Question

Lab 3: Goal Setting

Case: Amy is an office manager at a local business. She was a high school athlete, but has done little exercise and gained weight over the last 10 years. She wants to get back in shape, so she joined the Y and began going to the gym. Then she got sick, and has not been back to the gym in 4 weeks. She has come to you (personal trainer and consultant) for help setting up a plan to get back on track with her exercise. Help Amy set up a goal plan that she can stick to.

Lab Overview: Develop a goal plan for the above case. Answer the following 4 questions, and develop a plan for Amy using goal-setting principles. (3 pages max ).

1. (1 pt) At your first meeting, Amy says: I want to get back in shape, like when I was a high school athlete, by my 10th reunion (6 months from now). Given that statement - How SMART is Amy’s current goal plan? (explain how it is/isn’t SMART)

   ....then, as the professional, help her develop a SSMARTER goal plan....

2. (1 pt) Identify a long-term goal (6 months or longer) that will both help Amy and fit within SMART goal principles. Make the long-term goal as SMART as you can. You may not match every principle – but try to make the goal fit as much as you can, and explain how the goal is/isn’t SMART.

3. (2 pts) Identify 3 short-term goals that build toward that long-term goal (you might use a staircase, and at least one of the short-term goals must be an immediate goal for the next week). Again, try to make these goals fit SSMARTER goals principles. Describe how each goal is/isn’t SMART, and how the 3 goals relate to the long-term goal.

4. (1 pt) Turn these goals into a goal program. As a consultant/trainer, how could you help Amy move through her goal plan (up the staircase)? In your goal program, consider how you would set up the plan with Amy, how you might monitor progress, evaluate and revise the plan (make it SSMARTER); identify barriers or problems that might arise and how you might deal with them, and anything else that might help Amy reach her goal.

Answer 1

Being in shape within 6 months is good. I think the reunion is a motivating factor. But she has to work hard to achieve it. She is a store manager now. The work out sessions should not affect her job. I'm personally not happy that she wants to work out because of the reunion. It points to the fact that she will discontinue it after the reunion. And it is not possible to have an athletic body she had during her school time. Setting an unrealistic goal may hamper her psychologically and physically. What if she misses the workout due to sickness just some weeks before the union. I guess that she will lose all the confidence and may not attend it as she doesn't have the athletic body. Rather than putting such unrealistic goals, she needs to do exercise for a healthy life.
Well, I appreciate that she wants to do work out and be in shape within 6 month time. We have to plan well and stick to it. We have to set some short term goals because it will motivate us to move on. It will give us feedback to know how well she is progressing.
Her specific goal is to lose weight and be in shape. She wants to accomplish it before her reunion. She will be confident if she has that attractive athletic body.
Her progress can be measured periodically. We can quantify and review it. The plans must be set based on how well she is doing. She has to do cardio exercises like cycling, swimming, jogging etc a lot more. She has to set a diet plan by increasing protein and reducing fat.
The goal is attainable if he wants to be in good shape. But if she wants an athletic body, it may not be easy because it will take a lot of effort.
The goal is fine, but if she discontinues after the reunion, it won't do any good.
The deadline for reaching the goal is within 6 months. So she has to start immediately.