and anything that I was watching had to do with this topic…it was really weird. I must have been more in tune with nutrition because I was thinking about it more and before now, not realizing how many beneficial sources were around me. It made me feel like I was being called to this topic and that I am glad I chose it.

What I can apply to my teaching:
· Students must conduct at least one interview for a project. It is a great way for them to start to pull together their information and make their topic come to life!
· Students will Read, Watch, Ask, Do, and in that order. Much research should be completed before one interviews. They are there to help clarify, extend, and connect.
· Collect sources in a non-traditional way by keeping a watchful eye wherever you go.