Fitness for Life: Goal Setting for Activity Manitoba Physical Education Teachers Association

What % of the population does not accumulate 30-60 min What % of the population does not accumulate 30-60 min. of physical activity?

65% us do not accumulate 30- 60 minutes of physical activity every day to stay healthy or improve our health.

Why?

Because… Exercise implies rigid, "no-fun" workouts that make us huff, puff and sweat. Exercise can be seen as an impractical burden that complicates rather than complements a busy life. There are intellectual reasons for being physically active but these are not enough… the heart needs to be in it too.

What can we do to improve this. What type of warm ups work in the gym What can we do to improve this? What type of warm ups work in the gym? Why?

What percent of people drop out of their program What percent of people drop out of their program? What fraction or percent of people continue their program after one year?

So… 50% of people drop out within 6 months of starting a physical activity program. Less than 1/3 of those who start are still active by the end of their first year.

This is where goal setting comes in handy. Therefore… We need to find ways to ‘beat the drop out odds’, have fun and become physically active on a regular basis. This is where goal setting comes in handy.

Stages of Change Do you remember?

Stages of Change Becoming physically active is like finding a long term relationship. Single and Not Looking (pre-contemplation) Single and Looking (contemplation) Dating (action) Going Steady (maintenance) Marriage/Common Law/Life Partner (termination) Separation (relapse) Single and Not Looking/Pre-contemplation You are not looking for a relationship – you are happy without it and do not see its value. You have no intention to or interest in making any lifestyle changes. You are unaware that being inactive is putting your health and well being at risk. START TO READ ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF BEING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE.   Single and Looking/Contemplation You have decided to take the plunge and start to date physical activity! But you need to find the nerve to ask! You intend to become active in the near future by considering changes that will allow for more activity. SUBSTITUTE AS MANY ACITVE BEHAVIOURS FOR SEDENTARY ONES. Dating/Preparation You enjoy spending time with physical activity and decide to start seeing each other more often. Take it slow, get to know each other and do not force the relationship. Make small, gradual and comfortable changes. Strive for regular, fun, moderate, convenient activity. PLAN FOR THOSE DAYS WHEN BEING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE WILL BE MORE DIFFICULT. Going Steady/Action Do not shop for a ring yet! The risk of breaking up is very strong –work on your commitment to physical activity or risk losing it. You are physically active - regularly. Maintain your new behaviors and focus on the now/how you feel. CHOOSE ACTIVITIES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL SUCCESSFUL. BE ACTIVE WITH FRIENDS OR FAMILY. Marriage/Common Law/Life Partner/Maintenance You bought the ring and popped the question! You need to work hard to make the marriage grow and flourish. You are at no risk of reverting back to a life of inactivity. Day-to-day efforts and playfulness keep the relationship alive at this stage. ADD VARIETY TO YOUR ROUTINE TO KEEP FROM GETTING BORED. Separation/Dropout Not a divorce! Just a "communication problem"... Remove the word ‘quit’ from you vocabulary – if you are side-tracked from your routine, figure out why, what you can do to prevent it and get back into it! Life is full of things that get in the way of physical activity. Find the time to be together. Schedule and plan around these events to create a strong, healthy relationship!

Getting Started (written work book Goal setting Page) The following steps will apply to any goal you want to set…

The Ultimate Goal Do it for yourself. Write down exactly what you want and why. Easier to draw out a road map to a SMART goal. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timed Positive. Possible. Performance based. Present tense. Set a deadline. Pick a date first, then work backwards Choose a performance goal rather than an outcome goal - you have more control over your performance. Outcome goals refer to the goal you are aiming to achieve, such as lifting 5 more pounds in the next back workout or 40 more pounds over several months. They are not flexible; the goal is either achieved or not. Performance goals refer to the process done to achieve the goal. They are much more flexible; allows for the reorganization of day to day strategies.

The Ultimate Goal Poorly written goal Better SMART goal To increase cardiovascular exercise. I will walk 5 days/week for 30-45 minutes. Follow a good diet so I feel better. I will eat 2 fruits and 3 vegetables 5 days/week. Lose 20 pounds. I will drop 1 size by exercising 4 days/week for 30 minutes and not eating desserts or sweets on 5 days out of the week. To increase my bench press. I will bench press 275 pounds in 4 months.

Plan Your Road Map Goal setting maps out your road to fitness success. Create a SMART Goal. Write it down. Use pictures and words that describe how you will feel after you have achieved your goal (in 6 months). What differences you will see, hear, feel, taste and smell?

Small Steps Establish Short-term Goals. Weekly or monthly goals will let you experience small successes. Builds motivation towards the ultimate goal. Focus on small, but challenging steps. Not able to achieve a short-term goal? This is not failure. It gives information on what is not working and allows the review of short-term goals. Write a contract with yourself. Sketch out a plan in pencil and make it stick with ink.

Plan Your Road Map Identify 6 short term goals (monthly) that will move you towards achieving your main goal.

Support Feed your motivation with a flow of steady incentive. Surround yourself with the positive emotional support of friends, family, coaches and teammates. Someone close to you may try to sabotage your progress - either consciously or subconsciously. Tell them up front that you need their help or spend as little time as possible around them. Tell people about your goal. Increases support and keeps you on your path.

Plan Your Road Map Identify 2 people you will ask to help you achieve your goal.

Relapse Know what to expect and develop strategies to overcome stumbling blocks Barrier – unforeseeable events that hinders plans/action. Obstacle – foreseeable events that impedes plans/action. Excuse – events (foreseeable/unforeseeable) that, with planning, could be overcome. Create Backup Plans of Action. Establish a backup plan of action by strategizing ahead of time and anticipating stumbling blocks. Barrier – an unpreventable event that hinders our plans or actions (car breaks down on the way to the gym). Obstacle – a foreseeable event that impedes our plans or actions (your spouse travels for work and you need a babysitter). Excuse – an event (foreseeable/unforeseeable) that with planning could be overcome.

Plan Your Road Map Select 2 stumbling blocks and identify how you will overcome them.

Evaluate Stay focused. Create milestones and assess your progress regularly. Plan to evaluate your performance, dedication, motivation, and whether you did or did not achieve your goals. What went right? What went wrong? Were any factors not considered? Learn from your mistakes, failures, and successes.

Plan Your Road Map Identify 2 ways you will evaluate your progress.

Rewards Rewards are powerful motivators. Celebrate your successes! Positive self treatment goes a long way in encouraging you to keep going. Improving a bit each day, no matter how tiny that bit is, will take you to your ultimate goal! Just be gradual and consistent!

Plan Your Road Map Identify a reward for achieving a short term goal. Identify a reward for achieving your ultimate goal.

A Never Ending Cycle There is always room for improvement – physically, emotionally, socially, mentally, spiritually… Once you achieve a goal – there is always something more to strive for!

What could make the work outs work?

Tips To Make Workouts Work Make it fun! Commit yourself. Goal for it. Accumulate time. Break it up. Pencil yourself in. Avoid the all-or-nothing trap. Keep perspective. Vary intensities. Be Flexible. Be realistic. Gear up. Have equipment on hand. Recruit a friend. Jump on spare time. Create workouts. Keep a journal. Exercise to music. Choose convenience. Commit yourself. You owe it to yourself and your family to be as healthy as you can be. Goal for it. Set short-term and long-term goals. Break it up. Busy people get the same benefits when they exercise in bits and pieces throughout the day as when they work out in one block of time. Pencil yourself in. On busy days you need to plan ahead and schedule a workout (in pen). Avoid the all-or-nothing trap. If life prevents you from doing what you planned for the day, do what you can and do not worry about it. Keep perspective. If you fall off your routine - just get back on. Interruptions are part of life.