Under construction
Congratulations! You’re experiencing substantial positive effects on your health from muscle-strengthening exercises, but don’t miss out on the specific health advantages from aerobic activity! Use your I-SSEE self-coaching skills to move to the next level in aerobic fitness!
(This page is a follow-up link from the article 2018 Physical Activity Recommendations. It will make the most sense if you start there. That is where you will find Step 1 of I-SSEE self-coaching)
Step 2: Seek reliable information
The 2018 Guidelines for Physical Activity are themselves a reliable source of information. You can read the complete document here.
The guidelines specifically address when to consult a physician before increasing your habitual activity level:
“No evidence is available to indicate that people who consult with their health care provider receive more
benefts and suffer fewer adverse events than people who do not. People without diagnosed chronic conditions (such as diabetes, heart disease, or osteoarthritis) and who do not have symptoms (such as chest pain or pressure, dizziness, or joint pain) most likely do not need to consult with a health care provider about physical activity….
Inactive people who gradually progress over time to relatively moderate-intensity activity have no known risk of sudden cardiac events and very low risk of bone, muscle, or joint injuries. A person who is habitually active with moderate intensity activity can gradually increase to vigorous intensity without needing to consult a health care provider. People who develop new symptoms when increasing their levels of activity should consult a health care provider.” p. 93 2018 Guidelines for Physical Activity
Another useful tool to help you think through when it is important to contact your physician before changing your activity level is the 2018 Par-Q+ Questionaire
When in doubt, consult your health care provider.
Step 3: Set some SMART goals!
Plan 1 or 2 SMART goals and start reaping the positive benefits on your health of aerobic activities today!
Examples of SMART goals for this level of activity:
- I will add ______ minutes of an aerobic activity (walking, lawn-mowing, dancing, biking, etc.) on MWF. (If you have not been doing any aerobic activity, start small and gradually increase)
- I will add small doses of aerobic activity by parking in the farthest spot from the door at work and at the store; or doing _____ flights of stairs per day, etc.
- I will make a list of aerobic activities I have enjoyed or that I think I would enjoy and choose one new one to try this week on ______ (day)Remember: these are just examples to get your own thinking flowing! You may use them or not. You know what is right for you!
Remember: these are just examples to get your own thinking flowing! You know what is right for you!
Step 4: Experiment with strategies
Ask yourself these questions to help choose the kinds of strategies that will be most helpful.
- What are some ways I can keep WHY I want to make the change at the front of my mind?
- What are some cues I can use to remind myself to engage in the actions I’ve chosen?
- What obstacles are likely to get in my way? (Examples: you feel tired, you are going out to eat, other things in your schedule may crowd it out) What are some ways I can eliminate– or at least minimize—those obstacles?
- What are ways that I can increase my sense of reward for achieving my goal? (Examples: noticing how I feel during or after doing the action, remembering how this action ties into my greater goals, something concrete such as a new piece of athletic wear)
- What is the best way for me to track my efforts and practice self- accountability? Tracking will give you an extra “pop” of reward when you meet a goal and the possibility to tweak your strategies when you don’t. How will you track your efforts ? Will you write it down, keep up a spreadsheet, or use an app, etc.?
Examples of Strategies:
- I will remind myself of why I really want to renew my health in this way by__________________ (post-it note where I will see it, repeating it to myself, creating a vision board, journaling about it)
- I will reduce the obstacle of being too tired by packing a bag with exercise clothes and changing before I leave work (whether I am going to workout at home or elsewhere)
- I will reduce the obstacle of being too tired by sleeping in my workout clothes and leaving my shoes by the bed each night.
- By the end of the week, I will ask at least one friend if they would like to join me exercising If they do, I am increasing my reward for exercising.
- I will pay attention to the rewards of having more energy, or an improved mood, or a better ability to focus, etc. after aerobic exercise.
- I will track my goal by ____________________ (keeping a notebook, using a spreadsheet, using an app) every day for a month.
Step 5 Evaluate how well your strategies worked to accomplish your goal: revise as needed
Some goals need to be evaluated at the end of a day, and others at the end of a week or month.
For each time you accomplished your goal, ask yourself:
- How did I do at keeping in mind the WHY for this activity?
- What strategies did I use for cueing that were successful?
- What strategies did I use to reward myself? Is there anything I can do to strengthen my internal sense of reward or to increase external reward?
- What strategies did I use to overcome any obstacles that threatened to get in the way? Is there anything I can do to make those strategies even more effective?
- Can I apply similar strategies to another health goal?
If you were not able to accomplish your goal, ask yourself:
- Am I sure my goal is reasonable? Do I need to take a smaller step?
- If my goal is reasonable, did I have my WHY at the front of my mind? If not, what can I do to keep myself tuned into why I want to achieve this goal?
- Do I need a cueing strategy to achieve this goal? If I used cueing, was it effective in getting me to remember to do the activity?
- If I remembered to do an activity, did an obstacle interfere with my goal? What strategies to get around that did I try? How could I revise those to make it more likely that I am successful tomorrow? (or next week)
- Are there strategies that I have used for another goal that I could possibly apply to this one?
Now, make the adjustments that seem best to you and start a new experiment. You will have some trial and error. Each time you try, whether your plan works or not, is a learning experience, moving you toward effective ways to reset and renew your health!
Repeat this process as often as needed to continue on the path to renewing your health!
