Making An Activity Plan

What are your goals?

Deciding what you want to achieve – for example relaxation, feeling fitter, losing weight, or lowering your blood pressure or cholesterol level – will help you identify the activity that’s right for you.

Which activity?

Choosing activities that you like and that you can achieve will help you plan realistically. Use the tips here to think about what you’d like to do. Remember, it’s never too late to start something new as long as you start gently and gradually.

When can you be more active?

Identifying the time you have available, whether it is part of your usual day or if you need to put time aside, will help you plan. You may need to do this each week if your lifestyle is variable.

What will get in the way?

Planning your time around other commitments you have will increase your chance of success. Thinking of ways to avoid potential distractions will help.

Write down your plan

A written plan can help you remember your goals and help you record your achievements.

Assess your plan

At the end of each week, asses how well you’ve done. Do you need to make any changes in your activity plan? For example, if you have achieved all your goals, you might want to do more next week. If too many things got in the way, give yourself a more realistic plan – for example smaller goals.

Choosing your activity

Different activities have different benefits. The following tips may suggest new activities and give you more help in choosing one that works best for you.

• Jogging, cycling, hiking, and going to the gym can help you lose weight and lower your blood pressure and blood fats.
• Gentle stretching. Tai chi, and swimming can help to relax and unwind.
• Yoga and Pilates can improve your muscle strength and posture.
• Running up stairs, cycling instead of driving, and waling during work breaks can help you fit activity into a busy day.
• Using an exercise bike or video at home are useful if you prefer to be active alone.
• Hiking with a group, golf, tennis, and bowling are ways of combining activity with socializing.