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Factors determining exercise adherence
American Fitness, Jan-Feb, 2005 by Theresa Dwyre Young
Exercise professionals can not control the factor of past participation, it is encouraging to know, however, that if participants stay involved with the exercise program over a significant period of time, it stands to reason that the behavior will become part of their long-term lifestyle. With each class or training appointment, participants are further along in the quest to make fitness a routine.
One of the most important determinants affecting exercise adherence is the environmental factor of perceived availability of time. We live in a time-crunched world. Everyone is in a rush. Yet, exercise professionals can assist clients by encouraging the idea that exercise is a priority. Behavioral psychologists have termed the redesigning of beliefs and values "cognitive restructuring." The idea is to replace one line of thinking with another. Instead of "I have too much to do at work today, I'll exercise later," start thinking, "If I exercise now, I'll accomplish more at work later because I'll have more energy and think more clearly." The idea that exercise comes before most aspects of daily living and enhances other aspects of life can lead to a change in thinking and help prioritize fitness.
Social support is an important environmental factor in exercise maintenance. Family support is the most important type of social reinforcement. Ask clients about the level of support they are getting from their significant others regarding exercise. If a client is concerned that exercise takes time away from family, suggest a cognitive restructuring process of understanding that exercise will help them be more relaxed and healthy and enjoy their time with their family more. Better yet, have the family participate in the exercise. Studies show married couples that exercise together are more likely to stick with an exercise program. Suggest fitness routines with children, such as jogging while children ride bikes. If they all have fun doing an activity, adherence is almost guaranteed!
Because convenience and appearance of the workout environment affect adherence, exercise professionals should pay attention to the cleanliness of their facilities. Report and address maintenance problems and keep work areas tidy. Personal appearance is part of the environment; trainers and instructors should appear professional and neat. Look for ways to make the environment more comfortable for the client. When training a client at their home, ask about ways to make the workout area enjoyable.
Changes and disruptions are a fact of life, but there are steps one can take to cope with missed workouts. Try to keep clients from becoming discouraged if they miss an appointment or class. Psychologists use relapse prevention models to keep individuals who have fallen off course from returning to an undesirable behavior or habit. These methods, developed for drug treatment programs, can be applied to the exercise realm. Most relapse prevention methods teach people to identify high-risk situations, anticipate disruptions and plan and cope with them effectively. Talk to clients about relapse situations before they happen. One of the most common reasons for exercise disruptions is injury. New exercisers who suffer injuries may become discouraged and revert to a sedentary lifestyle. Keeping participants injury-free should be the priority of every trainer and group-exercise leader.
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