Strategies to Enhance the Experience of Exercise

Strategies to Enhance the Experience of Exercise

This study aims to test the effect of three cognitive strategies to affect individuals' subjective experience of cardiovascular exercise. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three strategies to use while exercising, both during an in-person session and self-directed two week exercise period.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Between the ages of 18 and 40.
2. Insufficiently physically active for the past 6-months (i.e., does not meet American College of Sports Medicine [ACSM] guideline for cardiorespiratory exercise). The ACSM guidelines state that all healthy adults should engage in a minimum of 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity cardiorespiratory exercise, or 75 minutes per week of vigorous intensity exercise, or an equivalent combination of the two). On the eligibility screen assessment, we will define moderate and vigorous intensity exercise. Then we will ask individuals to report how many minutes of moderate and vigorous intensity exercise they engage in per week. We will use the ACSM's rule of thumb that 1 minute of moderate intensity exercise is equivalent to 2 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise. This will help to ensure that prospective participants who exercise for less than 150 minutes per week are not actually meeting the ACSM guidelines for cardiorespiratory fitness by engaging in vigorous intensity exercise. Thus, if total minutes of moderate intensity exercise and total minutes of vigorous intensity exercise (multiplied by 2) per week is equal to or greater than 150, callers will not be eligible for study inclusion.
3. Physically capable of safely engaging in moderate-intensity physical activity (PA)
4. Able and willing to access the Internet daily for two weeks
5. Willing to accept random assignment.
6. Have a smartphone or other mobile device (e.g., iPod Touch) that can play media (important if participants are assigned to the distraction condition)
7. Willing to engage in an exercise intervention specifically involving walking, jogging, running, or hiking (not other types of exercise)

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Are diabetic or receiving treatment for a metabolic disorder
2. Are currently pregnant
3. Are currently on antipsychotic medications
4. Have a history of cardiac or respiratory disease
5. Are receiving treatment for a heart condition or high blood pressure
6. Experience chest pains during and/or not during physical activity
7. Have a muscle, bone, or joint problem or injury that limit movement, make exercise painful, or could be made worse by exercising
8. Have a close family history of an adverse cardiac event before the age of 50.