Setting Goals

Once the doctor clears you to start exercising, you are ready to move ahead. Behavioralists suggest that people go through several stages to change, and that the activities you participate in may help to move you from one stage to the next (Prochaska and DiClemente 1982). If you have not been exercising but are thinking about starting a program, you are in the contemplationstage. Two activities that will help you move to the next stage are education, which you are doing by reading this book, and analyzing your current activity level. The next stage of change is preparation, during which you take the initial steps toward the intended change. During this stage you should define your exercise goals (or redefine them if you are already exercising).This step helps you to determine the extent of the program you design and to stay motivated, especially during the first few weeks of your program. Hoeger and Hoeger suggest writing down your goals, because "an unwritten goal is simply a wish" (2002, p. 38).

Make sure that your goals are realistic and, at least in part, objective. A broad, vague goal such as “get fit” gives you nothing concrete by which you can measure your accomplishments. Think about what “getting fit” means to you; is it being able to walk nine holes of golf easily, carry your groceries from the car to the house, or lose weight? We may all start with vague, general goals; but when we think about it, there is usually something specific that we want to achieve. Identify the more specific goal; you may even find that you have several related goals. A golfer may want to increase her endurance (decrease fatigue during a round) and gain more shoulder flexibility to improve her golf swing.

Long-Term Goals

Short-Term Goals