Developing a Personal

Fitness Plan

U.S. Coast Guard

Unit Health Promotion Coordinator
Course

Objectives
Understand the Health Promotion
Coordinators role in assisting
members with fitness programs.
Understand the Health Promotion
Coordinators role in assisting
members on the CG Weight
Management Program.
Understand goal setting strategies.

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.

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.

Factors Influencing
Adherence

Why do people stay in or drop out

of fitness programs?

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.

Social Factors
Family support
Peer support
Organizational & cultural support
Travel

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

Health Promotion
Coordinators 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

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
(PWPs, Weight Management SelfHelp Guide).

Developing a Personal
Fitness Plan

Always ensure that participants 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

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

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.

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.

Goal Setting

Always ensure that participants goals

are clear and important personally.
Use the S.M.A.R.T. formula
Specific
Measurable
Action-oriented
Realistic/rewards
Time-oriented

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

1.

Complete 2 full weeks

of program
Complete 10 full
weeks of program
% body fat of 27%

2.
3.

Target
Date/Reward
October 5/Movie with
friends
Nov. 30 / New Sweater
Dec. 22 / Weekend away

Push-Up Assessment
Goal

A 23 year old male achieves 20 pushups 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.

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.

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)

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

Guidelines for Flexibility

Training
o

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

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

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.

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

Safe and Effective

Fitness Programs

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.

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?

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

Review
Understand the Health Promotion
Coordinators role in assisting
members with fitness programs.
Understand the Health Promotion
Coordinators role in assisting
members on the CG Weight
Management Program.
Understand goal setting strategies.

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.