Description & Evidence
What is a S.M.A.R.T. Goal?
S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Action, Realistic, Timely. A S.M.A.R.T. goal implements all of these details to make the goal easier to accomplish by setting a plan of action for yourself.
What is a Fitness Log/Journal?
A fitness log is like a journal entry that records data and observations relating to your overall health and wellness, as well as exercise descriptions and diet plans. A fitness journal includes logs and a schedule/calendar to mark out specific times so you can plan your workouts and have a set track to achieving your S.M.A.R.T. goal, and so you can reflect on your progress over time.
My Project
For the past semester, I have created my own fitness log in order to achieve my own S.M.A.R.T. goal, putting all that we've learned into effect. During class, we learned about an abundance of exercises and different ways of training that could be helpful, and also how and why certain principles were more beneficial than others.
Resting Heart Rate Difference
March 4, 2021: 58 BPM
June 1, 2021: 51 BPM
My S.M.A.R.T. goal had to do with improving my Cardiovascular Endurance. I aimed to run 2 miles in 15 minutes by April 30, 2021. This meant lowering my existing 2 mile time by 2 minutes. I had planned to achieve this by going on at least two runs every week, one hike/walk every week, and strength training once every week, on top of any school sports that I was a part of. I made sure each part of the plan was specific and realistic to me. I was able to complete my goal, but not in the time frame I set for myself. I finally completed my goal of 2 miles in 15 minutes on May 17, 2021, when I got a time of exactly 14:59.
Elements I began tracking were each of my workouts and my pace if it was a run, my peak heart rate during the workout, my mood before and after the workout, any pain I felt during the workout, and my Perceived Exertion Index (PEI). Knowing if my heart rate was in my Target Heart Rate Range (THRR) helped me assess how hard I was working and how beneficial the training would be. All of these parts are found in each of the entries on the Fitness Log pages to the right, or on the app our class used called Strava. Strava is a fitness app that tracks your pace, time, distance, etc.. Other parts I recorded were my Resting Heart Rate (RHR) over time, my sleep each night (left), my water intake each day (left), mile trackers for every month (right), and a schedule each month (left).
To the left is my Strava tracker showing the success of my goal. It shows my PR for 2 miles as 14:59.