Health and PE Module One Lesson Two Notes

Building a Healthier You: Understanding Influences, Assessing Fitness and Setting SMART Goals

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Instruction

Understanding Factors Influencing Health and Physical Activity

Have you ever thought about why some days you’re super motivated to work out and other days you just can’t find the energy? Maybe it’s because of something someone said, how you’re feeling about yourself, or even something you saw on social media.

In this lesson, we will explore the different factors that influence your health and physical activity, both from within yourself and from your surroundings. For example, you may feel motivated to work out because you want to feel more confident, or you may be influenced by seeing your friends post about their fitness journeys on social media. You might also notice how your busy school schedule makes it tough to find time to stay active, or how having supportive parents or coaches pushes you to stay on track. Understanding these factors will help you make better decisions for your health and set goals that work for you.

By the end of this lesson, you will gain more tools to help you create goals that are meaningful and realistic to achieve. Ready to find out what truly motivates you?

Understanding What Affects Your Health Choices

When it comes to staying healthy and active, there are many things that can influence your decisions. Some of these factors come from within you, while others come from your environment and the people around you. By understanding both internal and external factors, you can make better choices that help you reach your health goals.

Internal Factors That Affect Your Health Choices

First, let's look at the internal factors. These are things that come from within you and can shape how you approach your health:

Attitudes and Beliefs

Your attitude toward exercise and healthy eating can make a big difference in what you do. If you believe that staying active is important, you’re more likely to find ways to work out, even when it’s tough. On the other hand, if you think exercise is a chore, you might avoid it.

Example: If you have grown up in a family that values physical fitness, like parents who go for a jog every morning or siblings who play sports, you might see exercise as a normal and positive part of your life. But if you have always thought of exercise as something boring or only for athletes, it might be harder for you to get motivated to work out.

Motivation

Motivation is your “why” behind staying healthy. This can be different for everyone. Maybe you want to feel good, have more energy, or feel more confident. Whatever your reason, it’s what drives you to stick to your health goals.

Example: If you’re motivated by wanting to make a school sports team, you might push yourself to run extra laps or practice your skills every day. Maybe you are more motivated by wanting to feel more energized during the day, so you start eating better and going for walks to boost your mood.

Health Conditions

Personal health conditions, like asthma, injuries, or chronic pain, can affect how you participate in physical activities. These conditions can sometimes make it challenging to stay active, but with the right adjustments, you can still find ways to stay healthy. (Always check with your physician and parents/guardians before trying any exercises if you have a health condition.)

Example: If you have asthma, you might need to be careful about intense cardio workouts, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be active. You could focus on exercises that are easier on your lungs, like swimming or yoga, which allow you to stay fit and may do so without triggering your symptoms.

Knowledge

Knowing the benefits of exercise and healthy eating is crucial for making smart choices. When you understand how good nutrition fuels your body and how exercise strengthens your muscles and boosts your mood, it’s easier to make decisions that support your health.

Example: If you learn in health class that eating a balanced diet can help you perform better in sports, you might start paying more attention to what you eat before practice or games. Or, if you understand how regular exercise can improve your mental health, you might use physical activity as a way to manage stress or anxiety.

"New Mindset = New Result" written on two separate sticky notes. Symbolizes the idea that changing your mindset can lead to improved outcomes in life.

External Factors That Affect Your Health Choices

Now, let’s talk about the external factors—these are the things in your environment that can influence your health:

Environment

Where you live can impact how easy or difficult it is for you to be active. For example, if Taylor lives in a big city, they might have access to parks, gyms, or walking paths. But sometimes, safety concerns or not having enough green spaces can make it harder to get outside and exercise. On the other hand, if Justin lives in a rural area with lots of open space, he might have room to run or bike, but he might not have access to a gym or organized sports.

Family and Friends

The people in your life play a huge role in your health decisions. For example, if Maria’s family enjoys going for walks after dinner, or if her friends are into playing sports, she might be more active. If David’s family prefers watching TV or playing video games, it might be harder for him to stay active.

Socioeconomic Status

Your family's income can affect how much access you have to healthy foods and fitness programs. For instance, if Ava’s family can afford a gym membership, she might be able to take fitness classes. However, if Mason’s family can’t, he might have to find other ways to stay active.

Media and Advertising

What you see in the media can shape how you think about health and fitness. Sometimes, the media shows a narrow view of what it means to be healthy, focusing on specific body types or lifestyles. For example, if Mia sees ads that mostly show athletes who don’t look like her or come from different backgrounds, it might be harder for her to feel motivated. But if she follows social media accounts that feature diverse people staying active in various ways, she might feel more inspired to find activities that work for her.

A group of teenage friends is playing volleyball on a sandy beach. The teens are engaged in the game and are positioned around the net.

Quick Check!

Quick Check

Which of the following is an internal factor that influences health and physical activity?

availability of parks: Almost! Think about what comes from inside you and affects how you think about your health and activity. Try again.
attitudes and beliefs: Correct: Great job! Attitudes and beliefs are internal factors because they come from within you and shape your approach to health and activity.
socioeconomic status: Almost! Think about what comes from inside you and affects how you think about your health and activity. Try again.
media and advertising: Almost! Think about what comes from inside you and affects how you think about your health and activity. Try again.

Quick Check

What is an example of an external factor?

motivation: Good try! Think about things around you that might impact your health decisions, like your environment or the people you spend time with.
knowledge: Good try! Think about things around you that might impact your health decisions, like your environment or the people you spend time with.
family and friends: Correct: Well done! Family and friends are external factors because they influence you from outside your personal thoughts and feelings.
health conditions: Good try! Think about things around you that might impact your health decisions, like your environment or the people you spend time with.

Quick Check

Why is it important to understand both internal and external factors affecting health?

to ignore them and focus only on exercise: You're close! Think about how understanding both what's inside and outside of you can help you make better decisions about your health.
to make informed decisions about our health: Correct: That’s right! Understanding these factors helps you make smart choices that improve your overall health.
to blame others for our health issues: You're close! Think about how understanding both what's inside and outside of you can help you make better decisions about your health.
to set unrealistic goals: You're close! Think about how understanding both what's inside and outside of you can help you make better decisions about your health.

Assessing Your Health and Physical Activity Levels

What if you could turn some of your daily habits into opportunities for a healthier you? Imagine swapping just 15 minutes of scrolling on your phone for a quick workout or replacing a snack with a healthier option that fuels your body. In this lesson, we will look at how small changes can make big impacts on your life.

Now that we understand the factors influencing our health we will look at areas for improvement and how to set realistic goals. For example, you may realize that you spend a lot of time on social media after school, and set a goal to replace that time with a short walk or workout. Understanding where you are now helps you make better choices about physical activity, improving your eating habits, or managing stress. Let’s figure out the best starting point for you and how we can improve your lifestyle.

Girl running while wearing a fitness bracelet on her wrist designed to monitor physical activity.

Understanding your health is the first step in making positive changes. You’ll start by using a personal health inventory and a fitness assessment to get a clear picture of where you are now. Here’s how to get started with your personal health inventory:

1. Personal Health Inventory

Diet: Tracking what you eat for a week can help you see if you’re getting the nutrients your body needs. Pay attention to whether you’re eating enough fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains.
Sleep: Recording your sleep patterns can show whether you’re getting the recommended 8-10 hours of sleep each night. Good sleep is essential for feeling your best and staying healthy.
Stress Levels: Noting your stress levels throughout the day can help you identify what’s causing stress and how often you feel stressed. Understanding your stress patterns can lead to finding better ways to manage it.

Woman exercising while setting fitness goals. Woman is engaged in a workout routine with a focus on both physical activity and goal-setting.

Once you've looked at your personal health inventory, the next step is to assess your physical fitness. This helps you understand how well your body can handle physical activities. Here’s how to get started:

2. Fitness Assessment

A hand marking "Excellent" status on a health evaluation form using a green marker.

Cardiorespiratory Fitness: This measures how well your heart and lungs work during exercise. It’s all about how long you can keep going before you get too tired.

Strength: Strength measures how much power your muscles have. A common way to test this is by seeing how many push-ups or sit-ups you can do in one go.

Flexibility: Flexibility is about how easily your muscles and joints can move. A common test is to see if you can touch your toes without bending your knees.

Activity Log

Tracking your physical activities for a week will help you understand your current activity levels and identify areas where you may want to improve. Here’s how to do it:

1. Track Your Physical Activities

For one week, keep a detailed log of your physical activities. Make sure to include the following information:

Type: What kind of activity did you do? (e.g., running, biking, swimming, yoga)
Duration: How long did you spend on each activity? (e.g., 30 minutes, 1 hour)
Intensity: How hard did you work? (e.g., light, moderate, vigorous)

Record Examples:

Example 1: Running for 30 minutes at a moderate intensity.
Example 2: Playing basketball for 1 hour with vigorous intensity.
Example 3: Dancing at a family event for 45 minutes with light intensity.

2. Analyze Your Log

At the end of the week, you should review your entries to get an overview of how much and what kinds of physical activity you're doing. Look for patterns or trends and ask yourself are there days when you’re more active or less active? You might notice that you’re more active on weekends when you have more free time, or that you tend to do more light activities like walking during the week.

Example: If you see that you spend most of your time doing light activities, like walking to school or doing chores, but haven’t had much time for more intense workouts, this might be an area to improve. Or, if you notice you are very active during sports practice but not as much on other days, you might want to add more variety to your routine.

3. Reflect on Your Findings

Think about how your activity levels line up with your health goals. Are there areas where you could improve? For example, if you notice you’re not getting enough cardiorespiratory exercise, like running or cycling, this might be an area to focus on. If you’re aiming to build strength, consider whether you’re doing enough resistance activities, like push-ups or weightlifting.

Example: If your goal is to build muscle, but you’re mostly doing cardio, you might decide to add more strength training to your routine. Or, if you want to improve your flexibility, you could incorporate more stretching or yoga into your daily activities.

4. Set the Stage for SMART Goals

By the end of this self-assessment, you should have a clear picture of your current activity levels and overall health. This understanding will be crucial for setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals in our next topic.

By tracking and analyzing your physical activities, you are taking an important step toward understanding your health and fitness. At the end of this lesson, you will complete an activity that will help you track and document your fitness needs. With this knowledge, you are ready to set SMART goals that are specific to your needs and lifestyle. In our next lesson, we will learn how to create these goals, so you can continue on your path to a healthier, more active life.

Quick Check!

Think about your answer to each question before turning the card to reveal the answer.

Setting SMART Goals to Improve Health and Fitness

Now that we have discussed the various factors that influence your health and physical activity it is time to set some personal goals for yourself. We will use the SMART criteria to make sure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This will help you set both realistic and effective goals that you will be able to use throughout your lifetime.

What if you had a game plan for achieving your biggest health and fitness goals? Setting goals can sometimes feel overwhelming, but when you use the SMART method, it’s like having a personal roadmap that guides you every step of the way. In this lesson, you will learn how to create goals that aren’t just dreams but are practical steps that you can take right now and continue to use in the future. Let’s design a plan and start setting goals that work for you and your health needs!

wooden blocks that spell chance with a hand changing the word to change

A set of icons representing SMART goal setting is displayed with labels: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Understanding your health and fitness always starts with self-awareness. After you have completed your personal health inventory, fitness assessment, and activity log, you will now have a clear picture of what you need to focus on. These tools have helped you assess your diet, sleep, stress levels, cardiorespiratory fitness, strength, flexibility, and daily activity patterns.

Now that you have a better understanding of your current health and fitness levels, it's time to use this knowledge to make meaningful changes. This is where setting SMART goals comes in. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. They give you a clear, focused path to follow as you work to improve your health and fitness.

Close-up of a human handwriting a workout plan in a grid notebook. Hand is holding a pen and writing on the page that shows a structured workout plan.

Understanding SMART Goals

SMART goals are an effective way to set clear, realistic, and achievable objectives that guide you toward your desired outcomes. SMART stands for:

Specific: Define exactly what you want to achieve.
- Example: Instead of saying "I want to get fit," say "I want to run a mile without stopping within the next four weeks."
Measurable: Determine how you will track your progress.
- Example: Use a fitness app, journal, or regular check-ins with a friend or family member to monitor your progress.
Achievable: Set goals that are realistic given your current health and fitness level.
- Example: If you’re new to running, start with shorter distances and gradually build up, rather than aiming to run a marathon in a month.
Relevant: Ensure your goals align with your overall health and wellness priorities.
- Example: Choose goals that will make a significant positive impact on your well-being, such as increasing your daily physical activity or improving your diet.
Time-bound: Set a specific timeframe to achieve your goals.
- Example: Setting a deadline, like “within the next 30 days,” helps create urgency and keeps you focused.

SMART Goals Video

As we continue learning about SMART goals, take a moment to watch this short video that reviews how each part can be applied daily. Pay attention to how SMART goals can make your goals clearer and easier to achieve. Think about how you can use these tips to improve your own goals.

Examples of SMART Goals:

Improve Cardiorespiratory Fitness

Specific: I will jog for 20 minutes, three times a week.
Measurable: I will track my jogging sessions using a fitness app.
Achievable: I will start with 10-minute sessions and gradually increase to 20 minutes as my endurance improves.
Relevant: Jogging regularly will enhance my endurance and overall fitness, helping me meet my health goals.
Time-bound: I will achieve this goal within the next month.

Eat Healthier

Specific: I will eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
Measurable: I will keep a daily food diary to track my servings and ensure I meet my goal.
Achievable: I will plan my meals and snacks to include a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Relevant: Increasing my intake of fruits and vegetables will boost my nutrition and energy levels, supporting my overall health.
Time-bound: I will maintain this goal consistently for the next 30 days.

At the end of this lesson, you’ll have the opportunity to track your current fitness levels and set your own SMART goals. This process will help you apply what you’ve learned about setting effective objectives to improve your health and fitness. By creating well-defined goals and monitoring your progress, you’ll be equipped to make meaningful and lasting improvements to your overall well-being. This hands-on experience will ensure you’re prepared to take control of your fitness journey and achieve your personal health goals.

Quick Check!

Let's Review!

In this lesson, we looked at what affects our health and activity levels, checked our own health and fitness, and learned how to set SMART goals to improve. Knowing these strategies will help you make smart choices for your well-being. By doing a health inventory and fitness assessment, we can see where we need to improve. Setting SMART goals ensures our goals are clear, realistic, and can be done in a set time. These steps help us create a personal plan to become healthier and more fit!

But it doesn’t stop there! Using these skills, you can continue to assess and adjust your goals as you grow and change. Whether you are running your first 5K or trying to manage stress, the strategies you’ve learned will be your tools for success. When life gets tough, just remember making small, consistent changes can lead to big results over time. As you move forward, keep these principles in mind, and don’t be afraid to revisit and refine your goals.

Your health is a journey, not a destination, and with the right approach, you can keep moving forward toward a healthier, more active life.

Slate blackboard sign displaying a Fitness Goals List. The sign has a dumbbell, an apple, and a tape measure.

Quick Check

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