Developing a Personal Fitness Plan

1. Developing a Personal Fitness Plan U.S. Coast Guard Unit Health Promotion Coordinator Course

2. Objectives • Understand the Health Promotion Coordinator’s role in assisting members with fitness programs. • Understand the Health Promotion Coordinator’s role in assisting members on the CG Weight Management Program. • Understand goal setting strategies.

3. Objectives • Identify the principles involved in creating a balanced, safe and effective exercise programs. • Identify behavior modification strategies. • Complete a Detailed Personal Fitness Plan using CG-6049.

4. Exercise Adherence • 50% drop out within 6 months to a year. • 75% drop out within 3 years. • Only 20 to 40% of employees eligible to use worksite exercise facilities will do so.

5. Factors Influencing Adherence • Why do people stay in or drop out of fitness programs?

6. Personal Factors • Psychological • Attitudes and beliefs about exercise & self. • Behavioral • Type of personality & lifestyle. • Income, education and type of employment. • Biological. • Body type & fitness level.

7. Social Factors • Family support • Peer support • Organizational & cultural support • Travel

8. Program Turn-off Factors • Lack of convenience • Inflexible or vague goals • Too time consuming or unrealistic? • Too intense or complex? • Lack variety, feedback and information? • No behavior mod techniques

9. Health Promotion Coordinator’s Role • Be a positive role model. • Be enthusiastic and supportive. • Promote a balanced attitude toward exercise. • Provide positive feedback. • Educate and motivate. • Assist members with the development of annual Basic Personal Fitness Plans

10. HPC’s Role in the Coast Guard Weight Management Program • Assist members with the development of annual Detailed Personal Fitness Plans. • Monitor mandatory exercise sessions (1 hour, 3x/week) • Conduct monthly mandatory fitness assessments. • Provide members with resources (PWP’s, Weight Management Self-Help Guide).

11. Developing a Personal Fitness Plan • Always ensure that participant’s fitness goals are clear and important to them. • Consider: • Skill and fitness level • Time and convenience • Cost • Special health needs • Level of fun and interest • What are their assets and barriers? • Discuss participants past and present exercise history, and lifestyle. Fit & Well, Pages 176-184

12. Developing a Personal Fitness Plan • Review Fitness Assessment results if available. • Develop a program that includes each of the health-related components of physical fitness: • Cardiorespiratory • Muscular Strength and Endurance • Flexibility • Healthy Body Composition

13. Developing a Personal Fitness Plan • Set up a system of goals and rewards. • Design a program that considers frequency, intensity, and duration for each component of fitness. • Develop tools for monitoring your progress. • Make a commitment to the exercise plan.

14. Goal Setting • Long-term or general goals Ultimate/overall • Short-term or specific goals Milestones to assist in reaching final goals • Mini-goals Similar to short-term goals, but target dates and potential rewards for goal attainment are included. Useful in helping to keep a program on track.

15. Goal Setting • Always ensure that participant’s goals are clear and important personally. • Use the S.M.A.R.T. formula • Specific • Measurable • Action-oriented • Realistic/rewards • Time-oriented

16. Goal Setting Examples • Long-term goal: Reduce my risk for diabetes & heart disease • Short-term goal: lower body composition from 28 to 25% • Mini-goals • Complete 2 full weeks of program • Complete 10 full weeks of program • % body fat of 27% • Target Date/Reward October 5/Movie with friends Nov. 30 / New Sweater Dec. 22 / Weekend away

17. Example: Short-termPush-Up Assessment Goal • A 23 year old male achieves 20 push-ups in the Push-up endurance test. This places him in the “Needs Improvement” category. His new short-term 3 month retest goal would be to achieve a score at the top end of the same category or the low end of the next up category, “Doing Well.”

18. SMART Mini-goals • What are the actions that will help member achieve goal? • Will talk to buddy tomorrow and scheduling workout dates for next week. • Will do 2 sets of push-ups to exhaustion this week before lunch on Mon.,Thurs. and Sat.

19. Guidelines for Cardiorespiratory Endurance Training • Frequency • 3-5 times per week • Intensity • Target Heart Rate Zone (65-90% of maximum heart rate or 55% of maximum heart rate for unfit individuals) • RPE value of 12-17 Duration • total duration of 20-60 minutes per session (or multiple sessions lasting 10 minutes or more)

20. Guidelines for Muscle Strength and Endurance Training • Frequency • 2-3 times per week • Intensity • At least one set of 8-10 exercises that work the major muscle groups • Identify a weight setting that is challenging by the last 2 repetitions. • Duration • 30-60 minutes for most training programs

21. Guidelines for Flexibility Training • Frequency • minimum of 2-3 days per week • Intensity and Duration • Hold each stretch for 10-30 seconds • Stretch to the point of mild discomfort, not pain

22. Program Design (cont.) • Select one activity for each component of fitness. • Cross-train: Use different activities to develop a particular component of fitness. • Consider: • Level of fun and interest • Skill and fitness level • Time and convenience • Special health needs • Cost

23. Program Design (cont.) • Include ways to incorporate more activity into your everyday routine (i.e., taking the stairs instead of the elevator). • Health benefits can be obtained from simply becoming more physically active over the course of each day.

24. Behavior Modification Strategies • Use exercise cues • Schedule exercise appointments • Use activity tracking logs • Establish an exercise check-in system • Make a commitment • Sign a contract & determine rewards

25. Safe and Effective FitnessPrograms • Avoid unnecessary stress • Identify special health needs. Get clearance from a physician, if necessary • Start slowly and gradually increase frequency, intensity, and duration. • Vary the program • Expect lapses • Wear comfortable clothing and appropriate footwear. • Use exercise cues, contracts, support from friends and family, goal setting strategies to help you stick with your program.

26. Health Coaching Skills • Coaching Principles • Listening techniques • Client-centered • Interviewing questions • Why now? • What will be different? • What do you need to change? • What do others say? • What else is going on?

27. Your Turn! Complete a Detailed Personal Fitness Plan using CG-6049

28. Review • Understand the Health Promotion Coordinator’s role in assisting members with fitness programs. • Understand the Health Promotion Coordinator’s role in assisting members on the CG Weight Management Program. • Understand goal setting strategies.

29. Review • Identify the principles involved in creating a balanced, safe and effective exercise programs. • Identify behavior modification strategies. • Complete a Detailed Personal Fitness Plan using CG-6049.