Set goals and plan to be more physically active

You've identified that you'd like to make changes to become more physically active.

You can increase your chances of success by being clear on what you want to do (by setting yourself a goal). Then plan how you're going to make the changes you want and how you can keep it up.

Think of this as a three stage process:

1. Think about why you want to change - why is this important to you. The more important it is to you, the more you are likely to achieve your goal.
2. Set your goals - identify what it is that you're aiming for
3. Plan your actions - the steps to take to help you achieve your goal

If the idea of change seems a bit much, think if it in small steps. Small achievements can increase your confidence and motivation.

If the small steps don't seem like much of a change, remember that they are all taking you in the direction of your overall goal.

As you reach each small step (or mini-goal), you can make new ones, and make them more challenging as you move forwards.

To help you make your own plan, we've created a tool which allows you to set out an overall goal and the small steps you can take.

Set a goal and create action plans

Alternatively, if you would like to set goals in your own time, download a PDF version of the action plan.

Download the physical activity action plan (PDF) [158KB]

Tips for setting a goal

When you are setting any kind of goal, try to make them SMART. This means:

• Specific - adding in more detail will help you see what you need to do
• Measurable - using numbers is always helpful
• Action-focused - make sure the goal describes a behaviour
• Realistic - the goal should be something you can actually do
• Timed - know when you want to achieve your goal by

For example, take the goal of: "I want to spend an extra hour being more active at the weekend."

The SMART version might be: "I want to take two half-hour walks at the weekend, one on Saturday morning and one on Sunday morning over the next two weekends."