Exercise, Fitness, and Feeling Well

African American Women’s Beliefs, Coping Behaviors, and Barriers to Seeking Mental Health Services

“…Compared to young and middle-aged women, older women believed that inactivity during retirement could lead to mental illness, and that staying busy through regular exercise, physical activity, and volunteer work was an important coping strategy. A growing body of research suggests a positive link between physical activity and mental health among older individuals; those who are physically active show significant improvements in reasoning, working memory, reaction time (Clarkson-Smith & Hartley, 1989), postural control, reduced incidence of falls (Day et al, 2002), cognitive resilience (Hogan, 2005), and quality of life (Fontane, 1996). …”

The Wheel of Wellness Counseling for Wellness: A Holistic Model for Treatment Planning

“…Having an internal locus of control has been associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression and higher levels of self-esteem and life satisfaction (Cvetanovski & Jex, 1994). Higher levels of perceived self-control predict healthier behavior (Birkimer, Johnston, & Berry, 1993), including exercise participation (Ali, 1996) and weight control (Walcott-McQuigg, Sullivan, Dan, & Logan, 1995), and in turn are affected by participation in positive health practices such as exercise (Donaldson & Blanchard, 1995;Fontane, 1996).…”

“…The benefits of exercise for physical as well as psychological well-being have been clearly established (Gleser & Mendelberg, 1990). Exercise increases strength as well as self-confidence (Fontane, 1996) and selfesteem (International Society of Sport Psychology, 1992). In addition, there is a significant correlation between physical fitness and positive emotionality (Brandon & Loftin, 1991) as well as enhanced cognitive functioning (Wykoff, 1993).…”

“…Exercise training has been shown to significantly decrease state-trait anxiety scores (S. R. Cramer, Nieman, & Lee, 1991), decrease mild depression, reduce stress, and beneficially affect a variety of chronic illnesses (International Society of Sport Psychology, 1992). In addition, exercise may help to preserve a sense of social identity (Fontane, 1996).…”

Exercise as a Means of Reducing Perceptions of Work‐Family Conflict: A Test of the Roles of Self‐Efficacy and Psychological Strain

“…It has been proposed in earlier research (e.g., McAuley, Courneya, & Lettunich, ) that intense exercise sessions can be perceived as a mastery experience, and could thus enhance one's self‐efficacy. Another way of developing self‐efficacy is through physiological arousal, which can be accomplished through exercise (e.g., Fontane, ; Luthans, ; McAuley, ). For example, Long and Haney (, ) followed a sample of 61 women who participated in an eight‐week aerobic exercise program, along with a follow‐up 14 months later.…”