Physical activity in Grand Rapids: setting realistic goals

Making any lifestyle change can be challenging, especially in a city like Grand Rapids where long winters, busy work schedules, and family commitments can make it hard to stay active. Setting clear, realistic physical activity goals can help you stay motivated and track your progress over time.

If you’re trying to become more physically active in Grand Rapids, well-planned goals can keep you focused and on track. Before you start a new exercise program—especially if you are over 40, overweight, haven’t exercised in a long time, or have a chronic medical condition—talk with a healthcare professional. Local options include your primary care provider at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, University of Michigan Health–West (Metro Health), or Mercy Health, as well as the Kent County Health Department.

Why setting fitness goals matters

Many Grand Rapids residents find that having a specific goal:

  • Gives them something concrete to work toward
  • Helps them stay motivated through our long Michigan winters
  • Provides a clear way to measure how well they’re doing

Several key principles can help you set effective physical activity goals:

  • Pinpoint your ultimate goal
  • Learn how to achieve that goal
  • Break it into small, specific mini-goals
  • Monitor your progress regularly
  • Adapt to changing circumstances (like weather, illness, or schedule changes)

Pinpoint your ultimate fitness goal

Your ultimate goal should be realistic and meaningful to you. In Grand Rapids, that might look like:

  • Being fit enough to walk or jog the full length of the Grand River trail
  • Completing a local 5K race, like the Grand Rapids Turkey Trot or Bridge Run
  • Swimming 10 laps at the Mary Free Bed YMCA or your local community pool
  • Having enough stamina to play with your kids or grandkids at Millennium Park

Make your goal realistic

Most of us will never be professional athletes or fitness influencers—and that’s okay. Focus on what is achievable for you, given your age, current fitness level, health conditions, and schedule.

Ask yourself:

  • What matters most to me—more energy, weight loss, better heart health, less joint pain?
  • What activities do I actually enjoy—walking, biking, swimming, group classes, home workouts?
  • What fits my lifestyle—early mornings, lunch breaks downtown, evenings at a local gym?

Write down goals that are specific and measurable

Vague goals like “I want to get fit” or “I want to lose weight” are hard to follow. Instead, make your goals:

  • Specific: “I will walk on the Kent Trails for 30 minutes, 5 days a week.”
  • Measurable: “I want to lose 10 pounds over the next 3 months.”
  • Personal: The goal should matter to you, not just to a partner, friend, or doctor.

Examples of specific, measurable goals for Grand Rapids residents:

  • “I will attend water aerobics at my local YMCA twice a week.”
  • “I will bike the White Pine Trail for 20 minutes, 3 times a week, once the snow has melted.”
  • “I will be able to climb the stairs at work without getting out of breath within 8 weeks.”

Different goals need different approaches

Your plan should match your goal. For example, weight loss requires you to burn more calories than you consume.

A balanced strategy may include:

  • Aerobic exercise:

    • Walk, jog, or bike along the Grand River or neighborhood sidewalks
    • Use indoor treadmills, ellipticals, or bikes at a local gym during icy or snowy months
    • Aim for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week

  • Healthier eating:

    • Cut back on junk food and sugary drinks
    • Eat smaller portions
    • Increase fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy, and whole grains
    • Take advantage of local farmers’ markets when in season (Fulton Street Farmers Market, Downtown Market)

If your goal is strength or better joint support, include resistance training 2–3 times per week, using body weight, resistance bands, or weights at home or at a local fitness center.

Break big goals into small mini-goals

You’re more likely to reach your ultimate goal if you break it into smaller, short-term steps. These mini-goals should be daily or weekly actions that lead you toward your main goal.

Know your starting point

Before you begin:

  • Note how far you can walk without stopping
  • Record your current weight and measurements (if weight-related)
  • Consider any joint pain, breathing issues, or medical conditions
  • Choose activities that feel comfortable and realistic for your current level

Build slowly

Increase your activity at a pace that feels right for you. For example:

  • Week 1–2: Walk 10 minutes a day, 3 days per week
  • Week 3–4: Walk 15–20 minutes a day, 4 days per week
  • Week 5–6: Walk 25–30 minutes a day, 5 days per week

As you get stronger, you can increase your time, distance, or intensity.

Set a reasonable timeframe

Healthy progress takes time. For example, if you want to lose 20 kg (about 44 pounds), a realistic rate is about 0.5–1 kg (1–2 pounds) per week.

That means you may need 20–40 weeks to reach that goal.

Think of your exercise routines as mini-goals, such as:

  • “I will exercise on at least 5 days this week.”
  • “I will take the stairs instead of the elevator at work whenever possible.”
  • “I will do strength exercises twice this week.”

The more mini-goals you achieve, the more confident and motivated you’ll feel.

Get expert help when you need it

If you’re unsure how to safely reach your fitness goals, talk to a professional:

  • Your GP or primary care doctor at Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, or Mercy Health
  • A physiotherapist, exercise physiologist, or podiatrist
  • A certified personal trainer at a local gym or community center
  • Kent County Health Department or Grand Rapids Public Health resources for community wellness programs

These professionals can help you:

  • Screen for health risks before you start
  • Design a safe, effective exercise plan
  • Adjust your routine if you have heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, or other chronic conditions

Monitor your progress regularly

Make your mini-goals measurable and track your progress. A simple training diary, notebook, or app can be very helpful.

Ways to measure your progress

  • For strength training:

    • Record the weight used and number of repetitions for each exercise
    • Note when an exercise starts to feel easier

  • For weight loss:

    • Track your weight once a week at the same time of day
    • Record what type of exercise you did and for how long
    • Keep a simple food log if helpful

  • For general fitness:

    • Time how long it takes you to walk a certain route (for example, around your neighborhood or downtown Grand Rapids)
    • Track how many minutes of activity you do each day
    • Note how you feel: energy levels, sleep quality, mood, and stress

Choose appropriate measurements

Bathroom scales don’t tell the whole story—they can’t distinguish between muscle and fat. Other ways to measure progress include:

  • Taking body measurements with a tape measure
  • Noticing how your clothes fit
  • Paying attention to your energy level and mood
  • Noticing improvements in daily tasks (climbing stairs, carrying groceries, shoveling snow)

Try to record your progress at least once a week. Include “non-scale victories” such as:

  • Feeling more energetic during the day
  • Sleeping better
  • Being able to walk farther or faster
  • Fitting into a smaller pair of jeans or a favorite coat

The more ways you give yourself to succeed, the more motivated you’ll stay.

Adapting your activity to Michigan’s seasons and life changes

Life in Grand Rapids—and Michigan weather—can easily interrupt your routine. Illness, injury, work changes, family needs, snowstorms, and icy sidewalks can all affect your plans.

Plan for interruptions

Think ahead about how you’ll cope with changes:

  • On vacation or traveling:

    • Walk more
    • Use hotel fitness facilities or do simple bodyweight exercises in your room

  • During winter or icy conditions:

    • Walk indoors at places like Woodland Mall or Rivertown Crossings
    • Use home workout videos, online classes, or simple equipment like resistance bands
    • Try indoor swimming at a community pool or local YMCA

  • If you’re injured or ill:

    • Don’t abandon your goals—adjust them
    • Talk with your doctor or physiotherapist about safe options
    • Focus on what you can do, such as stretching, gentle movement, or improving your diet

Use micro-goals while you recover

If you’re too unwell to exercise at your usual level, set very small goals, such as:

  • Drinking more water each day
  • Adding one extra serving of vegetables to your meals
  • Doing 5–10 minutes of gentle stretching

Write these micro-goals in your training diary to stay engaged and motivated.

When your goal feels out of reach

Sometimes, we set goals that are too ambitious for our current situation. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed—it means your plan needs adjusting.

For example:

  • You planned to lose 1 kg per week, but you’re losing 0.5 kg
  • Some weeks, your weight doesn’t change (remember, muscle weighs more than fat)

Instead of giving up:

  • Adjust your mini-goals and timeframe
  • Focus on how you feel—stronger, more energetic, less out of breath
  • Remember that progress is rarely a straight line

You know your body better than any scale. Use your experience, not just the numbers, to guide your next steps.

The first few months are the hardest

The first 2–3 months of a new exercise program are often the most challenging, especially when it’s dark early or the sidewalks are icy.

To stay on track:

  • Keep your short-term goals flexible and realistic
  • Expect some ups and downs
  • Remind yourself that consistency matters more than perfection

Celebrate every achievement

No matter how small it seems, every step counts:

  • Completing your first full week of planned workouts
  • Walking farther than you could a month ago
  • Choosing a healthy meal when you’re tired or stressed

Look back at the first pages of your training diary to see how far you’ve come. Committing to a healthier lifestyle in Grand Rapids—despite busy schedules and Michigan weather—is a major accomplishment.

Have a secondary fitness goal

It can help to have a backup or secondary goal. For example:

  • Ultimate goal: Lose 20 kg
  • Secondary goal: Be able to jog for 20 minutes without stopping

Even if weight loss is slower than expected, reaching your jogging goal is still a big success. Other secondary goals might include:

  • Lowering your blood pressure or cholesterol
  • Reducing joint pain
  • Sleeping better
  • Improving your mood or reducing stress

Don’t give up. You’re worth the effort.

Safety first: pre-exercise screening

Before starting or increasing your physical activity, especially if you’re over 40 or have health issues:

  • Complete a pre-exercise self-screening tool (many are available online)
  • Talk with your GP or nurse practitioner
  • Ask whether you need any tests or referrals before beginning a new program

This is especially important if you have:

  • Heart disease or a strong family history of heart disease
  • Diabetes or prediabetes
  • High blood pressure or high cholesterol
  • Joint problems, arthritis, or chronic pain
  • Lung disease or breathing problems

Local Grand Rapids resources for physical activity support

If you need help getting started or staying motivated, consider:

  • Your GP or primary care doctor (Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, Mercy Health)
  • Local gyms and fitness centers (including YMCAs and community recreation centers)
  • Community centers offering low-cost fitness classes and walking groups
  • Physiotherapists, podiatrists, and exercise physiologists for personalized guidance
  • Kent County Health Department and Grand Rapids Public Health for community wellness and physical activity programs
  • Local walking groups and heart-health programs (search “Heart Foundation–style walking groups” or similar community walking programs in Grand Rapids)

Key takeaways for setting physical activity goals in Grand Rapids

  • Pinpoint your ultimate fitness goal
  • Be realistic and specific
  • Choose a goal that is meaningful and important to you
  • Learn what type of activity best supports your goal (for example, aerobic activity for weight loss)
  • Set small, specific mini-goals
  • Monitor your physical activity regularly
  • Adapt your routine to life changes and Michigan’s seasons
  • Don’t be too hard on yourself—progress, not perfection, is the goal

By setting clear, realistic goals and using the many health and fitness resources available in Grand Rapids, MI, you can build an active lifestyle that supports your long-term health and well-being.