How are you going to set your goals? The SMART system of goal setting is often recommended by self-improvement experts. Set exercise goals that are Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic and Timed.

Specific.
What exactly do you want to accomplish? Wanting to get in shape is not specific enough. Examples of specific goals toward which you can design your exercise programs include cardiovascular improvement, better muscle tone, weight reduction, stress reduction and improved sport performance. A clear goal will help your instructor or trainer decide on the best way to design your program.

Measurable.
How will you know if you accomplished your goal? First determine your current level of fitness. Then determine on the level of improvement you want to accomplish. Your trainer or instructor can help you measure your progress by providing periodic fitness assessments. Unless a goal is measurable, you have no way of knowing when you have accomplished it.

Action-Oriented.
Your written plan should select specific exercises that meet your needs. If your shoulders are severely rounded, your plan should include stretching exercises for the chest and strength exercises for the upper back.

Your plan should consider both long term and short term goals. Achieving short-term goals gives you a needed sense of a accomplishment from day to day, week to week. By reviewing results periodically, you and your instructor/trainer can decide if a goal was unreasonable, in which case you can change it. Altering old behavior patterns can take six to eight weeks.

Realistic.
Unrealistic goals lead to disillusionment, so hold your goals up to the “reality light”. Asses time constraints and chose exercises that you enjoy. Old injuries also play a large role in determining exercise prescription. If your knees are bad don’t set yourself up for failure with a strenuous jogging routine; focus on something with low impact to joints, like the bicycle or swimming. Your job may require you to work late, but if your midday demands are light, schedule yourself and hour-long workout or stretch session during lunch. Find out what facilities are near your home and work, and plan to use them; or combine leisure time with fitness by walking, yard work and playing in the park with children all count as exercise.

Timed.
Your target date for having accomplished your goals is a strong motivating factor. Having that target date will keep you from becoming lazy. Challenge yourself but be realistic. A good example would be losing 20 lbs and keeping it off is a good four-month goal, not a one-month goal. The first step to a healthier lifestyle is to set SMART goals.

Flexibility Basics
All of the muscle groups that are going to be used in a workout should be stretched prior to the exercise, following a thorough warm-up to slightly increase muscle temperature. Stretching can also be done after the workout. This will help prevent muscular soreness in the days after exercise. Maintaining flexibility becomes even more important as people age. It can improve the quality of life by allowing people to perform what once were simple daily tasks, such as getting out of the car or tying shoes. Other benefits of flexibility include a reduced risk of injury to muscles and joints.

Strength Training? How Much Is Enough?
A personal trainer or weight room instructor can prescribe the best program for you, but as a general rule benefits will be achieved from training two or three nonconsecutive days per week for a minimum of one set per exercise for each major muscle group (quadriceps, hamstrings, upper back, shoulders, lower back, chest, biceps and triceps). You should do 8-15 repetitions of each exercise with slow controlled motions. Its time to increase your resistance when you can do 15 repetitions of a given exercises. To increase weight safely add 5% to the resistance and do eight repetitions. Stay at this new resistance level until you can do 15 repetitions with slow controlled motions. No matter what age you are, you’ll find that strength training will help you function better, in your everyday life.

Improving Cardiovascular Endurance
The body uses oxygen and food to generate energy. The cardiovascular system delivers oxygen to the skeletal muscles, which uses this oxygen to “burn” various fuels (carbohydrates and fat) to yield mechanical energy. A unique feature of the body is its ability to change in response to the demands placed on it. By working out hard, the aerobic system is overloaded. During rest, the body adapts, resulting in increased strength. To determine exercise intensity, simply take a percentage of your maximum heart rate. The approximate maximum heart rate (max HR) can be determined by subtracting your age from 220. For example the maximum heart rate for a 42 year old would be approximately 180 beats per minute (220-40), and a target range of 60 to 80 percent would be 108 to 144 beats per minute.