Self-Selected and Prescribed Intensity Exercise to Improve Physical Activity Among Inactive Retirees

Abstract

A randomized controlled study explored the effects of two intensity-oriented exercise interventions on affect to exercise and physical activity behavior. Inactive retirees finished the 12-week group-based exercise intervention and 3-month telephone follow-up with 27 in self-selected intensity group and 26 in prescribed intensity group. Repeated measures of daily step counts (measured by Yamax pedometers), positive and negative affect to exercise, weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure were done at baseline, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up. Increased daily step counts and positive affect, and reduced body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure of both groups, and negative affect of self-selected intensity group were found at different measuring times. Although self-selected intensity group had no significantly different daily step counts from prescribed intensity group, the former had a more positive and less negative affect to exercise. Findings suggest that future exercise programs use self-selected intensity exercise programs to improve pleasure affect to exercise.

Effects of short-term self-selected resistance training on anxiety and depression scores of sedentary individuals

“…As a limitation, the fact that the levels of any neurotransmitter that may be related to the symptoms of anxiety and depression have not been measured, seems to be one of them, since, therefore, any physiological explanation about the change in anxiety and depression scores, they will be merely conjectures. Even though, as previously mentioned, the selfselected exercise seems to produce a positive affective experience, making the exercise more pleasurable or less stressful, allowing greater satisfaction and intrinsic motivation, which in part may explain the changes in anxiety scores and changes, although not significant, in depression scores (Nóbrega et al, 2018;Yang & Petrini, 2018). Nevertheless, it is worth mentioning that, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that investigated the effects of SSRT on anxiety and depression scores.…”

“…However, the decrease can be partly explained by changes in the levels of catecholamines, serotonin and dopamine during and after physical exercise (Meeusen & de Meirleir, 1995), also corticotrophin-releasing factor and adrenocorticotropic hormone suggesting positive changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis modulating anxiety (Anderson & Shivakumar, 2013). Furthermore, the self-selected exercise seems to produce a positive affective experience, making the exercise more pleasurable or less stressful, enabling greater satisfaction and intrinsic motivation, which in part may explain changes in anxiety scores and changes, although not significant, in depression scores (Nóbrega et al, 2018;Yang & Petrini, 2018).…”

“…Physical exercise is recommended to be prescribed and performed under the supervision of a certified fitness instructor or specialist, but self-selected intensity in (SSI) physical exercise has been shown to be efficient on health and performance variables (Nóbrega et al, 2018;Yang & Petrini, 2018). SSI is characterized by exercise intensity chosen by the patient/performer, allowing greater control to the individual, increasing his positive affective experience (Nóbrega et al, 2018;Yang & Petrini, 2018). This method is linked to greater self-efficacy and could lead to more pleasurable or less stressful exercises, enabling greater satisfaction and intrinsic motivation (Anderson & Shivakumar, 2013).…”

Effectiveness of pedometer-based walking programmes in improving some modifiable risk factors of stroke among community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review, theoretical synthesis and meta-analysis

“…After removing 179 duplicates, titles and abstracts of remaining 246 papers were screened, resulting in 36 publications. Following full-text screening, eight articles [70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77] met the inclusion criteria.…”

Affect and Exercise

“…In addition, walking at a self-selected intensity was sufficient to promote improvement in maximal oxygen uptake at the end of training. Yang [48] concluded, from a 12-week study, that both self-selected and prescribed intensities improved the level of physical activity and positive affect and reduced physiological parameters (waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure) in retirees. However, the self-selected intensity was more favorable to the increase of positive affect than the prescribed intensity.…”