Exercise Behavior and Adherence Tyler Daly Austin Lowery Exercise Behavior and Adherence

Exercise Adherence Questionnaire 1. What makes people exercise and what makes people not exercise? 2. What are the determinates of exercise adherence 3. What strategies are used to increase exercise adherence? 4. What is exercise adherence?

Objectives Describe what exercise adherence is Explain why people choose to not exercise compared to why they should exercise Explain the determinants of exercise adherence Identify strategies for increasing exercise adherence

What is Exercise Adherence? Exercise Adherence refers to the strength of an individuals commitment to performing physical exercise. High among people that have achievable goals but also challenging with the supervision of a trainer or coach Exercises start of easy and then get harder

Why People Don’t Exercise Lack of Time Lack of Energy Lack of Motivation Lack of Social Support Lack of Money

Why They Should Exercise! Weight Control Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Reduction is Stress and Depression Enjoyment Enhancement of Self Esteem Opportunities to Socialize

Determinants Personal Factors Demographic Variables Cognitive and personality variables Behaviors

Demographic variables Demographic variables that have been associated with physical activity traditionally include education, income, and social economic status. Research has shown people with white collar jobs tend to show more exercise adherence. Recent studies used non white participants, because groups who are non white are absent from the literature, and at risk for low levels for activity.

Cognitive and personality variables Self- efficacy and self-motivation have been found to be the most consistent predictors of physical activity. Campaigns have been put in place to modify knowledge, attitudes, values and beliefs regarding physical activity to try and influence a persons interest to be active.

Behaviors Behavior plays a vital role in the amount of physical activity one has, research has shown that children who were encouraged at a younger age to be physically active tend to be physically active through adulthood.

Determinants Environmental Factors Social Environment Physical Environment Physical Activity Characteristics

Social Environment Social support from friends and family have been consistently linked to increased physical activity. Spousal Support plays a critical role on exercise adherence. Spouses attitudes can influence someone more than their own. Social support has also been proven to help injuries and rehabilitation

Physical environment Proximity to home is important to whether a person chooses to exercise. Closer the person workout facility is the more likely they are to stick to a program Climate and season also plays a significant role, low levels of activity in the winter while high activity in the summer based on location

Physical activity characteristics The most important factors include intensity, frequency, and duration of exercise Discomfort during exercise can effect adherence to a program The recommended duration of time during a moderate intense workout is anywhere between 30min1hr More vigorous activity shows greater risk for injury

Physical activity characteristics (cont.) Group exercising offers enjoyment, social support, increased sense to personal commitment to continue, opportunity to compare progress and fitness levels with other people.

Physical Activity Characteristics Cont. Good leader will be able to compensate for deficiencies, such as lack of space or equipment. Good leaders are knowledgeable, likeable, and show concern for safety and psychological comfort.

Increasing Exercise Adherence Behavioral Modification Approaches Reinforcement Approaches Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches Decision-Making Approaches Social Support Approaches Intrinsic Approaches

Behavior modification approaches Behavior modification may have an impact on something in the physical environment that acts as a cue for habits of behaviors A prompt is a cue that initiates a behavior Fading is how prompts can causally be eliminated and people increase in independence

Behavior modification approaches (cont.) Another way to change behavior is through the method of contracting Typically specifies expectations, responsibilities, and contingencies for behavioral change Includes realistic goals, dates these goals should be reached and consequences for not reaching goals

Reinforcement approaches Reinforcement can be either positive or negative, use of incentives or rewards to increase adherence, and charting attendance and participation Performance feedback is important in the reinforcement process, putting the information in a chart shows visual improvements showing if they are reaching there goals Feedback on their progression has shown to increase motivational benefits

Cognitive approaches Assumes that internal events such as thinking have an important role in change Goal setting is a useful technique in improving adherence and behavior, once people reach goals that they have set they feel better about themselves rising self-esteem, psychological needs, satisfaction, exercise behavior and lower levels of anxiety

Cognitive approaches (cont.) Association is when the focus is on the internal body feedback, such as breathing and how your muscles feel Disassociation is when external environments become the focus such as how pretty the scenery is Research has shown that those who focus on disassociation have improved adherence because they are focused on other things reducing boredom and fatigue

Decision-making approaches A decision balance sheet makes people more aware of the potential benefits and cost of an exercise program Individuals write anticipated consequences of exercise participation in terms of gains to self, loses to self, gains of improvement to others, losses of improvement to others, approval of others, disapproval of others, self approval and self-disapproval This has shown that when participants are involved in the decision making process attendance and positive outcomes have increased

Social support approaches Social support refers to an individual’s favorable attitude toward someone else’s involvement in an exercise program Family, friends, spouses help cue exercise through verbal reminders, also by being a model if they exercise through behavior and companionship during exercise. Another way would be through transportation, leading of clothes, and measuring exercise routes Social support has been proven to enhance physical activity and adherence with structured exercise programs

Intrinsic approaches Intrinsic motivation comes from within and has been proven to be the longest lasting and most meaningful Focuses on the experience itself rather than the external goals such as losing weight Be focused on the process rather than the product of the movement activities, people who focus on the external outcomes face societal and physical barriers so become a life long exercisers individuals must become more process orient ended

Intrinsic approaches (cont.) Engage in purposeful and meaningful physical activity, people who are longtime exercisers do this in many ways Make exercise enjoyable Offer a choice of activities Promote exercising with friends or groups

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Works Cited Weinberg, Robert, Gould, Daniel. Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology. 2011