EXERCISE FOR MOOD AND ANXIETY

EXERCISE FOR MOOD AND ANXIETY

Proven Strategies for Overcoming Deression an! En"ancing #e$$&'eing
Mic"ae$ #( Otto) P"(D(
AND
*aser A( *( Smits) P"(D(
Cxford unlverslLy ress, lnc., publlshes works LhaL furLher Cxford unlverslLy's ob[ecLlve of
excellence ln research, scholarshlp, and educaLlon.
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All rlghLs reserved. no parL of Lhls publlcaLlon may be reproduced, sLored ln a reLrleval sysLem,
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Llbrary of Congress CaLaloglng-ln-ubllcaLlon uaLa
CLLo, Mlchael W.
Lxerclse for mood and anxleLy: proven sLraLegles for overcomlng depresslon and enhanclng
well-belng / Mlchael W. CLLo, !asper A.!. SmlLs.
p. cm.
lncludes blbllographlcal references and lndex.
lS8n 978-0-19-979100-2
1. Mood (sychology) 2. AnxleLy. 3. Lxerclse Lherapy.
4. Lxerclse-sychologlcal aspecLs. l. SmlLs, !asper A. !. ll. 1lLle.
8l321.C88296 2011
613.8'2-dc22
2011010216
9 8 7 6 3 4 3 2 1
rlnLed ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes of Amerlca on acld-free paper
MwO. 1o wbltoey, fot bet exttootJlooty love ooJ wotmtb
IAI5. 1o Illl ooJ 5tello, fot tbelt love ooJ soppott
AC5NO#6ED8MENTS
We owe graLlLude Lo many people who have helped us compleLe Lhls pro[ecL. llrsL among Lhese
are lnLernaLlonal Leams of researchers who have documenLed Lhe mood-enhanclng effecLs of
exerclse ln populaLlon-based sLudles, experlmenLal lnvesLlgaLlons, cllnlcal sLudles, meLa-analyLlc
comparlsons, and revlew arLlcles. We would also llke Lo Lhank our collaboraLors on our own
lnvesLlgaLlons ln Lhls area. ln parLlcular, our collaboraLors on research and revlew arLlcles
lncluded Lvl 8ehar, 1lm Church, LyneLLe CrafL, Llndsey de8oer, uanlel Calper, ulna Cordon,
1racy Creer, amela Pandelsman, 8rldgeL Pearon, krlsLln !ullan, kaLe McPugh, PeaLher Murray,
Mark owers, kaLherlne resnell, Ceorgla SLaLhopoulou, Candyce 1arL, Madhukar 1rlvedl, Angle
uLschlg, and Mlchael Zvolensky. All of Lhese lndlvlduals helped expand whaL ls known abouL Lhe
beneflLs of exerclse for mood and anxleLy dlsorders. We would also llke Lo Lhank !alme
1oussalnL, Mlchelle Capozzoll, Mlchelle uavls, and SamanLha Moshler for Lhelr help wlLh drafLs
of Lhls pro[ecL. llnally, we wanL Lo Lhank Sarah ParrlngLon, our edlLor aL Cu, for her
enLhuslasm for Lhls book and her experL help usherlng lL Lhrough Lhe publlcaLlon process.
CONTENTS
1. AbouL 1hls 8ook
2. Lxerclse Works for ?our Mood
3. Why Lxerclse rograms lall
4. 1he loresL 8efore Lhe 1rees: 1he 1ruLh AbouL MoLlvaLlon
3. ulrecLlng ?our 1houghLs for Lxerclse Success
6. lannlng ?our Lxerclse 8ouLlne
7. 1he Lxerclse rescrlpLlon
8. Ln[oylng ?ourself uurlng Lxerclse
9. 8ewardlng ?ourself AfLer Lxerclse
10. ulverslfylng ?our Lxerclse 8ouLlne
11. LxLendlng ?our AchlevemenLs: An AcLlve and llL Llfe
kesootces
AppeoJlx
kefeteoces
loJex
Aboot tbe Aotbots
EXERCISE FOR MOOD AND ANXIETY
M=N
A'O,T T4IS 'OO5
1here are many good reasons Lo reach for Lhls book. lf you have been plagued by moodlness,
sLress, anxleLy, or depresslon, Lhls ls Lhe book for you. lf you are looklng for a more acLlon-
based approach Lo mood managemenL Lhan LhaL afforded by medlcaLlons or psychoLherapy,
Lhls ls Lhe book Lo read. lf you have Lrled Lo exerclse regularly and have falled, Lhen Lhls ls your
book. Why? 8ecause Lhls book ls unlque ln focuslng on how you can geL yourself Lo exerclse
and how Lo make regular exerclse a hablL LhaL lasLs. 1hls book offers a cuLLlng-edge, research-
based approach Lo lnLegraLlng exerclse lnLo your llfesLyle-all for Lhe beneflL of your mood.
We, Lhe auLhors have publlshed over 300 research arLlcles on mood and anxleLy dlsorders, and
have over 30 years of cllnlcal experlence ln helplng people meeL Lhelr personal goals. We
undersLand Lhe Lrue naLure of moLlvaLlon. ln Lhls book, we provlde readers wlLh guldance on
whaL underlles self-conLrol efforLs, and how Lo make Lhe change process easler.
lrom populaLlon-based sLudles Lo cllnlcal Lrlals, powerful evldence suggesLs LhaL exerclse
lnLervenLlons can have subsLanLlal effecLs on mood, llfLlng everyday bad moods and feellngs of
sLress, as well as offerlng LreaLmenL effecLs for dlagnosed depresslon LhaL rlval anLldepressanL
medlcaLlons. 1hese effecLs are powerful, and we open ChapLer 2 by presenLlng Lhe converglng
evldence for mood beneflLs from regular exerclse.
8uL how do you geL yourself Lo exerclse, especlally when sLressed, anxlous, or depressed?
ChapLer 3 makes sense ouL of Lhe common fallures ln exerclse LhaL are reflecLed ln Lhe broader
fallure of exerclse ln Amerlca over Lhe pasL several decades. Cne reason for Lhls fallure ls Lhe
subsLanLlal delay beLween efforL and reward when one exerclses for Lhe beneflL of healLh or
body shape. SusLalnlng LhaL efforL, parLlcularly when sLressed, Lakes Perculean efforL-as you
probably already know. ln conLrasL, when exerclslng for mood, sLress ls no longer a barrler Lo
exerclse, lt ls tbe vety teosoo to exetclse.
As parL of helplng readers adopL a new sLraLegy for exerclse and mood goals, ChapLer 4
challenges Lhe LradlLlonal percepLlon of moLlvaLlon as an lnward LralL LhaL one musL rely on for
compleLlng challenglng Lasks. 8aLher Lhan looklng lnward, Lhls chapLer asks you Lo look ouLward
aL Lhe acLual deLermlnaLes of moLlvaLlon. We emphaslze Lhe acLlve shlfLlng of one's
envlronmenL Lo reduce moLlvaLlonal efforL, and we gulde readers wlLh rlch examples of sLudles
on self-conLrol lssues ranglng from overeaLlng Lo whaL ls referred Lo as efforL faLlgue." 1he
resulL ls LhaL readers wlll be lnformed by Lhe laLesL ln soclal and cllnlcal psychology research as
lL lmpacLs moLlvaLlon for change. ?ou wlll flnlsh Lhls chapLer undersLandlng LhaL rellance on
lnLernal feellngs of moLlvaLlon ls a reclpe for fallure, and LhaL alLernaLlves are readlly aL hand.
?eL, how should you coach yourself around your exerclse program? Pow should you Lhlnk
abouL your exerclse durlng Lhe day? WhaL are Lhe common LhoughLs LhaL derall exerclse? WhaL
should you Lhlnk abouL Jotloq your exerclse? Pow should you Lhlnk abouL your exerclse
experlence afLer you are done? urawn from Lhe success of Lhe psychologlcal LreaLmenL meLhod
known as cognlLlve Lherapy, ChapLer 3 helps readers undersLand Lhe power of LhoughLs for
aldlng goals and lmprovlng well-belng. As a resulL, you wlll be beLLer prepared Lo ldenLlfy and
lnLervene wlLh LhoughLs LhaL may hlnder Lhe adopLlon and en[oymenL of a successful exerclse
program.
ln ChapLer 6, we focus on Lhe challenges and soluLlons for exerclse ln Lhe mornlng, Lhe
afLernoon, or Lhe evenlng. ALLenLlon Lo Lhe Llmlng of exerclse and Llme managemenL ls
complemenLed by a broader dlscusslon of ways Lo make exerclse a regular parL of llfe. WlLh Lhls
deLalled accounLlng of common barrlers and soluLlons for exerclse challenges, you should feel
ready Lo sLarL plannlng an exerclse rouLlne. ChapLer 7 provldes Lhe core feaLures of our
exerclse prescrlpLlon." We chose Lo provlde Lhls prescrlpLlon laLe ln Lhe book, so LhaL our
readers would have a full undersLandlng of exerclse plLfalls and soluLlons before lnlLlaLlng an
exerclse program.
ChapLer 8 focuses cruclal aLLenLlon on Lhe feel of exerclse, and on Lhose Lhlngs LhaL help
lndlvlduals geL Lhe mosL ouL of an exerclse sesslon and Lhe mood rewards lL brlngs. 1he chapLer
addresses whaL you should Lhlnk abouL durlng exerclse, and how you should dlrecL your
aLLenLlon beLween Lhe pleasanL and unpleasanL aspecLs of physlcal exerLlon. We lnLroduce a
mlndfulness approach Lo exerclse, wlLh Lhe use of mlndfulness Lo promoLe well-belng durlng
exerclse, as well as Lhe use of exerclse Lo promoLe furLher mlndfulness.
ChapLer 9 Lhen revlews some Jos and Joots of Lhe posL-exerclse rouLlne. Pow should you
Lhlnk abouL your exerclse experlences afLerward? Pow can you be vlgllanL Lo bad hablLs, such
as compensaLory eaLlng and lnacLlvlLy? 1hls chapLer revlews speclflc problem behavlors and
presenLs a phllosophy for change more generally. 8eaders are encouraged Lo adopL a pracLlce
of ecboloq bock for Lhemselves Lhe en[oyable and achlevlng parLs of Lhelr day. AlLhough
ecboloq ls lnLroduced as a sklll for malnLalnlng moLlvaLlon for exerclse, lL ls also encouraged as
a broader sLraLegy for enhanclng well-belng ln llfe.
ChapLer 10 focuses on Lhe malnLenance of an exerclse hablL. 8oredom, soclal supporL, and
seasonal changes geL aLLenLlon, along wlLh pracLlcal lnformaLlon on moLlvaLlonal lssues LhaL
emerge over Llme. We also dlscuss Lhe role of famlly ln exerclse and Lhe lnlLlaLlon of exerclse
lnLeresL ln chlldren. ChapLer 11 Lhen revlews whaL was learned as parL of adopLlng an acLlve
exerclse rouLlne, and Lhe use of an exerclse rouLlne Lo leverage addlLlonal healLh hablLs. We
explaln Lhe concepL of healLh conLaglon" and dlscuss Lhe lmporLance of conLexL ln creaLlng and
malnLalnlng change and well-belng.
1hroughouL Lhe book, we provlde worksheeLs and learnlng alds for speclflc guldance. Also, case
examples are presenLed, along wlLh Lhe auLhors' own experlences wlLh Lhe Lrlals and
LrlbulaLlons of exerclse moLlvaLlon. ln addlLlon, Lo show LhaL moLlvaLlonal challenges exlsL aL
every level of aLhleLlc performance, we provlde commenLarles from Clymplc aLhleLes on some
of Lhelr own moLlvaLlonal challenges and soluLlons Lo developlng a regular exerclse hablL. An
appendlx also offers addlLlonal lnformaLlon, web resources, and worksheeLs Lo ald your
exerclse and mood managemenL goals.
8egardless of wheLher you are new Lo exerclse or are reLurnlng Lo exerclse afLer a perlod of
lnacLlvlLy, Lhls book wlll provlde you wlLh guldance on how Lo approach exerclse Lo beneflL your
mood. Cur focus-and whaL makes our exerclse prescrlpLlon unlque-ls noL on feellng good aL
some polnL ln Lhe fuLure, bot lo leotoloq bow to feel qooJ oow. And [usL how powerful are
Lhese mood effecLs? 1he nexL chapLer provldes Lhe answer.
M;N
EXERCISE #OR5S FOR YO,R MOOD
1he mood beneflLs of exerclse are supporLed by sLrlklng sclenLlflc evldence. Lxerclse can be as
powerful as anLldepressanL medlcaLlons ln LreaLlng depresslon, and, more broadly, regular
exerclse ls llnked wlLh decreased anxleLy, sLress, and hosLlllLy.
T4E SCIENCE OF EXERCISE AND MOOD
LeL's sLarL wlLh feellng good, and Lhe evldence for Lhe mood effecLs of exerclse. 1o geL beneflLs
from Lhls book, you don'L have Lo know Lhls lnformaLlon, buL lL does help Lo know [usL how
powerful and rellable mood are Lhe mood beneflLs from exerclse. 1hls knowledge can provlde
you wlLh exLra moLlvaLlon for glvlng an exerclse program a new Lry-noL for your healLh, buL for
how good lL can make you feel.
arL of Lhe evldence for Lhe mood beneflLs of exerclse comes from large-scale sLudles of healLh
conducLed lnLernaLlonally. lor example, a sLudy of 33,000 adulLs ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes and
Canada found LhaL people who exerclsed had fewer sympLoms of anxleLy and depresslon.
1
CLher sLudles add Lo Lhls llsL of mood beneflLs by lndlcaLlng LhaL exerclse ls also llnked Lo less
anger and cynlcal dlsLrusL, as well as Lo sLronger feellngs of soclal lnLegraLlon.
2
?es, even
beLLer feellngs of soclal lnLegraLlon-one of Lhe beneflLs of regular physlcal acLlvlLy ls feellng
more connecLed Lo oLhers. And Lhese beneflLs don'L [usL lnclude reduclng sympLoms of dlsLress
ln people who have noL been formally dlagnosed wlLh depresslon or anxleLy. 1he beneflLs of
exerclse also lnclude lower raLes of psychlaLrlc dlsorders, Lhere ls less ma[or depresslon, as well
as fewer anxleLy dlsorders ln Lhose who exerclse regularly.
3
1he ldea LhaL exerclse can proLecL people agalnsL developlng Lhese mood and anxleLy dlsorders
has been supporLed by sLudles evaluaLlng people over Lhe course of many years.
4
lor example,
one such sLudy examlned over 10,000 Parvard unlverslLy alumnl over Lhe course of over 20
years and found LhaL raLes of depresslon over Llme were llnked Lo Lhe amounL of physlcal
acLlvlLy LhaL Lhese alumnl reporLed.
3
Llkewlse, ln a sLudy of adolescenLs, 16 of Lhose who
were noL physlcally acLlve developed an anxleLy dlsorder over a 4-year perlod, compared Lo half
LhaL raLe among Lhose who exerclsed regularly.
6
erhaps more lmporLanL are Lhose sLudles LhaL have looked aL how depressed mood lmproves
once people sLarL exerclslng. A recenL sLudy summarlzed 70 sLudles on Lhls Loplc and showed
LhaL adulLs who experlence sad or depressed moods, buL noL aL levels LhaL meeL crlLerla for a
psychlaLrlc dlsorder, rellably reporL meanlngful lmprovemenLs ln Lhelr mood as Lhey sLarL
exerclslng.
7
1hus, exerclse helps resLore a normal mood!
A Note A/o.t RNorma$S 6o0 Moo! 9ers.s Ps-c"iatric Disor!er
So, whaL ls Lhe dlfference beLween feellng anxlous or sad and blue, and a full-fledged
psychlaLrlc dlsorder? ulsorders are deflned by a group of sympLoms LhaL occur LogeLher, and
LhaL are severe enough and lasL long enough Lo geL ln Lhe way of funcLlonlng. lor example,
ma[or depresslon ls deflned by a sad mood and/or Lhe loss of lnLeresL ln mosL Lhlngs,
accompanled by a seL of oLher sympLoms such as feellngs of gullL, low energy, concenLraLlon
problems, dlsrupLed appeLlLe, aglLaLlon or lmmoblllLy, sleep dlsrupLlons, and someLlmes
sulcldal LhoughLs. 1hese sympLoms need Lo be presenL nearly every day for aL leasL 2 weeks Lo
meeL crlLerla for a dlagnosls of ma[or depresslon. lL feels really bad, and lL ls much more Lhan
chronlc sadness: uepresslon ls a self-perpeLuaLlng dlsorder LhaL Lends Lo recur. 1he laLesL
esLlmaLes are LhaL abouL 17 of adulLs experlence a ma[or depresslve eplsode ln Lhelr
llfeLlmes
8
and LhaL abouL half who have lL experlence recurrenL eplsodes over Llme.
8
And,
when lL comes Lo Lhose who exerclse, raLes of ma[or depresslon decrease from 1 ouL of every 6
adulLs Lo only 1 ouL of every 12.
3
noL a bad effecL!
1here are loLs of dlfferenL anxleLy dlsorders, buL Lhey have ln common feellngs of worry,
avoldance, and ooxloos otoosol (feellng keyed up, on edge, Lense, and dlsLracLed). 1hese
varlous anxleLy dlsorders are dlfferenLlaLed by boLh Lhe focus of anxleLy and whaL ls done Lo Lry
Lo avold anxleLy. lor example, panlc dlsorder ls deflned by recurrenL panlc aLLacks-sudden
feellngs of overwhelmlng anxleLy LhaL come ouL of Lhe blue and are characLerlzed by a rush of
physlcal sympLoms such as breaLhlessness, dlzzlness, poundlng hearL, and numbness and
Llngllng sensaLlons. 1he focus of Lhe anxleLy ln panlc dlsorder ls on Lhese sympLoms, wlLh fears
of loslng conLrol, dylng, or becomlng embarrassed due Lo Lhe sympLoms. eople wlLh panlc
dlsorder Lry Lo avold slLuaLlons ln whlch escape or coplng would be dlfflculL, should a panlc
aLLack occur. ln conLrasL, ln soclal anxleLy dlsorder, Lhe core fear ls of negaLlve evaluaLlon from
oLhers. 1hls fear leads Lo marked dlfflculLy ln soclal lnLeracLlons, parLlcularly wlLh auLhorlLy
flgures. CLher anxleLy dlsorders are deflned more by whaL ls done ln response Lo anxlous
concerns, such as Lhe repeLlLlve compulslons LhaL deflne obsesslve compulslve dlsorder, or Lhe
dally worry LhaL deflnes generallzed anxleLy dlsorder.
As ls Lhe case wlLh ma[or depresslve dlsorder, anxleLy dlsorders are common, affecLlng more
Lhan 1 ln 4 (28.8) adulLs ln Lhelr llfeLlmes,
9
and Lhey Lend Lo be especlally long-lasLlng when
people do noL recelve LreaLmenL.
10
anlc aLLacks and anxleLy dlsorders are Lwo Lo Lhree Llmes
hlgher among physlcally lnacLlve adulLs when compared Lo Lhose who do engage ln regular
exerclse.
EXERCISE AND STRESS
A number of posslble accounLs explaln why exerclse mlghL reduce a person's vulnerablllLy Lo
depresslon and anxleLy. llrsL, lL appears LhaL exerclse whlps your body lnLo beLLer shape Lo
handle sLressors. Lxerclse ln lLself ls a sLressor-lL requlres efforL, and lL forces Lhe body Lo
adapL Lo Lhe demands placed on lL.
11
1hls sorL of regular, planned sLress may help your body be
beLLer aL handllng sLress more generally. ?our body ls Loughened up by exerclse. ln sLudles, Lhls
ls measured by less physlologlcal (hearL raLe, blood pressure) and psychologlcal (mood and
anxleLy sympLoms) reacLlons Lo a sLressor ln lndlvlduals who have exerclsed.
A nlce example of Lhls effecL was provlded by a sLudy of flreflghLers. ln Lhls sLudy, researchers
asked a group of flreflghLers Lo Lake parL ln a slmulaLed flre drlll (Lhe sLressor Lask) whlle
measurlng Lhelr hearL raLes and blood pressure, as well as Lhelr levels of anxleLy and negaLlve
mood. AfLer Lhls lnlLlal measuremenL, Lhe researchers asslgned half of Lhe group Lo a 16-week
exerclse program (uslng a rowlng machlne) and asked Lhe oLher half of Lhe group Lo malnLaln
Lhelr normal physlcal acLlvlLy rouLlne. AL Lhe end of Lhe 16 weeks, all flreflghLers compleLed Lhe
sLressor Lask a second Llme. Lven Lhough Lhe Lwo groups dld noL dlffer ln Lerms of Lhelr
physlologlcal and emoLlonal responses durlng Lhe flre-drlll Lask before Lhe exerclse
lnLervenLlon, Lhey showed clear dlfferences afLerward. 1hose who wenL Lhrough Lhe exerclse
program had lower hearL raLes and blood pressure, as well as lower anxleLy and negaLlve mood
reacLlons.
12
1he role of exerclse ln helplng people adapL Lo sLress ls parLlcularly lmporLanL glven LhaL sLress
plays a key role ln boLh Lhe developmenL and Lhe conLlnuaLlon of depresslon and anxleLy
dlsorders.
13
eople sufferlng from depresslon are 2.3 Llmes more llkely Lo have experlenced
sLressful llfe evenLs, such as Lhe loss of a loved one, marlLal separaLlon, or medlcal lllness,
lndeed, four ouL of flve eplsodes of ma[or depresslon are preceded by a sLressful llfe evenL.
14
Lxerclse appears Lo help buffer Lhese negaLlve llfe evenLs.
EXERCISE AND NE,ROTRANSMITTERS
A second answer Lo Lhe quesLlon of how exerclse reduces vulnerablllLy Lo anxleLy and
depresslon has Lo do wlLh oeotottoosmlttets. neuroLransmlLLers are chemlcals responslble for
communlcaLlon beLween braln cells. Cne popular Lheory ls LhaL reduced levels of
neuroLransmlLLers, such as seroLonln, play a role ln causlng or malnLalnlng depresslve and
anxleLy dlsorders.13 AnLldepressanL medlcaLlons, such as axll (paroxeLlne), are LhoughL Lo
work by helplng rebalance neuroLransmlLLer levels. ln facL, drugs llke rozac (fluoxeLlne), axll,
and ZolofL (serLrallne) belong Lo a class of medlcaLlons called setotoolo selectlve teoptoke
loblbltots (SS8ls). 1hese drugs work for boLh depresslon and anxleLy dlsorders.
16
A number of
sLudles have demonsLraLed LhaL exerclse may be Lhe nondrug equlvalenL of anLldepressanL
medlcaLlons llke Lhese. 1haL ls, exerclse lncreases seroLonln producLlon ln a manner slmllar Lo
Lhe deslred acLlon of anLldepressanL medlcaLlons.
17
lor example, lncreased release of
seroLonln has been observed ln anlmals boLh durlng
18
and followlng
19
Lreadmlll runnlng, and
prolonged exerclse resulLs ln lncreased seroLonln meLabollsm.
20
SLudles wlLh maraLhon runners
and unLralned lndlvlduals undergolng exerclse Lralnlng have shown LhaL exerclse has slmllar
effecLs ln humans.
21
1he noLlon LhaL exerclse can help cllnlcal depresslon as well as anLldepressanL medlcaLlons can
ls supporLed by a sLudy of 202 adulLs (133 women and 49 men) wlLh a dlagnosls of ma[or
depresslon.
22
arLlclpanLs were randomly asslgned Lo one of Lhe followlng LreaLmenLs: (1)
supervlsed exerclse ln a group seLLlng, (2) home-based exerclse, (3) LreaLmenL wlLh an
anLldepressanL medlcaLlon (an SS8l), or (4) a plll plocebo (a sugar plll). arLlclpanLs ln Lhe
supervlsed aeroblc exerclse caLegory aLLended Lhree supervlsed group Lreadmlll exerclse
sesslons per week for 16 weeks. uurlng each sesslon, Lhe parLlclpanLs warmed up for 10
mlnuLes, Lhen walked or [ogged for 30 mlnuLes (hlgh-lnLenslLy exerclse), afLer whlch Lhey
compleLed a 3-mlnuLe cool-down. arLlclpanLs ln a home-based exerclse group exerclsed aL
home buL were glven Lhe same exerclse prescrlpLlon as Lhose ln Lhe supervlsed exerclse
lnLervenLlon group. arLlclpanLs ln Lhe anLldepressanL medlcaLlon group recelved ZolofL wlLh
Lhe dose ad[usLed dependlng on Lhe person's response Lo Lhe drug and lLs slde effecLs.
arLlclpanLs ln Lhe placebo group recelved Lhe same conLacL wlLh a psychlaLrlsL as dld Lhe
parLlclpanLs who were Laklng ZolofL, buL Lhey recelved a sugar plll lnsLead of Lhe real drug.
lmporLanLly, Lhe asslgnmenL of Lhe plll groups was blloJ-nelLher Lhe parLlclpanL nor Lhe
psychlaLrlsL knew wheLher Lhe paLlenL was recelvlng Lhe medlcaLlon or Lhe sugar plll.
AL Lhe end of Lhe 4-monLh lnLervenLlon, analyses showed LhaL depresslon levels for parLlclpanLs
ln Lhe exerclse and medlcaLlon LreaLmenLs Lended Lo be lower Lhan for parLlclpanLs ln Lhe
placebo group. ln addlLlon, 43 of parLlclpanLs ln Lhe supervlsed exerclse group and 40 of
parLlclpanLs ln Lhe home-based exerclse groups no longer meL crlLerla for ma[or depresslve
dlsorder afLer Lhe lnLervenLlon, suggesLlng LhaL Lhey had recovered. lmporLanLly, Lhese raLes
were comparable Lo LhaL observed among parLlclpanLs ln Lhe medlcaLlon group: 47. As could
be expecLed, afLer Lhe sLudy was over, Lhe people ln boLh exerclse groups were more physlcally
flL Lhan were Lhe people recelvlng [usL Lhe medlcaLlon or Lhe placebo plll. 1hese resulLs show
LhaL Lhe effecLs of exerclse on depresslon are slmllar Lo LhaL of anLldepressanL medlcaLlon.
EXERCISE AND NE8ATI9E T4O,84TS
A Lhlrd explanaLlon for Lhe proLecLlve effecLs of exerclse focuses on Lhe value of acLlvlLy,
parLlcularly ln response Lo anxleLy and depresslon. CenLral Lo anxleLy dlsorders ls Lhe concepL of
avoldance. lndlvlduals wlLh panlc dlsorder, for example, avold Lhe sensaLlons Lhey fear-rapld
hearL raLe, dlzzlness, breaLhlessness. As we menLloned, Lhey also avold Lhe slLuaLlons where
Lhese sensaLlons and panlc have occurred before, or where escape may be dlfflculL should a
panlc aLLack sLarL-places such as movle LheaLers, buses, locaLlons far from home, and so on.
1hey may also avold drlnklng coffee or waLchlng a scary movle because of worrles abouL Lhe
sensaLlons Lhese evenLs produce. Llkewlse, ln depresslon, people sLarL Lo do less-Lhey sLay
home or sLay ln bed lnsLead of conLlnulng Lo be engaged ln soclal acLlvlLles. Cne way Lo LreaL
anxleLy and depresslve dlsorders ls Lo LreaL Lhe avoldance parL of Lhese dlsorders-reLurnlng
people Lo funcLlonal acLlvlLy and glvlng Lhem a chance Lo learn LhaL slLuaLlons are safer and
more rewardlng Lhan expecLed.
23
ln Lhe same way, learnlng Lo perslsL wlLh exerclse desplLe
urges Lo avold lL (belng acLlve desplLe a cerLaln conLradlcLory feellng), may help undo Lhe cycles
LhaL malnLaln boLh anxleLy and depresslon.
Conslder SLeven, a 29-year-old who came Lo our cllnlc for Lhe LreaLmenL of panlc dlsorder. Pe
had hls flrsL panlc aLLack afLer he was flred from hls [ob abouL 3 years earller. SlLLlng ln hls llvlng
room waLchlng 1v, he suddenly felL hls hearL poundlng, and he sLarLed Lo feel hoL. 1hls was
followed by aches ln hls chesL and dlzzlness. learlng he was havlng a hearL aLLack or a nervous
breakdown, he qulckly called 911. AL Lhe emergency room, he learned hls hearL was flne, LhaL
he was noL havlng a nervous breakdown, buL LhaL he llkely had experlenced a panlc aLLack. lL
wasn'L long before he had anoLher, and he soon had racked up several Lrlps Lo Lhe emergency
room for help wlLh hls panlc. Pe sLopped drlnklng caffelnaLed and alcohollc beverages, fearlng
LhaL Lhey would make hlm feel odd and lead Lo panlc. Pe sLarLed Lo avold slLuaLlons where he
felL especlally vulnerable Lo panlc, lncludlng soclal gaLherlngs. As hls panlc conLlnued, SLeven
became more and more lsolaLed.
When he came for LreaLmenL, SLeven llked Lhe ldea of an exerclse-based lnLervenLlon, lL flL ln
wlLh hls preference for aLLendlng Lo Lhe mlnd-body connecLlon and uslng hollsLlc approaches
lnsLead of [usL uslng Lalklng Lherapy or medlcaLlons. AL Lhe same Llme, he was apprehenslve
because he was worrled abouL exerclse causlng hlm Lo panlc. uurlng Lhe flrsL 3 weeks of
LreaLmenL, SLeven progressed from a sLroll around Lhe block a few Llmes per week Lo a brlsk
walk every day for abouL 23 mlnuLes. Pe aLLrlbuLed much of hls progress Lo Lhe observaLlon
LhaL he felL llke he was flne durlng Lhese walks and LhaL he felL really good afLerward. uurlng
Lhe fourLh week, he sLarLed meeLlng one of hls LheraplsLs aL a gym Lo work ouL on a Lreadmlll. lL
dld noL Lake long for SLeven Lo compleLe 30-mlnuLe workouLs LhaL lnvolved runnlng aL a hearL
raLe approachlng 143 beaLs per mlnuLe. Along wlLh hls progress relaLed Lo exerclse, Lhere were
meanlngful lmprovemenLs ln SLeven's dally llfe. uays wenL by wlLhouL panlc aLLacks, and he
became more lnvolved soclally.
AL week elghL of hls LreaLmenL, SLeven reporLed an experlence LhaL had resulLed ln a slgnlflcanL
shlfL ln hls anxleLy. Pe had Laken a road Lrlp wlLh hls frlends Lhe prevlous weekend. 8elng far
away from home had been dlfflculL, Lhls was someLhlng he had avolded for a long Llme. Pe was
noL parLlcularly exclLed abouL belng crammed lnLo a small car for 8 hours sLralghL, buL looked
forward Lo spendlng Llme wlLh hls frlends. AbouL 3 hours lnLo Lhe drlve, SLeven noLlced LhaL hls
hearL had sLarLed Lo pound. Pls lnlLlal LhoughL was, uh-oh, Lhls ls bad." Powever, preLLy
qulckly, he remlnded hlmself of Lhe workouLs LhaL he had compleLed ln Lhe prevlous weeks and
reallzed LhaL Lhls feellng was no dlfferenL from whaL he had experlenced on Lhe Lreadmlll. Pe
calmed down. ln subsequenL weeks, SLeven made furLher lmprovemenLs, and became
compleLely panlc free. Pe reporLed LhaL he had goLLen hls llfe back.
EXERCISE AND TO6ERANCE TO 'OT4ERSOME P4YSICA6 SENSATIONS
1he shlfL reporLed by SLeven ls someLhlng LhaL has also been observed ln a number of sLudles.
24
ln Lhese sLudles, researchers examlned how exerclse can resulL ln changes ln fears of anxleLy
sensaLlons (called ooxlety seosltlvlty, because lndlvlduals are senslLlve Lo and fearful of bodlly
sensaLlons of anxleLy).
23
1hese fears are ofLen fueled by bellefs abouL Lhe negaLlve
consequences of bodlly sensaLlons. Common caLasLrophlc LhoughLs are, l'm golng Lo have a
hearL aLLack," l wlll lose conLrol," l wlll go crazy," and l wlll embarrass myself." ln Lhese
sLudles, researchers selecLed persons who were hlgh on anxleLy senslLlvlLy and asslgned half Lo
a 2-week, moderaLe-lnLenslLy exerclse lnLervenLlon lnvolvlng Lhree 20-mlnuLe exerclse sesslons
per week. 1he oLher half of Lhe parLlclpanLs were asslgned Lo elLher no acLlvlLy or Lo a low-
lnLenslLy exerclse lnLervenLlon. ModeraLe-lnLenslLy exerclse was deflned as brlsk walklng or
runnlng on a Lreadmlll aL deflned hearL raLes. lor example, a 40-year-old parLlclpanL would
have a hearL raLe of less Lhan 108 beaLs per mlnuLe lf asslgned Lo Lhe low-lnLenslLy condlLlon
versus a hearL raLe of 126 beaLs per mlnuLe lf asslgned Lo Lhe moderaLe-lnLenslLy condlLlon (we
wlll Lalk more abouL hearL raLes ln ChapLer 7). When anxleLy senslLlvlLy was measured agaln
afLer Lhe lnLervenLlon, lL was clear LhaL Lhls dlfference ln hearL beaLs per mlnuLe durlng exerclse
made a meanlngful dlfference ln Lerms of reduclng anxleLy senslLlvlLy. 1he besL ouLcomes were
observed ln Lhe group LhaL worked harder on Lhe Lreadmlll. Cne lnLeresLlng observaLlon was
LhaL Lhe degree Lo whlch anxleLy senslLlvlLy changed afLer only 2 weeks (or [usL slx 20-mlnuLe
sesslons) of moderaLe-lnLenslLy exerclse was comparable Lo whaL oLher researchers have seen
wlLh 3 monLhs, or Lwelve 90-mlnuLe sesslons, of psychoLherapy! 1hese flndlngs are parLlcularly
exclLlng, glven LhaL anxleLy senslLlvlLy appears Lo help explaln why people develop and conLlnue
Lo have problems wlLh panlc aLLacks and panlc dlsorder, as well as wlLh condlLlons llke soclal
anxleLy dlsorder, posL-LraumaLlc sLress dlsorder, generallzed anxleLy dlsorder, and ma[or
depresslon.
26
EXERCISE 9ERS,S PSYC4OT4ERAPY FOR DEPRESSION
Could exerclse be as effecLlve ln rellevlng depresslon as psychoLherapy, you ask? 1o geL a more
compleLe plcLure of Lhe effecLs of programmed exerclse on depresslon, we revlewed 11 sLudles
LhaL had enrolled adulLs wlLh ma[or depresslve dlsorder and randomly asslgned Lhem Lo elLher
an exerclse lnLervenLlon or a comparlson condlLlon.
27
1he frequency of exerclse ln Lhese
sLudles varled from Lwlce Lo four Llmes a week, wlLh a duraLlon from 20 Lo 43 mlnuLes.
Comparlson condlLlons lncluded no LreaLmenL (walLlng for fuLure LreaLmenL) or relaxaLlon,
medlLaLlon or low-lnLenslLy exerclse (sLreLchlng). 1he resulLs showed LhaL exerclse resulLed ln
blg lmprovemenLs ln depresslon. And, when we compared Lhls resulL Lo Lhe resulLs of sLudles
LhaL examlned Lhe effecLs of psychoLherapy on depresslon, we found LhaL exerclse performs as
well as psychoLherapy ln LreaLlng depresslon.
#4AT A'O,T T4E DOSE OF EXERCISEO
SLudles have noL yeL made clear Lhe dose of exerclse (Lhe frequency, duraLlon, and lnLenslLy of
exerclse) LhaL has Lhe besL anLldepressanL acLlons. 8oLh aeroblc (prolonged moderaLe exerclse
such as runnlng, cycllng, or rowlng over Llme) and anaeroblc (llke welghL llfLlng or shorL
sprlnLlng) exerclse have been found Lo be effecLlve for decreaslng depresslon,
28
alLhough
moderaLe exerclse ls more effecLlve Lhan lower doses of exerclse.
29
Accordlngly, ln ChapLer 7,
we have prescrlbed Lhe dose of exerclse LhaL ls recommended Lo Lhe general publlc for good
flLness and LhaL ls also found Lo be effecLlve for depresslon as well. Also, as you wlll see ln
ChapLer 7, Lhe dose we recommend also sLays below Lhe level of exerLlon LhaL makes exerclse
dlsLresslng Lo mosL people. ln Lhls way, we geL Lhe beneflL of exerclse whlle leavlng behlnd one
of Lhe cenLral complalnLs abouL exerclse.
#"at Can Yo. E+ect #"en Yo. Start E+ercising No0O
WlLh regular exerclse, you can expecL Lo be beLLer proLecLed agalnsL sLress and Lo experlence
fewer problems wlLh mood and anxleLy. ?ou can also expecL exerclse Lo be an effecLlve
LreaLmenL for ma[or depresslon and anxleLy.
erhaps one of Lhe mosL appeallng feaLures of exerclse for lmprovlng your mood and well-
belng ls LhaL you can expecL Lo see some lmmedlaLe evldence of lLs effecLs. AlLhough
overcomlng a condlLlon such as ma[or depresslve dlsorder may requlre weeks of exerclse
Lralnlng, each bouL of exerclse along Lhe way comes wlLh poslLlve mood effecLs LhaL can be
experlenced rlghL away. no maLLer how bad people feel before and durlng exerclse, Lhe feellngs
afLer exerclse have been reporLed as unlformly poslLlve.
30
ln facL, researchers have found LhaL
Lhe lmmedlaLe effecLs of exerclse on mood and anxleLy Lend Lo be greaLer among persons who
have hlgh anxleLy or negaLlve mood levels ln general.
31
As we wlll dlscuss ln ChapLer 3, Lhls
feaLure of exerclse-lLs lmmedlaLe mood-enhanclng effecLs-offers a greaL deal of appeal as
you are Lrylng Lo develop an exerclse hablL.
Persectives from C"amions
Lxerclse ls Lhe besL mood boosLer ln Lhe world, aL leasL for me! l vlew lL as my me Llme. lor
example, when l am feellng down, Lhe workouL Lends Lo brlng me back Lo a poslLlve place. lL
also makes my body feel fanLasLlc, whlch reduces all sorLs of sLress. All Lhe way around, worklng
ouL makes my llfe so much beLLer.
kaLe Mackenzle, 2004 Clymplcs - 8owlng
?ou don'L have Lo walL monLhs for Lhe effecLs of exerclse, as you would ln Lhe case of welghL-
loss goals. As you exerclse for mood, you wlll be consLanLly remlnded of Lhe beneflL you are
produclng.
ARE YO, A 8OOD FIT FOR AN EXERCISE PRO8RAMO
As long as you have adequaLe physlcal healLh, Lhere ls no wrong Llme Lo conslder exerclslng for
mood beneflLs. Some people wlll choose exerclse Lo manage exLra sLress ([ob or marlLal
changes, famlly lllnesses), as well as more prolonged sLress (All l seem Lo have ln my llfe are
consLanL problems LhaL need solvlng"). lL ls lmporLanL Lo remember LhaL boLh poslLlve and
negaLlve slLuaLlons can cause sLress. ulvorce ls a negaLlve llfe evenL when compared Lo, say, a
weddlng-buL, as many people know, Lhe lmpendlng llfe changes and huge plannlng demands
can make a lovely weddlng a ma[or sLressor as well. lor all of Lhese sLressors, havlng a backdrop
of regular exerclse can change Lhe Lone of your days and help make sLressors feel more
manageable. eople reporL LhaL negaLlve emoLlons surroundlng Lhelr problems decrease durlng
and afLer exerclse, LhaL Lhe sLress [usL seems Lo fade."
CLher people pursue exerclse for mood ln parL because Lhey feel bad abouL Lhelr shape and
body, complalnlng LhaL Lhey ofLen don'L feel comforLable ln Lhelr own skln. 8efocuslng on Lhe
mood beneflLs of exerclse, lnsLead of Lhe shape beneflLs, can offer a powerful new sLraLegy
LhaL, as ouLllned ln Lhe nexL chapLer, helps prevenL some of Lhe common reasons for exerclse
fallure. lor Lhese lndlvlduals, exerclse offers a way Lo feel physlcal and Lo geL a mood and self-
esLeem boosL.
lor Lhose wlLh sympLoms aL a cllnlcal level, exerclse can help reduce anxleLy and depresslon no
maLLer how long you have been experlenclng problems wlLh your mood. lor some, exerclse ls
an early cholce for mood managemenL, for oLhers, exerclse comes as a nexL sLep ln a long llne
of LreaLmenL opLlons LhaL have been Lrled. Pere are some examples.
1odd ls a marrled man who has long been boLhered by low mood. Pe sLaLes, Cood Lhlngs
happen Lo me, buL lL [usL seems llke l am always low. lL's llke belng [usL under Lhe surface of
waLer. l can see everyone else above waLer, up ln Lhe sun. 8uL for me, l don'L geL Lhere very
ofLen. l am Llred of holdlng my breaLh. l wanL Lo geL up and breaLhe llke everyone else."
ulagnosLlcally, 1odd has whaL ls called Jystbymlo-a chronlc, low-level mood dlsLurbance,
accompanled by sympLoms such as sleep dlsLurbance, low energy, poor appeLlLe, poor
concenLraLlon, and feellngs of hopelessness. uysLhymla ls less severe Lhan depresslon, buL lL
sLlll Lakes a Loll on well-belng and Lhe quallLy of llfe, lncludlng Lhe quallLy of relaLlonshlps. 1odd
sLaLes LhaL hls wlfe ls growlng colder and more dlsLanL. Pe says, l Lhlnk she ls [usL Llred of me
belng ln a bad mood, she says she has more fun wlLh her frlends." 1odd also complalns of
feellng slugglsh aL work as well as aL home. Pe says he used Lo be ln good shape, buL now holds
loLs of welghL ln hls belly. Pe would love Lo geL back Lo a more youLhful feellng of belng
lnvlgoraLed. Pe has been Lo hls docLor and has been cleared medlcally for exerclse. Pe ls
worrled LhaL hls feellngs of slugglshness mlghL geL ln Lhe way, buL he ls wllllng Lo glve exerclse a
shoL.
!oan has been ln and ouL of Lherapy for years. She says, Lherapy seems Lo help for a whlle, buL
Lhen some of my old paLLerns come back, and l seem Lo sllp lnLo depresslon." When depressed,
she reporLs LhaL lL ls as lf her sysLem LoLally shuLs down-no appeLlLe, no energy, and exLreme
faLlgue. My LheraplsL encouraged me Lo Lhlnk abouL uslng my body more, Lo complemenL
whaL we are dolng ln our Lalk Lherapy. We are hoplng LhaL by uslng boLh mlnd and body, we
can geL beLLer aL conLrolllng my depresslon."
ScoLL has Lrled anLldepressanLs. Pe has been on several over Lhe pasL few years, and has
recenLly found one LhaL appears Lo have some poslLlve effecLs. AlLhough noLlclng some
lmprovemenLs, he feels llke he has a way Lo go. Also Lroublesome Lo hlm ls Lhe welghL galn LhaL
he has experlenced wlLh medlcaLlon Lherapy. ScoLL and hls psychlaLrlsL agreed LhaL exerclse
may be a nlce addlLlon Lo hls LreaLmenL reglmen.
Sarah has never been Lo Lherapy, desplLe feellng depressed for more Lhan a year. She says LhaL
she has been flghLlng feellngs of shyness and shame for some Llme. She has been Lrylng Lo geL
herself moLlvaLed Lo go Lo Lherapy, buL her shyness geLs Lhe besL of her. She says, lL ls [usL
easler Lo sLay home, and hope my mood wlll geL beLLer." lor Sarah, an exerclse lnLervenLlon
could be Lhe perfecL flL because she could sLay home buL sLlll be dolng someLhlng Lo help her
depresslon. She sLarLed runnlng on a home Lreadmlll. AfLer runnlng, she felL more acLlvaLed,
and more aL peace wlLh herself. As she exerclsed across weeks, she felL more flL: l have been
wanLlng Lo lose welghL. l don'L know lf l have yeL, buL l feel flLLer. l feel beLLer abouL my body,
and my mood really ls dlfferenL." Sarah was noL Lrylng Lo geL all Lhe way Lo well" wlLh her
exerclse, buL she reporLs LhaL she sLarLed feellng beLLer abouL herself and was much less
depressed. She felL beLLer enough LhaL she declded she dld have Lhe energy Lo seek Lherapy,
and she seL up her flrsL appolnLmenL.
#4AT EXERCISE DOES NOT TREAT
Lxerclse offers some Lerrlflc mood beneflLs, and lL wlll work even beLLer lf you use oLher
resources avallable Lo you. 8uL aL every polnL, you musL balance whaL your body needs and Lhe
role of exerclse ln managlng your mood wlLh oLher resources LhaL can help you. Lxerclse can be
comblned wlLh elLher medlcaLlon or Lalklng Lherapy LreaLmenLs. lndeed, wlLh physlcal acLlon,
exerclse can balance Lhe focus of psychoLherapy, whlch ls more on Lalklng, undersLandlng,
feellng, and plannlng. Llkewlse, exerclse can be Lhe acLlve form of LreaLmenL for Lhose who
have sLarLed anLldepressanL or anLlanxleLy medlcaLlons. lf, for any reason, you don'L achleve
Lhe resulLs you deslre wlLh Lhls program, we recommend LhaL you consulL a quallfled healLh
professlonal (lnformaLlon on addlLlonal LreaLmenLs for mood and anxleLy dlsorders can be
found ln Lhe Appendlx). Llkewlse, exerclse should noL be subsLlLuLed for oLher problem-solvlng
efforLs, such as learnlng how Lo beLLer manage sLressors ln your llfe. 1hls ls especlally Lrue lf you
flnd LhaL your sympLoms are worsenlng, or lf you sLarL experlenclng sulcldal LhoughLs. Sulcldal
LhoughLs are a sympLom of depresslon, and lL ls lmporLanL LhaL you LreaL such LhoughLs as a
sympLom tepoltloq lmmeJlote tteotmeot. Also, LhroughouL Lhls book, we sLress Lhe value of
moderaLlon and varlaLlon. As we polnL ouL ln ChapLer 10, overexerclse can also be a problem
LhaL needs aLLenLlon.
ln sum, we wanL you Lo flnd Lhe level of acLlve engagemenL ln exerclse LhaL besL helps your
mlnd and emoLlons sLay ln balance. 1o help you undersLand how an exerclse program for mood
ls dlfferenL from whaL you may have Lrled before, we sLarL ouL Lhls program of exerclse by
dlscusslng why your exerclse aLLempLs may have falled ln Lhe pasL.
MHN
#4Y EXERCISE PRO8RAMS FAI6
We know LhaL mosL exerclse lnLenLlons fall mosL adulLs. ?ou probably know Lhls as well.
8egardless of wheLher you are a former member of a gym, you once Look llaLes, or you used
Lo plLch for an lnLramural sofLball Leam way back when, chances are good LhaL you know how
easy lL ls Lo leL exerclse programs sllp away.
AlLhough mosL programs of exerclse ask people Lo work ouL for some fuLure flLness goal, our
program ls dlfferenL. We slmply wanL you Lo have an acLlve llfesLyle oow because lL can make
you feel good oow. 1hls ls a dramaLlc change from whaL people Lyplcally seek from
exerclse-fuLure flLness, especlally wlLh regard Lo welghL loss. Pavlng Lo work now for a dlsLanL
fuLure goal makes lL hard Lo sLay wlLh exerclse-well, LhaL and Lhe busy llves we all lead. 1hls
chapLer ls devoLed Lo maklng sense of pasL exerclse fallures as you begln Lo plan for exerclse
success ln Lhe now.
8OOD INTENTIONS 9ERS,S 4EA6T4Y C4OICES
PealLh behavlors-Lhlngs llke smoklng, sleep, and dleL-share ln common a powerful lmpacL on
healLh by lnfluenclng obeslLy, cardlovascular dlsease, and mosL noLably longevlLy.
1
unllke oLher
rlsk facLors llke age, gender, or famlly hlsLory, healLh behavlors are moJlfloble (you can
change Lhem), and Lherefore Lhey provlde a clear LargeL for prevenLlng cerLaln dlseases, boLh
on a publlc and personal scale.
2
We all know smoklng ls bad for us, LhaL we should eaL more
salads and fewer cheeseburgers, and so on. 8uL desplLe Lhls knowledge, mosL people flnd lL
very dlfflculL Lo change Lhelr hablLs, lncludlng Lhe amounL of physlcal exerclse Lhey geL, over Lhe
long Lerm, no maLLer how ofLen Lhey're Lold Lo geL up and geL movlng.
1o lllusLraLe Lhls, we have reprlnLed here a flgure from Lhe unlLed SLaLes CenLers for ulsease
ConLrol and revenLlon.
3
1hls flgure shows LhaL, desplLe Lhe runnlng craze, dancerclse craze,
yoga craze, and cardloboxlng craze, Lhe percenLage of Amerlcans who are sedenLary has
remalned amazlngly sLable over Lhe pasL decade. noLlce whaL ls belng graphed here-Lhls ls Lhe
raLe of Amerlcan adulLs who have oo teqolot lelsote tlme pbyslcol octlvlty. none! And Lhe raLe
ls sLable ln Lhe range of one-quarLer Lo one-Lhlrd of adulLs.
llgure 3.1. 20-year perspecLlve on raLes of adulLs wlLh no lelsure Llme physlcal acLlvlLy.
SomeLhlng LhaL remalns Lhls sLable for so long deserves our respecL. 1here musL be good
reasons why so many people remaln sedenLary. ln facL, we should expecL Lhese reasons Lo be
flrmly rooLed ln human naLure. So, leL's Lake a look aL whaL we know abouL human naLure
when lL comes Lo Lhlnklng abouL change, especlally when Lhlnklng abouL maklng a change LhaL
ls qooJ fot yoo. Allow us Lo lnLroduce Lhree key psychologlcal processes: focollsm, footosy
effects, and Jeloy Jlscoootloq. Pere we go.
Foca$ism
locollsm refers Lo errors ln plannlng LhaL occur because a LargeL Lask ls noL consldered relaLlve
Lo oLher llfe demands and lnLruslons. 1hlnk back Lo geLLlng your weekend homework done
when ln school. Cn lrlday afLernoon, lL was easy Lo lmaglne dolng your homework laLer ln Lhe
weekend (leL's say Sunday nlghL) because you forgoL all abouL Lhe oLher demands and
dlsLracLlons of Sunday nlghL. And, you probably lgnored some of Lhe problems wlLh walLlng
unLll Sunday nlghL Lo do your homework, llke havlng access Lo Lhe necessary reference
maLerlals for a reporL. lL [usL seemed llke a reasonable plan Lo walL. 1hen, wham! When Sunday
nlghL rolled around, lL Lurned ouL LhaL geLLlng Lo Lhe homework was as hard or harder Lhan aL
any oLher Llme slnce lrlday afLernoon.
1hls focallsm can have a powerful effecL on all sorLs of plannlng, especlally when Lhe plannlng ls
for evenLs ln Lhe more dlsLanL fuLure. 8y way of example, your auLhors rouLlnely suffer from
focallsm around Lhe academlc asslgnmenLs we Lake on. We are frequenLly asked Lo wrlLe
chapLers for oLher people's books. WrlLlng Lhese chapLers ls hard, and lL Lakes Llme. We know
Lhls, and we ofLen sLarL ouL wlLh a refusal, clalmlng LhaL we are already behlnd on currenL work
demands. 8uL we are rarely successful ln Lhls refusal. We geL fooled, agaln and agaln, by belng
Lold, no worrles, Lhe chapLer wlll noL be due unLll Lhls Llme nexL year!" When we lmaglne
worklng on Lhe chapLer monLhs from now, we see noLhlng buL wlde-open wrlLlng Llme. We Lell
ourselves lL wlll be easy Lo do Lhe chapLer Lhen. Surely, nexL year won'L be as busy as Lhls year!
8uL lL ls as busy. 1he chapLer has Lo be flL lnLo an overfull schedule, [usL as we should have
anLlclpaLed. We were Loo focal ln our vlew of Lhe fuLure.
ln Lhe same way, fuLure healLhy changes look llke Lhey wlll be really easy. ln conLrasL Lo maklng
changes now, ln Lhe fuLure lL wlll be easy Lo qulL smoklng, exerclse regularly, and Lake Lhose
yoga classes. 8lghL? luLure Llme always looks wlde open, ln reallLy, lL ls as busy and demandlng
as Lhe presenL.
Fantas- Effects
uLLlng off a healLh behavlor llke exerclse ls also made easler by fanLasles abouL Lhe beneflLs.
1hls ls known as a footosy effect. 1haL ls, fanLaslzlng abouL Lhe beneflLs of exerclse (you know,
Lhlngs llke, l really wlll geL ln good shape. lL wlll be easler Lo do Lhlngs, l wlll look beLLer ln my
cloLhes, l won'L have Lhe healLh problems my broLher-ln-law has, and my abs wlll look llke 8rad
lLL's ln 1toy") can reduce Lhe moLlvaLlon for exerclse. lL ls as lf Lhe fanLasy ls saLlsfylng enough
ln lLs own rlghL, so our lncllnaLlon Lo acLually Jo tbe wotk ls reduced. ln conLrasL, accuraLe
plannlng abouL Lhe sLeps needed Lo reach good healLh ls llnked Lo followlng Lhrough wlLh
acLlvlLles.
Pere ls an example. 8esearchers asked graduaLe sLudenLs abouL Lhelr poslLlve and negaLlve
LhoughLs on obLalnlng an approprlaLe [ob afLer graduaLlon.
4
Llkewlse, Lhe researchers asked a
dlfferenL seL of college sLudenLs Lo fanLaslze abouL lnLeracLlons wlLh a sLudenL Lhey had a crush
on, and asked yeL anoLher group Lo glve Lhelr LhoughLs and expecLaLlons abouL grades ln an
ongolng course. 1he researchers also asked a group of paLlenLs awalLlng surgery Lo glve Lhelr
LhoughLs and fanLasles abouL Lhe recovery process. Across all Lhese dlverse cases, Lhe people
wlLh concreLe expecLaLlons of success ooJ owoteoess of tbe steps oeeJeJ to qet tbete had
beLLer ouLcomes. Powever, lndlvlduals wlLh overposlLlve fanLasles of success were less llkely
Lo geL Lhe ouLcomes Lhey deslred, Lhey dld noL geL a [ob, ask ouL Lhe person Lhey had a crush
on, geL a good grade, or recover well from surgery. ugh, bad grades, daLeless, no [ob, and
llmplng-no way Lo be.
1he lesson from Lhls research ls LhaL Lhe way ln whlch people Lhlnk abouL Lhelr deslres may
acLually decrease Lhe llkellhood LhaL Lhey wlll Lake Lhe sLeps needed Lo fulflll LhaL ouLcome. So,
Lo keep belng moLlvaLed Lo geL more exerclse, don'L geL losL ln plcLurlng yourself wlLh 8rad
lLL's abs. lnsLead, keep your focus on whaL you wanL and Lhe sLeps you'll need Lo Lake Lo geL
Lhere.
De$a- Disco.nting
Cur Lhlrd concepL, Jeloy Jlscoootloq, refers Lo Lhe way ln whlch fuLure rewards are made less
meanlngful by havlng Lo walL for Lhem. ln a classlc demonsLraLlon of delay dlscounLlng, adulLs
are offered dlfferenL rewards-leL's say cash-dependlng on when Lhey choose Lo recelve Lhe
reward. 1hey can have a small amounL of cash now, or a larger amounL of cash ln Lhe fuLure. All
Lhey need Lo do Lo geL more cash ls walL for lL. 8uL Lhls ls hard for people Lo do. lor example,
when glven Lhe cholce beLween $40 now or $60 ln several monLhs, many people plck Lhe $40
now. 1he value of Lhe money ln Lhe fuLure ls dlscounLed ln our mlnds because of Lhe walL. ln
conLrasL, Lhe $40 now ls real-lL can be spenL ln Lhe here and now. 1hls ls a Lremendously
rellable flndlng, books have been wrlLLen abouL lL.
3
?ou can also see Lhls effecL ln acLlon every
Aprll, when companles offer Lo buy your Lax reLurn from you for a fee (less money for you now,
buL no walLlng for LhaL check from Lhe governmenL).
now, Lhlnk of exerclslng for healLh. 1here ls a promlse of good healLh ln Lhe fuLure-way ln Lhe
fuLure. Lveryone would love a lower rlsk of hearL dlsease, freedom from dlabeLes, and a
sllmmer walsLllne, buL Lhe efforL ls requlred oow, and Lhese rewards are ln Lhe fuLure. Also,
good healLh ln Lhe fuLure ls probablllsLlc, lL may or may noL really happen. ?ou could qulL
smoklng, exerclse a loL, and Lhen geL hlL by a car. 8y comparlson, llghLlng Lhe clgareLLe and
slLLlng down Lo waLch Lhe game on Lelevlslon can happen now, wlLhouL a doubL.
LeL's puL Lhese concepLs LogeLher. uue Lo focallsm, lL looks llke Lasks wlll be easler Lo do ln Lhe
fuLure. We can see ourselves performlng a healLhy new hablL llke exerclse wlLhouL all Lhe busy
cluLLer LhaL ls our usual llfe. Also, we can plcLure how easy lL wlll be and how good we wlll look
once we exerclse, buL we aren'L so good aL plcLurlng Lhe efforL lL Lakes Lo geL Lhere. llnally,
relaLlve Lo all Lhe payoffs LhaL happen Lomorrow or Lhe nexL day, Lhe beneflLs of Lhose ln Lhe
fuLure have less pull on us. We have a good fanLasy now, buL Lhe reallLy of worklng Loward LhaL
fanLasy ls hard, and LhaL payoff ls far away. lL ls much easler Lo [usL Lurn on Lhe Lelevlslon: low
ooJ OtJet now, plenLy of Llme for exerclse laLer. locallsm, fanLasy effecLs, and delay
dlscounLlng: uL LogeLher, Lhey sap your moLlvaLlon Lo acL for Lhe fuLure ouLcomes LhaL you
really do care abouL.
#4Y EXERCISIN8 FOR MOOD IS DIFFERENT
Pere ls Lhe really good news. AlLhough exerclslng for shape or for healLh makes you walL a long
Llme for beneflLs, exerclse for mood does noL. Lxerclslng for a beLLer mood oow can make you
feel beLLer oow! AlLhough lL may Lake you a whlle Lo cllmb ouL of depresslon wlLh exerclse
(mosL sLudles of anLldepressanLs, Lherapy, and exerclse look aL galns across 8 Lo 12 weeks of
lnLervenLlon), you are llkely Lo sLarL feellng some of Lhe mood beneflLs rlghL away. ln facL, much
of Lhls book ls organlzed around helplng you noLlce and make Lhe mosL ouL of Lhe lmmeJlote
mood beneflLs of exerclse. lf you can [usL geL yourself sLarLed on an exerclse sesslon, you can
feel very dlfferenLly wlLhln a half hour. 1hls ls nlghL-and-day dlfferenL from oLher healLh
behavlor changes, whlch requlre you Lo walL for Lhe beneflL you're worklng Loward. 1o drlve
Lhls polnL home, leL's conslder anoLher healLh behavlor example-qulLLlng smoklng.
X.itting To/accoB 'est Intentions , in Smo1e
!usL llke raLes of exerclse, Lobacco use raLes have been frozen aL around 20 of adulLs for over
a decade now.
6
And, lf you Lalk wlLh smokers (and we do), you ofLen hear a regular deslre Lo
qulL. Smokers know LhaL Lobacco ls kllllng Lhem slowly, buL Lhey would prefer Lo Lhlnk abouL
qulLLlng smoklng nexL monLh, when Lhe Llmlng would be a llLLle beLLer. 1he efforL of qulLLlng ls
besL saved unLll Lomorrow, or Lhe day afLer ..
Cccaslonally, Lhough, someLhlng wlll happen Lo make lL feel llke Lhls week should be Lhe week
Lo qulL. SomeLhlng moved Lhe moLlvaLlon Lo qulL up on Lhe hlerarchy of lmporLance. We
recenLly had one such smoker come lnLo one of our cllnlcs. Pls name was 8oberL. Pe was 23
years old. Pe smoked one pack a day and had been dolng so slnce age 14. Pe says hls frlends
were smoklng, and he [usL wanLed Lo glve lL a Lry. Cops-now he's been smoklng for almosL a
decade. eer pressure helped hlm sLarL, buL lL has noL helped hlm qulL.
Cver Lhe pasL 3 years, smoklng had become lncreaslngly more unpopular. 1hls senLlmenL was
relnforced by new clLy regulaLlons prohlblLlng smoklng ln publlc places, lncludlng bars and
resLauranLs. 8uL 8oberL kepL smoklng. 1hen, one day, hls uncle was dlagnosed wlLh lung cancer,
and 8oberL felL llke lL was flnally Llme Lo qulL. Pe sald he was ready: lL ls a bad hablL, and l
wanL Lo llve longer." 1he smoklng cessaLlon program he was [olnlng was lnLense. lL lnvolved
Lhree weekly vlslLs for 13 weeks, focuslng on ldenLlfylng Lrlggers LhaL made 8oberL wanL Lo
smoke, developlng approprlaLe coplng sLraLegles Lo deal wlLh cravlngs, and learnlng healLhy
alLernaLlve behavlors. lL was all free. AlLhough lL dld ask 8oberL Lo do a loL of Lhlngs LhaL were
new and noL necessarlly comforLable ln Lhe beglnnlng, he sald he was ready.
uurlng Lhe flrsL 3 weeks, 8oberL showed Lremendous commlLmenL Lo Lhe program, arrlvlng
early for sesslons, havlng compleLed all home pracLlce asslgnmenLs. Llkewlse, durlng Lhe
sesslons, he was lnvolved and engaged, offerlng emoLlonal supporL Lo oLher smokers ln Lhe
program. 1hen came week 4. 8oberL dld noL show up. Pe called aL Lhe end of Lhe week Lo leL us
know LhaL he had declded Lo LermlnaLe Lhe program. Pe Lold us he had losL hls [ob, and LhaL
qulLLlng smoklng was no longer a prlorlLy aL Lhls Llme. Pe sald LhaL, rlghL now, he felL healLhy
and LhaL smoklng dldn'L boLher hlm LhaL much.
LeL's Lhlnk Lhls Lhrough. 8oberL wanLs Lhe goal of fuLure healLh. Pe knows LhaL qulLLlng smoklng
wlll help hlm have LhaL fuLure healLh. 8uL qulLLlng smoklng Lakes efforL oow. lL Lakes even more
efforL durlng a Llme of sLress. And he ls sLressed, especlally wlLh Lhe [ob loss. SLress and oLher
negaLlve emoLlons shorLen our focus-we wanL rellef now!
7
LfforL now for healLh beneflLs
years from now-for 8oberL, Lhls was noL an equaLlon for success.
8uL lL could have been dlfferenL.
lf Lhe tteotmeot ltself had helped decrease 8oberL's sLress lnsLead of addlng Lo lL, lf he could
have felL beLLer wlLh every sesslon of efforL, Lhen he mlghL have perslsLed Loward hls goal. Pls
efforL oow would have reaped rewards oow. And Lhe sLress would [usL make Lhe mood
rewards more sallenL.
Pere's Lhe Lhlng: unllke 8oberL's smoklng cessaLlon LreaLmenL, exerclse can provlde an
lmmeJlote mooJ llft, especlally when you feel bad beforehand.
8
8uL hold on, you say, because you [usL remembered someLhlng. ?ou recall how bad you felL Lhe
lasL Llme you exerclsed. lL was punlshlng. lL was no fun aL all. uo we mean Lo Lell you LhaL Lhere
ls a way Lo make exerclse ltself feel much beLLer?
?es, we do.
FEE6IN8 8OOD 9ERS,S FEE6IN8 'AD D,RIN8 EXERCISE
8esearch shows LhaL experlences durlng exerclse vary greaLly from lndlvldual Lo lndlvldual, wlLh
some people reporLlng LhaL Lhey feel really bad, many reporLlng neuLral feellngs, and some
reporLlng feellng really good. ln conLrasL, feellng good appears Lo be Lhe vlrLually unlversal
emoLlon experlenced oftet exerclse.
9
Cne lnLerpreLaLlon of Lhese flndlngs ls LhaL maybe you
should Lry noL Lo Lhlnk abouL how you feel Jotloq exerclse, and [usL focus on feellng good
afLerward. noL llkely. 8esearch lndlcaLes LhaL feellngs durlng exerclse maLLer qulLe a blL when lL
comes Lo malnLalnlng an exerclse program.
10
noL surprlslngly, people who feel bad durlng
exerclse flnd lL more dlfflculL Lo sLlck wlLh Lhelr exerclse program. 1he quesLlon Lhen arlses:
Why do some people feel good, whlle oLhers feel bad durlng exerclse? 1here are several
reasons.
T"e Intensit- of t"e #or1o.t
lL should come as no surprlse LhaL feellngs durlng exerclse depend ln parL on Lhe lnLenslLy of
Lhe workouL. oslLlve or neuLral feellngs are more common durlng llghL- or moderaLe-lnLenslLy
exerclse Lhan durlng sLrenuous exerclse.
11
lndeed, much of Lhe negaLlve feellng durlng
sLrenuous exerclse appears Lo be drlven by Lhe physlcal sympLoms of exerLlon.
12
WlLh hlgher
exerclse lnLenslLy levels, Lhe body's physlology changes, so LhaL lL can saLlsfy Lhe lncreaslng
energy demands of exerLlon. 1haL change ln physlology comes along wlLh all klnds of bodlly
sensaLlons, mosL noLably labored breaLhlng LhaL, ln Lurn, ofLen leads Lo a shlfL Lowards feellng
bad abouL Lhe experlence. ln shorL, malnLalnlng an exerclse rouLlne ls much more dlfflculL when
you exerclse aL an lnLenslLy LhaL ls (Loo) hlgh.
Pow do people geL Lo such hlgh lnLenslLles? Cne reason ls LhaL Lhey reLurn Lo exerclse wlLh
lnaccuraLe expecLaLlons. lor example, a memory of belng able Lo run a cerLaln dlsLance aL a
cerLaln pace ln hlgh school can lead a mlddle-aged person Lo seL unreallsLlc goals. 8unnlng 3
mlles ln 23 mlnuLes may have been a comforLable experlence aL age 22, when you were ln greaL
shape, buL aL age 40, afLer 18 years of relaLlve lnacLlvlLy, you are llkely Lo experlence Lhls as
especlally sLrenuous (you know, abouL as much fun as belng dragged behlnd a horse). lalllng Lo
appreclaLe Lhe decllne ln flLness LhaL comes along wlLh age and lnacLlvlLy may, ln parL, cause
Lhe negaLlve feellngs people experlence durlng a reLurn Lo exerclse.
Foc.sing on t"e Negatives D.ring E+ercise
ln addlLlon, whaL we Lhlnk abouL durlng exerclse can have a profound lmpacL on en[oymenL and
Lhe llkellhood of sLaylng wlLh an exerclse program. Cne handy way Lo Lake Lhe fun ouL of
exerclse ls Lo wonder how your body looks Lo oLhers, or Lo worry LhaL oLhers are [udglng your
body negaLlvely. 1hls bad hablL ls so prevalenL LhaL lL has lLs own label: soclol pbyslpoe
ooxlety.
13
Soclal physlque anxleLy resLs on Lhe assumpLlon LhaL oLhers Lake noLlce of your body
when you exerclse and LhaL Lhey care enough Lo [udge lL negaLlvely. 1he hlgher Lhe anxleLy, Lhe
more uncomforLable a workouL when oLher people are around, parLlcularly lf a mlrror ls
presenL.
14
Persectives from C"amions
?ou have Lo have Lhe vlslon of whaL lL ls you are golng Lo achleve by Lhe hard work, buL more
lmporLanLly, you have Lo flnd a way Lo make Lhe hard work fun . every workouL ls a small
compeLlLlon wlLhln yourself.
!ohn 8lg !ake" Carenza, 1972 Clymplcs - Soccer
Discomfort 0it" P"-sica$ E+ertion
Also, people vary wldely ln how uncomforLable Lhey are wlLh Lhe sympLoms of exerLlon. 1o
en[oy exerclse, sweaLlng and breaLhlng hard needs Lo be no blg deal. lf lL ls a blg deal, Lhen
feellngs of fear and dlscomforL can arlse and mar Lhe workouL experlence. ?ou read abouL Lhls
concern wlLh sympLoms ln Lhe lasL chapLer, when we dlscussed panlc dlsorder. 1haL ls, anxleLy
senslLlvlLy (fears of sensaLlons of emoLlonal arousal) can lnLenslfy feellngs of exerLlon lnLo
evenLs Lo be feared.
13
lorLunaLely, Lhere are ways Lo decrease Lhese fears. Cur goal ln laLer chapLers wlll be Lo show
you ways Lo geL Lhe mosL pleasure ouL of exerclse. We wlll gulde you on how Lo approach, how
Lo Lhlnk Lhrough, and how Lo more lmmedlaLely en[oy your exerclse experlence. We wlll gulde
you Loward a reasonable pace LhaL glves you mood beneflLs buL does noL overwhelm you wlLh
feellngs of exerLlon. We wlll help you Lo dlrecL your aLLenLlon Lo Lhe pleasurable aspecLs of
exerclse, and Lo noLlce and drlnk ln Lhe mood changes LhaL follow exerclse as Lhey happen. And,
we wlll advlse you on besL en[oylng your exerclse beneflLs beLween exerclse sesslons. 1hls
experlence of [oy wlll help you sLay lnvolved wlLh exerclse over Lhe long Lerm.
WlLh all Lhese skllls ln place, all LhaL ls lefL Lo do ls geL you Lo Lry exerclse. And, for LhaL goal, we
should dlscuss moLlvaLlon, and how feellngs of moLlvaLlon work. 1haL ls Lhe Loplc of Lhe nexL
chapLer.
MIN
T4E FOREST 'EFORE T4E TREESB T4E TR,T4 A'O,T
MOTI9ATION
When mosL people speak of moLlvaLlon, Lhey are referrlng Lo Lhe experlence of a poslLlve
feellng sLaLe when Lhey lmaglne an evenL. l am moLlvaLed Lo eaL lce cream," means LhaL, when
l plcLure myself havlng an lce cream cone, l feel exclLed. l am moLlvaLed Lo lose welghL,"
means LhaL when l plcLure Lhe new sllm me, l feel good. 8uL a dlsLlncLlon needs Lo be made
beLween motlvotloo fot tbe ootcome as compared Lo motlvotloo fot tbe effott oeeJeJ to qet
tbete. lor example, Lhere ls a blg dlfference beLween feellng moLlvaLed Lo become flL and
feellng moLlvaLed Lo work ouL oow. 1he flrsL refers Lo Lhe ouLcome, Lhe second Lo Lhe process
of geLLlng Lo Lhe ouLcome.
When lL comes Lo Lhe lssue of exerclslng for mood, we are confldenL LhaL you have moLlvaLlon
for Lhe ouLcome: ?ou wanL a good mood-who doesn'L? Cur focus ls on geLLlng you Lo exerclse,
on Lhe ptocess of geLLlng Lo Lhe ouLcome you wanL (and noL [usL Lhe ouLcome lLself). 1o
prepare you for Lhls process, Lhls chapLer provldes a crash course of sorLs on Lhe naLure of
moLlvaLlon, how lL works, and [usL how malleable lL ls. WlLh Lhls lnformaLlon ln hand, you wlll
be especlally ready for Lhe sLraLegles we offer ln laLer chapLers on how Lo successfully compleLe
regular exerclse.
'ENEFITS) FR,STRATIONS) 4A'ITS) AND SE6F&EFFORT
lor anyLhlng LhaL requlres efforL, lL ls lmporLanL Lo undersLand Lhe payoffs for LhaL efforL. Lvery
day, for example, you devoLe Lremendous efforL Lo your work responslblllLles. ?ou wake up
early (aL leasL earller Lhan you would llke), shower, dress, and Lhen head ouL Lo face your day. lf
you have a good day aL work, lL all feels worLhwhlle. 8uL, even lf you don'L have a good day, you
know Lhe payoff-your paycheck-ls comlng. ?ou can conLlnue Lo pay your bllls and go ouL Lo
dlnner or a movle now and Lhen.
lus, you have hablL on your slde. ?ou geL up and go Lo work every weekday. ?ou have Lhe drlll
down. Cn days when you don'L feel moLlvaLed, when Lhe payoff does noL seem worLh lL, you go
ln anyway. PablL ofLen helps you accompllsh your goals even when feellngs of moLlvaLlon falLer.
8uL noL always. SomeLlmes hablL does noL help, and nelLher does Lhe payoff. SomeLlmes work
ls Loo frusLraLlng and you flnd yourself face-Lo-face wlLh Lhe slmple raw efforL LhaL you musL
apply Lo geL yourself Lo work.
8eneflLs, hablLs, frusLraLlons, and self-efforL-all of Lhese facLors need Lo be Laken lnLo accounL
when conslderlng moLlvaLlon and achlevlng your goals.
P,TTIN8 IT TO8ET4ERB A 'ETTER MOOD NO#
ChapLer 2 was devoLed Lo Lelllng you abouL Lhe sclence supporLlng Lhe mood payoffs of
exerclse. Lxerclse can help LreaL your depresslon, lower your sLress, reduce your anxleLy,
amelloraLe your anger, and enhance your well-belng. noL bad, aL leasL ln Lheory. (And we
recognlze LhaL lL ls lo tbeoty for you. We have Lold you lL ls Lrue based on all Lhe research
evldence, buL you have noL yeL expetleoceJ lL Lo be Lrue. 8ecause you have noL yeL
experlenced lL, lL may noL yeL feel ttoe.)
1he focus of ChapLer 3 was Lelllng you abouL Lhe challenges of exerclse LhaL occur lf Lhere ls a
weak llnk beLween exerclse efforL and Lhe payoff experlenced ln Lhe far fuLure. We explalned
LhaL Lhere ls a delayed llnk beLween exerclse and lmproved physlcal healLh or body shape.
now, Lo puL Lhese Lwo concepLs LogeLher. lf you exerclse Lo lmprove your mood oow, you wlll
noL encounLer Lhe same delay ln reward as lf you were exerclslng for fuLure flLness. lf you
exerclse, you wlll feel dlfferenL rlghL away, glvlng you an especlally LlghL llnkage beLween Lhe
behavlor and Lhe mood goal. 1hls wlll help fuel your moLlvaLlon Lo work ouL. 1he caLch ls LhaL
you sLlll have Lo make yourself exerclse (and exerclse aL a reasonable pace and wlLh a
reasonable focus), so LhaL you can en[oy Lhese mood beneflLs.
?ou should now undersLand Lhe LheoreLlcal llnkage beLween Lhe behavlor of exerclse and lLs
mood goal. Cnce you acLually Lry Lo exerclse for mood, you should have a sLronger, experlenLlal
llnkage. 1haL ls, you wlll be more moLlvaLed Lo exerclse oftet you experlence Lhe mood beneflL
for yourself.
WalL a mlnuLe. 1hls sounds as Lhough moLlvaLlon ofLen follows a behavlor raLher Lhan
pteceJloq lL. ls LhaL rlghL?
LxacLly! 1he plcLure ln your head of whaL exerclse can do for you-Lhe pull of exerclse for you
personally-wlll geL sLronger afLer you experlence Lhe payoff. unLll Lhen, lL ls all LheoreLlcal. lf l
exerclse, l sboolJ feel more moLlvaLed Lo exerclse agaln because of Lhe mood beneflLs l
experlence. 8uL l won'L know unLll l Lry lL for Lhe flrsL Llme."
1hls presenLs us wlLh a problem. WhaL lf you declde Lo walL unLll you feel really moLlvaLed
before you sLarL exerclslng? ?ou may have Lo walL forever. lnsLead, Lo feel llke exerclslng, you
may have Lo learn sLraLegles for manlpulaLlng your feellngs of moLlvaLlon. 1haL's whaL we wlll
Leach you here.
6OO5IN8 O,T#ARD INSTEAD OF IN#ARD FOR MOTI9ATION
MoLlvaLlon ls ofLen spoken of as lf lL were some lnward reservolr. WheLher lL ls Lalklng abouL
one's level of moLlvaLlon (as lf Lhe Lank were elLher full or empLy), walLlng for moLlvaLlon (as lf
lL were an annoylngly laLe 8:13 Lraln), or dlgglng deep Lo flnd moLlvaLlon (llke drllllng for a new
oll well and hoplng for a gusher), moLlvaLlon ls frequenLly dlscussed as a quanLlLy. eople may
wlsh Lhelr moLlvaLlon were hlgher, or greaLer, or Lhey may lamenL Lhelr lack of moLlvaLlon as lf
lLs absence were a personallLy flaw (l guess l'm [usL noL a moLlvaLed person"), buL Lhere ls
usually some sense LhaL we should look lnward for moLlvaLlon.
ln conLrasL, Lhe exerclse phllosophy we advocaLe asks you Lo look ouLward for moLlvaLlon. 1he
Lrlck ls noL ln dlgglng deep Lo flnd moLlvaLlon, buL ln manlpulaLlng your envlronmenL Lo help
you supporL cerLaln moLlvaLlons over oLhers aL any glven momenL. ln facL, Lhe besL way of
Lhlnklng abouL moLlvaLlons ls Lo Lhlnk abouL a hlerarchy of compeLlng moLlvaLlons.
1
lf anyLhlng, you are llkely Lo be Lroubled by Loo many moLlvaLlons. ?ou have Lhe moLlvaLlon Lo
slL, Lhe moLlvaLlon Lo waLch a rerun of low ooJ OtJet, Lhe moLlvaLlon Lo have a [ulcy
cheeseburger, Lhe moLlvaLlon Lo chaL wlLh a frlend, and Lhe moLlvaLlon Lo llve a long and
healLhy llfe. 1hlnk of yourself as consLanLly sorLlng and resorLlng your moLlvaLlons. All of your
pressures, wanLs, and needs are belng resorLed by dally and hourly remlnders. ?our moLlvaLlon
for food ls enhanced by Lhe wafLlng smell of sLeak Llps comlng from a local blsLro. ?our
moLlvaLlon Lo work laLe ls enhanced by hearlng abouL your cousln's promoLlon, and your
moLlvaLlon Lo do slL-ups ls enhanced by Lhe approach of beach season. Whlch one of Lhese wlll
wln Lhe compeLlLlon for your focus and your behavlor?
Inf$.ences on Motivation
8esearch shows LhaL moLlvaLlons are lnfluenced by oLhers-lf a frlend sLaLes a moLlvaLlon (l
really wanL Lo geL ln beLLer shape"), you may flnd slmllar moLlvaLlons movlng Lo Lhe Lop of your
llsL.
2
ln facL, even seelng people walklng ln one's nelghborhood appears Lo have a powerful
enough moLlvaLlng force LhaL people exerclse more when Lhls happens.
3
?our moLlvaLlons
resorL Lhemselves, and your exerclse moLlvaLlons go Lo Lhe Lop of Lhe llsL.
MoLlvaLlons are also affecLed by mood. lf you become frusLraLed whlle pursulng a goal,
moLlvaLlon for obLalnlng LhaL goal decreases, and oLher moLlvaLlons begln Lo compeLe for your
aLLenLlon.
4
Lven dlsLracLlon can lead you asLray. 8esearch suggesLs LhaL over Lwo-Lhlrds of
women who have Lhe lnLenL Lo compleLe Lhe regular breasL self-examlnaLlons recommended by
Lhelr physlclans fall Lo do so because Lhey slmply forgeL.
3
MosL of Lhese women were probably
very moLlvaLed Lo perform Lhese exams whlle slLLlng ln Lhelr docLors' offlces, or upon learnlng
of a frlend's cancer dlagnosls. 8uL, somehow, Lhelr moLlvaLlon decreases over Llme. 1hls means
LhaL, for any lnLenLlon you wanL Lo see happen, you need Lo provlde yourself wlLh remlnders Lo
keep Lhe memory of your goals allve.
As such, parL of success ln sLaylng moLlvaLed and followlng Lhrough wlLh lnLenLlons has Lo do
wlLh remlnders and cues LhaL can help keep a speclflc moLlvaLlon aL Lhe Lop of Lhe plle. lL ls noL
abouL dlgglng deep Lo flnd some hldden moLlvaLlonal reservolr, lL ls abouL worklng Lo have
your envlronmenL supporL your lnLenLlons. 1hls ls whaL our exerclse program ls meanL Lo help
you do.
CONTEXT) CONTEXT) CONTEXT
ln Lhe book NoJqe, Lhe auLhors lnLroduce readers Lo Lhe concepL of cbolce otcbltectote, whlch
ls Lhe deslgn of Lhe conLexL ln whlch people make declslons.
6
1hey make Lhe polnL LhaL Lhere ls
no such Lhlng as a neuLral deslgn. lor example, lf deslgnlng a bulldlng, Lhe doors, wlndows,
sLalrs, and baLhrooms all have Lo go somewhere. Where you puL Lhem deLermlnes how people
use Lhe bulldlng, and lL can also deLermlne Lhe bulldlng's ease of use, dlsLracLlons and hardshlps
experlenced by people who work Lhere, and general level of en[oymenL of Lhe bulldlng.
Llkewlse, how you arrange an envlronmenL makes a huge dlfference ln Lhe ease wlLh whlch
dlfferenL behavlors emerge. 1hlnk of lL as arranglng Lhe hlerarchy of moLlvaLlons a person has,
uslng Lhe envlronmenL Lo help move deslred moLlvaLlons Lo Lhe Lop of Lhe llsL, and Lrylng Lo
keep Lhem Lhere. And, how do you do LhaL? arL of Lhe answer ls LhaL you work Lo make sure
LhaL a moLlvaLlon ls noL deralled by exLra efforL or frusLraLlons or oLher compeLlng moLlvaLlons.
Whenever posslble, Lhlnk abouL sLrengLhenlng one moLlvaLlon by uslng anoLher Lo keep Lhe
deslred behavlor on Lrack. ?ou can leverage Lhls concepL ln your efforL Lo adopL a more acLlve
llfesLyle. We wlll show you how.
Mani.$ating Environment to S.ort 'e"avior
LeL's Lake Lhe example of an lmporLanL dally behavlor (say, uslng Lhe baLhroom) and a problem
LhaL seems Lo occur across Lhe llfespan for men: almlng accuraLely whlle uslng Lhe urlnal. oor
alm has qulLe a cosL, aL leasL for Lhose who have Lo clean up. 1o help keep a publlc baLhroom as
pleasanL as posslble, and Lo reduce cusLodlal cosLs, lL pays Lo help men alm beLLer. Cne opLlon
ls Lo puL up a blg slgn over each urlnal: AlM WLLL! Cf course, Lo read Lhe slgn, men need Lo look
aL Lhe wall above Lhe urlnal, and noL aL Lhelr urlnal LargeL. And Lhe only moLlvaLlon
communlcaLed by Lhe slgn ls Lhe managemenL's deslre Lo reduce a mess.
Compare Lhls Lo Lhe approach flrsL adopLed ln AmsLerdam alrporLs and Lhen laLer across Lhe
counLry: eLch a plcLure of a fly lnLo Lhe urlnal porcelaln where you wanL men Lo alm.
ManufacLurers reporL a dramaLlc 83 decrease ln splllage wlLh Lhls approach.
7
ln facL, lL
appears Lo be such a good soluLlon LhaL fly eLchlngs have spread over Lhe ALlanLlc Lo publlc
baLhrooms across Lhe unlLed SLaLes.
LeL's Lhlnk abouL how Lhls happened. 8aLher Lhan relylng on exhorLaLlons of good soclal
behavlor (alm well"), Lhe sLraLegy Look advanLage of a naLural urge Lo urlnaLe on a LargeL. ln
shorL, Lhe fly eLchlng co-opLed a man's moLlvaLlon Lo have fun whlle sLandlng aL Lhe urlnal. 1he
manufacLurers used Lhe envlronmenL Lo help men wanL Lo alm well. We encourage you Lo
apply slmllar sLraLegles for exerclse success.
Mani.$ating Environment to S.ort E+ercise
Pere's an example LhaL relaLes dlrecLly Lo our sub[ecL: exerclse. Cne of your auLhors goL hooked
on Lhe Mlllennlum Lrllogy of books by SLleg Larsson, sLarLlng wlLh 1be Cltl wltb tbe utoqoo
1ottoo. 1hese books are exclLlng, Lhey are hard Lo puL down once you plck Lhem up. ln oLher
words, l am hlghly moLlvaLed Lo read Lhese books, buL wlLh a busy schedule lL ls hard Lo [usLlfy
hours devoLed Lo readlng flcLlon. Cn Lhe oLher hand, l am also moLlvaLed for Lhe ouLcomes LhaL
exerclse glves me, buL my moLlvaLlon for Lhe process of worklng ouL ls llmlLed.
Can l leverage one moLlvaLlon Lo geL my oLher moLlvaLlonal needs meL? ?es. All l have Lo do ls
leL myself llsLen Lo Lhe book ln audlo form when exerclslng, and only when exerclslng. 1he only
self-conLrol efforL LhaL needs Lo be applled ls never llsLenlng Lo Lhe book whlle noL exerclslng.
1o help, l kepL Lhe audlo book player wlLh my runnlng gear, and never puL Lhem anywhere else
(Lo avold LempLaLlon). As l wondered whaL would happen nexL ln Lhe book, l only had Lo
wonder when l could have my nexL workouL. resLo-l am moLlvaLed Lo run. ln facL, lL was hard
Lo keep my runs shorL. l was repeaLedly LempLed Lo go [usL a llLLle longer Lo see whaL happens
ln Lhe nexL chapLer. Agaln, Lhe only efforL l had Lo expend was llsLenlng Lo Lhe audlo books only
durlng my runnlng Llme, Lhe resL of Lhe moLlvaLlon came naLurally.
LeL's revlew. l could say LhaL l sboolJ too. l could Lry Lo drlll deep for moLlvaLlon, or walL,
hoplng for some naLural runnlng moLlvaLlon Lo sprlng forLh. And alrporL cusLodlans could puL up
a slgn saylng LhaL paLrons sboolJ alm whlle aL Lhe urlnal. lnsLead of relylng on a sboolJ, l puL
my efforL lnLo creaLlng an exLra moLlvaLlon Lo run. 1he audlo book works llke Lhe eLched fly on
Lhe porcelaln. lL comblnes moLlvaLlons (one easy and one dlfflculL) Lo make golng on a run
much more deslrable. And, l geL a double mood beneflL-[oy from Lhe audlo book durlng Lhe
run, and an enhanced mood afLer Lhe run.
1he number of addlLlonal moLlvaLors of Lhls klnd are many: geLLlng a break from your day for
fresh alr, havlng sun on your face, leavlng Lhe offlce for a lunchLlme exerclse break, belng alone
Lo Lhlnk, Llme for muslc, Llme for a frlend, experlenclng a nlce day, or, when Lravellng,
slghLseelng ln a dlfferenL clLy. 1he key ls Lhlnklng of your exerclse Llme as an opporLunlLy Lo
saLlsfy anoLher deslre: WhaL moLlvaLlons can you comblne Lo furLher supporL your own exerclse
goals?
SE6F&CONTRO6B T4E EFFORT M,SC6E
And, whaL happens when space exlsLs beLween moLlvaLlon for Lhe ouLcome and moLlvaLlon for
Lhe process? 1hen lL ls Llme for efforL, self-coottol effott Lo be exacL. SomeLlmes only self-
conLrol efforL can help you achleve your goal ln Lhe absence of moLlvaLlon for Lhe process. Self-
conLrol efforL refers Lo Lhe lnLernal push you musL apply Lo geL yourself Lo do someLhlng. lL ls
helpful Lo Lhlnk of Lhls efforL as relylng on a muscle-your efforL muscle.
!usL llke oLher muscles, Lhe efforL muscle faLlgues wlLh use. lf you work lL early ln Lhe day, your
efforL muscle may be less avallable Lo you laLer ln Lhe day. 1he domaln does noL maLLer Loo
much. 1hls ls a muscle LhaL you use noL only for exerclse moLlvaLlon, buL also for oLher
slLuaLlons or acLlvlLles LhaL Lake efforL. lmaglne LhaL you use Lhe efforL muscle Lo noL eaL all Lhe
lrench frles aL lunch, and Lhen use your efforL muscle agaln Lo conLrol your frusLraLlon and deal
wlLh a confllcL aL work. ?our efforL muscle wlll be faLlgued by Lhe Llme you Lry Lo make yourself
pay bllls lnsLead of waLch Lelevlslon ln Lhe evenlng.
1he faLlgulng of Lhe efforL muscle has been Lhe sub[ecL of a falr amounL of research. ln a Lyplcal
sLudy, parLlclpanLs are sLressed ln some way, and Lhen efforL on a subsequenL Lask ls examlned.
1he sLress, or prevlous efforLs, reduces self-conLrol for Lhe nexL Lask.
8
A9OIDIN8EFFORT M,SC6E FATI8,E
Lxerclse ls a way of Lralnlng Lhe efforL muscle Lo geL used Lo perslsLlng even when Llred (we Lalk
much more abouL Lhls ln ChapLer 8). Powever, when lL comes Lo geLLlng yourself Lo exerclse,
we wanL you Lo use your efforL muscle sparlngly. We wanL you Lo conserve your efforL, and Lo
use oLher sLraLegles Lo help your moLlvaLlon flow more naLurally.
Divi!e an! ConP.erB T"e 9a$.e of Mini Efforts
lor lnsLance, one cenLral sLraLegy for conservlng your efforL muscle ls Lo rely on a serles of
smaller pushes lnsLead of one large push. Lach of Lhe smaller pushes ls deslgned Lo enhance
your exerclse moLlvaLlon and Lo puL you ln a conLexL LhaL beLLer supporLs your exerclse hablL.
AL each polnL, raLher Lhan dlgglng deep for moLlvaLlon, conslder how Lo Lake a small sLep
Loward changlng your envlronmenL, so LhaL you geL a more naLural poll Loward exerclse from
LhaL envlronmenL. Conslder Lhe example of Lrylng Lo moLlvaLe yourself Lo go runnlng afLer
work. ?ou flnally arrlve home from work afLer a busy day, and you slL down on Lhe couch Lo
relax. 1he LhoughL comes, l should exerclse." 8uL from Lhe poslLlon of Lhe couch, lL would Lake
a Perculean amounL of efforL Lo rlse and go runnlng. 1he key ls Lo avold uLlllzlng all LhaL efforL.
lnsLead of focuslng on geLLlng yourself Lo exerclse, we ask LhaL you focos ooly oo tbe oext step
LhaL wlll make lL more llkely LhaL you wlll exerclse.
1he flrsL sLep ls slmply movlng from Lhe couch. lor example, sLand up, go lnLo Lhe oLher room,
and change your cloLhes. ?ou wanL Lo geL ouL of your work cloLhes anyway-so change lnLo
your exerclse cloLhes and Lhen declde whaL Lo do nexL.
Cnce ln Lhe cloLhes, noLlce Lhe feel of Lhem. 1hey represenL a more aLhleLlc verslon of you. ?ou
can'L help buL remember worklng ouL when wearlng Lhese cloLhes. 1he runnlng moLlvaLlon ls
movlng up ln Lhe hlerarchy-help lL along. 1he nexL sLep ls Lo [usL geL ouLslde. ?ou have been
lnslde aL work all day, wouldn'L lL be nlce Lo be ouLslde?
llgure 4.1. llgure reprlnLed wlLh permlsslon from CLLo, M. W., & SmlLs, !. A. !. (2009). xetclse
fot mooJ ooJ ooxlety JlsotJets (Workbook). new ?ork: Cxford unlverslLy ress.
Cnce ouLslde, Lhere ls no need Lo break lnLo a run-[usL focus on golng for a walk. 8uL, once
you are walklng, Lhe declslon Lo go runnlng, and Lhe moLlvaLlon Lo make lL happen, ls much
easler. ?ou have saved your efforL muscle from a loL of faLlgue.
8y uslng small acLlons Lo change your envlronmenL, you are chalnlng LogeLher small efforLs lnLo
a larger galn. LfforL ls noL applled dlrecLly Lo runnlng, buL Lo puLLlng yourself lnLo a beLLer
conLexL ln whlch Lo have your naLural moLlvaLlons Lake over, wlLhouL an abundance of efforL.
T4IN5IN8 A'O,T EXERCISE
Pelplng exerclse rlse Lo Lhe Lop of Lhe moLlvaLlon hlerarchy-Lo wln Lhe moLlvaLlon
compeLlLlon-also lnvolves Lhe way ln whlch you Lhlnk abouL exerclse, lncludlng Lhe way ln
whlch you remember pasL exerclse sesslons.
LeL's say LhaL, on Lhe sLreeL, you see a couple [og pasL you. 1hey seem Lo be havlng a nlce Llme,
Lalklng wlLh each oLher whlle Lhey run ln Lhe sunshlne. 1hls cue for exerclse can help resorL
your own goals, so LhaL exerclse moves closer Lo Lhe Lop of Lhe llsL: l should go runnlng laLer."
8uL wheLher Lhls happens, wheLher Lhls momenLary moLlvaLlon ls malnLalned, depends on whaL
you nexL lmaglne. lf you plcLure yourself runnlng ouLslde, en[oylng Lhe weaLher, lL mlghL
happen. 8uL, do you lmaglne LhaL, or do you focus on Lhe sweaLlng (l'll feel hoL, be sweaLy, and
have Lo Lake a shower")? uo you geL lnvolved ln comparlsons (l won'L look as good as Lhose
people ln my sweaLs")? uo you Lhlnk abouL whaL else you may mlss ouL on (l was really looklng
forward Lo relaxlng ln fronL of Lhe Lelevlslon")? Any of Lhese plcLures can help degrade your
moLlvaLlon Lo run.
?our moLlvaLlon Lo run wlll also be lnfluenced by how well you envlslon your lasL run (and Lhe
degree of well-belng you felL durlng and afLer LhaL run), as well as by your more general
expecLaLlons of mood beneflLs from runnlng. ln laLer chapLers, we program each of Lhese
aspecLs of moLlvaLlonal malnLenance: how Lo coach yourself Lo keep moLlvaLlon sLrong before
you exerclse (ChapLer 6), how Lo focus your aLLenLlon Loward experlenclng [oy durlng exerclse
(ChapLer 8), and how Lo coach yourself afLer exerclse Lo maxlmlze your moLlvaLlon for nexL Llme
(ChapLer 9).
REMEM'ERIN8 YO,R EXERCISE
eople are noL Lerrlbly accuraLe ln Lhelr memorles of Lhelr emoLlonal experlence.
9
llrsL, Lhey
Lend Lo overesLlmaLe Lhe lnLenslLy of Lhelr poslLlve and negaLlve emoLlons. More exLreme
emoLlonal experlences seem Lo be more memorable, compared Lo more neuLral experlences.
Second, emoLlonal experlences are remembered wlLh a so-called oeqotlve blos: noL Lhrough a
palr of rose-colored glasses, buL Lhrough gray-shaded lenses LhaL emphaslze negaLlve emoLlonal
experlences over poslLlve experlences. 1hlrd, people Lend Lo do beLLer rememberlng Lhe
frequency of emoLlonal experlences raLher Lhan Lhelr lnLenslLy, boLh are remembered
lnaccuraLely, buL people Lend Lo beLLer recall Lhe frequency (l had Lhree eplsodes of feellng
bad") Lhan Lhe lnLenslLy (lL felL really, really bad").
ln addlLlon, Lhere ls some evldence LhaL memorles of an emoLlonal evenL are blased by whaL
happened aL Lhe end of Lhe evenL.
10
lor example, people may choose a Lask LhaL lnvolves a
looqet exposure Lo paln, as long as Lhe paln ls less sevete ot tbe eoJ of Lhe Lask. 8eally! lL ls as
lf Lhe beLLer endlng colors Lhe memory of Lhe whole experlence. 1he sense of rellef LhaL comes
from a beLLer flnlsh helps provlde a beLLer memory of Lhe whole eplsode (1haL was noL so
bad").
A More Positive Finis" 6ea!s to a More Positive Memor- of E+ercise
1ranslaLlng Lhls lnLo exerclse and mood, how you flnlsh your exerclse ls more lmporLanL Lhan
how you sLarL because Lhe flnal few momenLs wlll dlsproporLlonaLely affecL how you
remember LhaL exerclse. ln oLher words, lf you can compleLe your exerclse on a poslLlve noLe,
you wlll remember Lhe experlence more poslLlvely ln Lhe fuLure, and Lhls, ln Lurn, wlll help
moLlvaLe you Lo exerclse agaln.
11
Persectives from C"amions
l dlsllke worklng ouL unLll abouL 10 mlnuLes afLer l geL sLarLed. So, Lhe hardesL parL ls geLLlng off
my ass and geLLlng golng. 1o help wlLh Lhls, l plan a Llme when l wlll go, and Lhen force myself
Lo go Lhen.
Clymplc Cold MedallsL - Men's 8owlng
1hls concepL ls really lmporLanL, glven LhaL Lhe LoughesL moLlvaLlonal challenge ls ofLen aL Lhe
beglnnlng of exerclse. Cnce you geL lnLo Lhe swlng of Lhlngs, exerclse Lends Lo geL easler. LeL's
Lake runnlng for example. 1he flrsL mlnuLe or Lwo of runnlng, when your hearL and lungs need
Lo adapL Lo Lhe exerLlon placed on Lhem, can be a Llme of parLlcular dlscomforL: poundlng
hearL, breaLhlessness, and a sense of faLlgue LhaL may be quallLaLlvely dlfferenL from Lhe resL of
Lhe run. Also, muscle LlghLness and soreness may be sLrongesL aL Lhe sLarL of Lhe run, before
your muscles have loosened up and begun Lo perform smooLhly.
1he Lake home message ls: uon'L end your exerclse sesslon when you feel overwhelmed wlLh
faLlgue. lf you are Llred, lL would be beLLer (for your fuLure moLlvaLlon) Lo Lake a break
(decrease your pace), so LhaL you can flnlsh your workouL more sLrongly. ln a dlsLance exerclse
llke runnlng, walklng, or blklng, Lhls may lnvolve Laklng a break before you geL Lo Lhe end of
your exerclse sesslon. lor example, slow down and caLch your breaLh before Lhe lasL few
mlnuLes of a run, so LhaL, lf you wanL, you can flnlsh wlLh long pleasurable sLrldes or a brlef
(very brlef) sprlnL.
Agaln, why do Lhls? 8ecause glvlng yourself more pleasurable memorles of your exerclse
achlevemenL ls boLh good for your mood and good for your moLlvaLlon for fuLure
exerclse-parLlcularly, as research shows, lf Lhose pleasurable memorles occur of Lhe eoJ of
your exerclse sesslon. 1hls ls moLlvaLlonal managemenL. 8y clearly aLLendlng Lo whaL works and
seLLlng lL lnLo your memory, LhaL memory wlll provlde you wlLh addlLlonal moLlvaLlon ln Lhe
fuLure. AfLer you are fully en[oylng your workouLs, Lhen you can play wlLh more exerLlon lf you
wanL-buL only lf lL makes you feel good.
,SIN8 4A'IT
Larller, we menLloned how someLlmes hablL can geL you lnLo work ln Lhe mornlng even lf you
don'L really wanL Lo go. PablLs are wonderful. 1hey are auLomaLlc, easy, and, because of LhaL,
hard Lo break. We ofLen Lhlnk ln Lerms of bad hablLs: 8ehavlors LhaL have a naLural pull and are
so auLomaLlc LhaL we have Lo be especlally vlgllanL (uh oh, Lhls ls a hlgh rlsk Llme") and work
hard Lo reslsL Lhem. 8uL when Lhe hablLs are useful behavlors, Lhey can serve us very well for all
Lhe same reasons. Cood hablLs, llke bad hablLs, are auLomaLlc. We sllp lnLo Lhem wlLhouL
Lhlnklng, wlLhouL plannlng, and requlrlng no efforL muscle. ln oLher words, hablLs can keep us
on Lrack when moLlvaLlon lags. PablLs are llke a greased Lrack, all you need ls a good nudge, and
off you go.
So, how do you geL your exerclse Lo be more hablLual? 8egular pracLlce, helped along by loLs of
remlnders. Cne remlnder ls Llme of day-esLabllshlng a Llme of day when you wlll begln Lo feel
llke exerclslng (we help you wlLh LhaL process ln ChapLer 6). lL may also lnclude your seL of
workouL cloLhes and your gym bag. 1hese lLems come Lo mean, work ouL." lor Lhls reason,
plck a good seL of work-ouL cloLhes, someLhlng LhaL glves you pleasure, and oevet wear Lhem
when you are noL exerclslng (parLlcularly when you are hanglng around readlng or waLchlng
Lelevlslon). We wanL Lhe cloLhes Lo slgnal acLlon. lf you only wear Lhese cloLhes when you work
ouL, wearlng Lhem wlll make you feel llke worklng ouL. And always keep Lhese cloLhes ln Lhe
same place, so LhaL Lhey are easy Lo flnd (so LhaL you avold Lhe Lendency Lo geL deralled lf you
have Lo look under Lhe bed for your cycllng [ackeL).
1able 4.1. Lxerclse-supporLlng hablLs
- Lxerclse aL Lhe same Llme every day.
- lf you use a calendar, wrlLe exerclse" ln as an appolnLmenL.
- Pave someone Lake an afLer-exerclse plcLure" of you and place Lhls somewhere you wlll
see lL (e.g., your compuLer screen, refrlgeraLor, by your bed).
- keep a copy of your worksheeL for monlLorlng your mood (see ChapLer 6) where you wlll
see lL, so LhaL you can be remlnded of Lhe lmmedlaLe poslLlve mood beneflLs of exerclse.
- keep oLher remlnders of your exerclse sesslons (e.g., gym bag, exerclse shoes, or exerclse
log) where you wlll see Lhem.
- Wear exerclse cloLhes LhaL make you feel good.
- never wear your exerclse cloLhes when noL exerclslng.
- Choose a place Lo sLore your exerclse cloLhes and gear Lo make lL easy Lo geL ouL Lo
exerclse.
LeL's glve you an example of a slmllar use of cues around someLhlng LhaL ls really lmporLanL Lo
us: wrlLlng. WrlLlng, and how ofLen and how well you do lL, ls a lynch-pln for academlc success.
?ou can Leach well, you can do klller research, buL lf you don'L wrlLe lL all up and geL lL ouL Lo
Lhe world, well, you wlll wlLher on Lhe academlc vlne. Worklng up moLlvaLlon Lo wrlLe ls a loL
llke exerclslng for healLh. ?ou know you need Lo do lL, lL clearly helps your fuLure, buL you have
Lo work oow for fotote beneflLs (and you know now why Lhls ls so problemaLlc). Cn any glven
day, lL ls really LempLlng Lo avold wrlLlng, Lo puL lL off unLll Lomorrow.
So, how do you keep on Lrack wlLh wrlLlng? LeL's Lake Lhe example of 8. l. Sklnner, Lhe laLher of
8ehavlorlsm. 8y Sklnner's own accounL, no maLLer whaL else he was dolng, he would always Lry
Lo wrlLe aL Lhe same Llme of day, and aL Lhe same desk lf he could. Pe used boLh Lhe desk and
Lhe Llme as a wrlLlng cue. Pe dld noL open mall aL LhaL desk, he dld noL read Lhere, he only
wroLe aL LhaL desk, and only aL Lhe speclfled Llme. AfLer enough repeLlLlons, whenever he saL aL
Lhe desk, parLlcularly aL Lhe speclfled Llme of day, he felL llke wrlLlng. lL felL llke Lhe naLural
Lhlng Lo do. Cnce he esLabllshed Lhe wrlLlng hablL, he goL an lnLernal pull for wrlLlng from Lhe
Llme and desk cues. Pe reporLed LhaL Lhe pull was sLrong enough so LhaL, when Lravellng across
Llme zones, he would feel Lhe pull of wrlLlng aL Lhe Llme when he pracLlced Lhls behavlor back
home.
12
ln developlng your exerclse program, Lhlnk abouL how Lo use hablL-parLlcularly exerclslng aL a
regular Llme-Lo make exerclslng easler, so LhaL you feel drawn Lo do lL. 1hls ls ln conLrasL Lo
uslng your efforL muscle. 8aLher Lhan havlng Lo rely on your own efforL (push), leL hablL become
a naLural pull Loward exerclse. All you have Lo do Lhen ls puL yourself ln Lhe rlghL place aL Lhe
rlghL Llme, and you wlll feel your body Lake over wlLh a pull of lLs own. ?ou have nudged your
exerclse Loboggan down Lhe hlll uslng hablL.
Cnce you geL Lhls hablL nlce and lngralned, you can worry abouL dlverslflcaLlon (dlverslfylng,
and avoldlng boredom from Loo much repeLlLlon, ls Lhe focus of ChapLer 10). unLll Lhen, Lhe
goal ls Lo make exerclse as auLomaLlc as posslble, uslng your envlronmenL Lo pull you forward
and uslng hablL whenever you can, so LhaL you don'L have Lo use your self-conLrol efforL. Save
LhaL efforL muscle for when you really need lL.
,SIN8 YO,R TEAM
CLher people can be a source of moLlvaLlonal supporL for your exerclse program as well. lL ls
clear LhaL soclal supporL (havlng people you feel you can counL on and Lalk Lo) ls llnked wlLh
beLLer achlevemenL of goals, lncludlng Lhe ablllLy Lo follow Lhrough wlLh an exerclse program.
13
ln oLher words, havlng a supporLlve Leam maLLers!
Persectives from C"amions
arL of Lhe [oy of sporLs, of boLh workouLs and compeLlLlon, has been Lhe Leam. Worklng ouL
wlLh oLher people feels enLlrely dlfferenL from worklng ouL alone. 1here ls a chemlsLry LhaL
happens LhaL changes Lhe feel of Lhe workouL. And Lhe frlendshlps LhaL l have from rowlng have
a unlque depLh, we worked hard LogeLher, we laughed LogeLher, we won and losL LogeLher.
1haL ls a bond LhaL sLays.
WhlLney osL, 1993 World Champlon,
2000 Clymplc 1eam - 8owlng
Well before you sLarL your exerclse program, conslder who should serve on your supporLlve
Leam-people whom you would llke Lo Lell abouL your lnLenL Lo exerclse for mood. A publlc
acknowledgmenL of lnLenLlons helps people follow Lhrough wlLh goals.
14
1hls ls one reason
why many self-help books ask you Lo wrlLe ouL your goals. 1hls ls also why we are golng Lo ask
you Lo dlscuss your goals wlLh Lhe people you care abouL and who care abouL you. ulscusslng
your exerclse lnLenLlons wlll enhance your moLlvaLlon Lo follow Lhrough wlLh your goals.
8ox 4.1. SLLLC1lnC ?Cu8 SuC81 1LAM MLM8L8S
Who are your supporL people, Lhe people you feel you can counL on and wlLh whom you can
dlscuss lmporLanL Loplcs?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Who would be pleased LhaL you are exerclslng, and would be fun Lo Lalk Lo abouL exerclse?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
Who mlghL [oln you ln your new exerclse hablL, by exerclslng wlLh you or belng wlLh you soon
afLer exerclse?
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
__________________________________________
?our supporL Leam also serves a purpose ln provldlng remlnders for you Lo exerclse, and as a
forum ln whlch Lo dlscuss your achlevemenLs. Sharlng Lhe [oy from a good workouL (by chaLLlng
abouL feellngs durlng and afLer Lhe run, as well as goals meL for Lhe exerclse) provldes Lhe
revlew and rehearsal of mood beneflLs LhaL we dlscuss ln ChapLers 9 and 11. ln Lhe box below,
record Lhe names of people who are close Lo you who mlghL serve you ln Lhls way. 1hlnk
carefully abouL who Lo lnclude, as noL everyone ls lnLeresLed ln seelng Lhelr frlends exerclse.
lck Lhose people who can be Lruly supporLlve or who wlll wanL Lo [oln you ln an exerclse for
mood program.
'E READY FOR 6O# MOTI9ATIONCONTEXTS
ln managlng your moLlvaLlon, lL pays Lo know where your mosL dlfflculL challenges wlll lle.
1hese are slLuaLlons LhaL pull for anyLhlng buL exerclse. !usL as Lhose Lrylng Lo qulL smoklng
should sLeer clear of Lhe smoker's huddle ouLslde Lhe bulldlng aL work, you need Lo know whaL
poLenLlally exerclse-kllllng slLuaLlons or scenarlos you musL avold. erhaps one of Lhe mosL
hlgh-rlsk slLuaLlons, aL leasL for evenlng exerclse, ls Lhe couch ln fronL of Lhe Lelevlslon. 1here,
exerclse lnLenLlons can evaporaLe llke a puddle ln Lhe Mo[ave ueserL. lf you lnLend Lo exerclse,
lL ls besL noL Lo slL down Lhere. Cn exerclse evenlngs, some people have a no-Lelevlslon rule
unLll afLer Lhelr workouL ls compleLed, oLhers avold Lhe llvlng or famlly room alLogeLher unLll
afLer Lhelr workouL, and some people drlve sLralghL Lo Lhe gym, so LhaL Lhey cannoL be LempLed
by Lhe couch and Lelevlslon ln Lhe flrsL place.
8uL Lhls may noL be yoot sLuck slLuaLlon. 1ake a momenL Lo conslder where your low-
moLlvaLlon zones are and whaL you mlghL do abouL Lhem. 1hlnk of ways Lo coach yourself ouL
of Lhem or how Lo avold even Lrylng Lo exerclse aL Lhese speclflc low-moLlvaLlon Llmes.
8ox 4.2. LxL8ClSL S1lCklnC Cln1S
Motivationa$ C"ec1s an! 'a$ances
ln Lhlnklng abouL how Lo manage Lhese low-moLlvaLlon zones, remember LhaL Lhe goal ls Lo
manlpulaLe your envlronmenL so LhaL your goals are more naLurally supporLed. Also, remember
LhaL Lhe process of geLLlng yourself Lo exerclse can be complex. Lxerclslng wlLh a frlend helps
moLlvaLlon (Lo sklp a workouL, you have Lo blow off a frlend), buL lL Lakes Lhe exLra efforL of
arranglng Lhe shared workouL ln Lhe flrsL place.
As you may have guessed, much of Lhe arL of moLlvaLlon ls flgurlng ouL when and where Lo
apply efforL. Some workouLs wlll be well-planned, so LhaL Lhe exerclse moLlvaLlons are kepL
flrmly on Lrack (a fun workouL wlLh a frlend, wlLh a clear expecLaLlon of sLarLlng aL 6:30). CLher
workouLs wlll noL Lake Lhls prellmlnary efforL-you can [usL sLep ouL Lhe door and be acLlve.
8uL, once ouL Lhe door, you may need Lo do more Lo make Lhe exerclse lnLeresLlng.
?our selecLlon of exerclse (runnlng, blklng, swlmmlng, dance class, aeroblc classes, lce skaLlng,
clrculL Lralnlng, and so on) ls also lmporLanL. We provlde opLlons for you Lo conslder ln ChapLer
7, here, we [usL wanL you Lo be aware of Lhe moLlvaLlonal lssues, Lhe cost-beoeflt totlo LhaL
besL works for you. lL ls a good ldea Lo balance ease of geLLlng Lo Lhe workouL wlLh
conslderaLlons of Lhe opLlmal [oy Lhe workouL lLself has Lo offer. (?ou wlll flnd LhaL we
frequenLly use runnlng as an example of exerclse and lLs challenges. We plcked runnlng
because of Lhese challenges-because lL ls a workouL LhaL, ln our eyes, needs a loL of sLraLegles
Lo supporL lL.)
8ox 4.3. Au1PC8 L8SLC1lvL: CPCCSlnC ?Cu8 LxL8ClSL Anu LllC81
l run several days a week, buL l don'L llke runnlng. l llke rock cllmblng. l really llke lndoor rock
cllmblng, compleLe wlLh padded floors, alr condlLlonlng, and muslc. 8ock cllmblng ls lnLeresLlng,
hard, and fun. lL makes you concenLraLe. lL glves you greaL abs. lL glves you phenomenal grlp
sLrengLh. lL does amazlng Lhlngs Lo your shoulder and back muscles. lL glves you 2-hour
workouLs LhaL feel llke 10 mlnuLes. lL ls much, much more fun Lhan runnlng. 8uL lL Lakes a
speclal gym, a buddy Lo belay you, schedule coordlnaLlon wlLh LhaL buddy, a commuLe Lo Lhe
gym, and speclallzed equlpmenL. 8unnlng Lakes, well, shoes.
1hls ls why l run several days a week. 8unnlng ls easy. l can run Lo work, l can run ln Lhe
mornlng before work, l can run ln Lhe evenlng, and l can run almosL any Llme Lhe LemperaLure
ls noL over 90 degrees (lf you Lhlnk l don'L llke runnlng, you oughL Lo see me runnlng ln Lhe
heaL). Lven Lhough l don'L llke runnlng, l llke how runnlng makes me feel-good. l llke Lhe Llme l
have durlng runnlng, llsLenlng Lo my muslc, belng ouLdoors, and feellng Lhe weaLher. l llke Lhe
way runnlng refreshes my Lhlnklng and relleves my sLress. l llke runnlng ln wlnLer ln snow,
passlng Lhe cars LhaL are creeplng along and sLuck ln Lrafflc. l llke runnlng when l Lravel, uslng lL
Lo vlslL a clLy up close and personal, on Lhe sLreeLs. l llke runnlng ln sprlng, looklng aL Lhe
blooms and feellng Lhe reLurn of warmer alr. Ckay, l may noL llke runnlng per se, buL l llke whaL
runnlng brlngs me. l use runnlng ofLen as an example ln Lhese pages, ln parL because runnlng
lLself can be borlng. 1here are loLs of ways Lo solve borlng, and we belleve LhaL lf we can help
you llke runnlng, we can help you llke anyLhlng.
So, as you read on, as we Lalk abouL runnlng, please subsLlLuLe ln any oLher sporL LhaL you Lhlnk
ls more fun and can provlde you wlLh susLalned exerLlon. 8uL lf you don'L love runnlng, and Lhls
ls Lhe only exerclse open Lo you on a glven day, don'L worry-we work hard ln Lhls book Lo
Leach you how Lo make regular walklng or runnlng lnLeresLlng and rewardlng.
PREPARIN8 TO 8ET MOTI9ATED
MoLlvaLlon ls a fluld process, wlLh mulLlple moLlvaLlons compeLlng for your aLLenLlon aL any one
Llme. Whlch moLlvaLlon makes lL Lo Lhe Lop of Lhe heap ls deLermlned by a rlch comblnaLlon of
needs, lnLernal sLaLes, exLernal remlnders, memorles, and roadblocks. Lach of Lhese facLors can
be used Lo help keep a selecLed moLlvaLlon near Lhe Lop, so LhaL you can reallze your goals. lor
exerclse, lL ls lmporLanL Lo maxlmlze Lhe llnk beLween a workouL and en[oylng Lhe assoclaLed
mood beneflLs. 1he more you noLlce and revlew Lhese beneflLs, Lhe LlghLer Lhe llnkage beLween
process and goal wlll be, and Lhe easler lL wlll be Lo geL yourself Lo exerclse Lhe nexL Llme. ln
upcomlng chapLers, we geL speclflc abouL Lhls process, Leachlng you more abouL Lhlnklng and
envlronmenLal sLraLegles Lo make an exerclse rouLlne easler and more rewardlng. 1o revlew,
some of Lhese sLraLegles lnclude maklng your exerclse Llme a speclal Llme-Llme Lo llsLen Lo
muslc, be wlLh a frlend, experlence Lhe ouLdoors, or slmply Lo be alone Lo focus on your own
LhoughLs and feellngs. 1o geL you Lo Lhls Llme, we wlll have you rely on small pushes of self-
efforL. As ouLllned brlefly ln Lhls chapLer, we don'L wanL you Lo Lry Lo geL Lo exerclse from Lhe
couch, buL Lo use small sLeps ln acLlvlLy and changes ln envlronmenL Lo help you more naLurally
geL ouL Lhe door ln your workouL cloLhes. Pow you Lalk Lo yourself durlng Lhls process wlll make
an lmporLanL dlfference, and for LhaL reason, we Lurn nexL Lo how you coach yourself ln
exerclse and ln llfe more generally.
STARTIN8 #IT4 TAR8ETED ENDPOINTS
We sLarLed Lhls chapLer by dlscusslng Lhe dlfference beLween moLlvaLlons for Lhe endpolnL
(feellng good) and Lhe process (exerclslng). 1he chapLers LhaL follow are all abouL helplng you
achleve Lhe process (geLLlng Lo and havlng good exerclse sesslons), so LhaL you can geL Lhe
endpolnL ouLcome (feellngs of well-belng). 8uL, before we geL Lo Lhe sLraLegles, lL wlll be helpful
for you Lo geL your personal moLlvaLlons for exerclse clear. WrlLlng Lhem ouL ln black and whlLe
can help. ln Lhe space provlded here, revlew and ldenLlfy Lhe sympLoms you wanL Lo LargeL wlLh
your exerclse program.
8ox 4.4. S?M1CMS 1C 8L 1A8CL1Lu 8? LxL8ClSL
lease check off Lhe mood sympLoms you are LargeLlng.
SympLoms of uepresslon:
_______ Sad or blue mood
_______ Loss of lnLeresL ln Lhlngs you care abouL
_______ Low energy and dlfflculLles belng moLlvaLed Lo sLarL or flnlsh acLlvlLles
_______ leellngs of aglLaLlon or leLhargy
_______ leellngs of gullL abouL Lhlngs done or noL done
_______ oor concenLraLlon
_______ ulsrupLed appeLlLe or loss of lnLeresL ln eaLlng
_______ leellngs LhaL noLhlng maLLers
_______ ulfflculLles sleeplng or poor sleep quallLy (or oversleeplng)
SympLoms of AnxleLy:
_______ Ceneral anxleLy
_______ Worry
_______ leellng Lense or on edge
_______ leellng [umpy
_______ SLarLllng easlly
_______ anlc aLLacks
_______ ulfflculLles concenLraLlng
_______ roblems wlLh sleep
CLher SympLoms ?ou WanL Lo 1argeL:
_______ Ceneral feellngs of sLress
_______ leellng angry or upLlghL
_______ Low vlLallLy
_______ leellngs of frusLraLlon
_______ WrlLe ln:
_______ WrlLe ln:
_______ WrlLe ln:
MKN
DIRECTIN8 YO,R T4O,84TS FOR EXERCISE S,CCESS
All of us spend a loL of Llme ln our heads. We are consLanLly Lhlnklng and evaluaLlng, we
compare whaL ls happenlng ln Lhe world Lo whaL we Lhlnk should happen, we revlew whaL dld
happen, and we anLlclpaLe whaL we expecL Lo happen. lL probably comes as no surprlse LhaL
LhoughLs need noL be Lrue or accuraLe Lo lnfluence our moods and moLlvaLlon. Llke mosL
people, you probably have some bad Lhlnklng hablLs, you may have a hablL of Lelllng yourself
Lhlngs LhaL feel Lrue LhaL are oot Lrue. 1hls ls especlally llkely lf you are depressed or anxlous:
1hese condlLlons wlll cause you Lo vlew your world more negaLlvely Lhan ls probably accuraLe.
lnLervenlng wlLh Lhese LhoughLs-learnlng Lo noL Lake LhoughLs so serlously and learnlng Lo
coach yourself more accuraLely-ls effecLlve for LreaLlng mood and anxleLy problems. Learnlng
Lo lnLervene wlLh Lhese LhoughLs can also be valuable ln everyday llfe, helplng Lo reduce sLress
and enhance mood. 1hls can be especlally valuable ln helplng you proLecL your mood and
moLlvaLlon for deslred goals-llke exerclse.
1hls chapLer ls meanL Lo help you learn how Lo deLecL and change lnaccuraLe Lhlnklng paLLerns
LhaL wlll brlng down your mood and lnLerfere wlLh your exerclse efforLs. We wlll show you how
Lo waLch ouL for loaded words and labels, how Lo marvel" aL negaLlve LhoughLs (raLher Lhan
buylng lnLo Lhem), how Lo evaluaLe Lhose LhoughLs, and how Lo coach yourself more klndly and
effecLlvely on your way Lo your personal and llfe goals.
T4E PO#ER OF 6A'E6S
A large parL of all LhaL Llme ln our heads ls spenL labellng Lhlngs. 1haL was good." 1haL was
bad." l dld LhaL well." lL was a dlsasLer." All of Lhese labels have an lmpacL on how we feel. ln
facL, Lhe labels we use help Lo deflne our reallLy.
Pere ls a non-exerclse example of Lhe power of labels. 8esearchers showed groups of people
Lhe same vldeoLape of a car accldenL and asked Lhem Lo glve an esLlmaLe of Lhe speed Lhe cars
were Lravellng when Lhey sLruck each oLher.
1
8uL Lhey asked Lhls same quesLlon wlLh one
cruclal dlfference beLween groups. Some parLlclpanLs were asked how fasL Lhe cars were golng
when Lhey hlL" each oLher, some how fasL Lhe cars were golng when Lhey colllded" lnLo each
oLher, and so on-each uslng a dlfferenL verb Lo descrlbe Lhe accldenL. 8aLlngs of speed were
dlfferenL dependlng on whlch verb was used. Speclflcally, Lhe average mlle-per-hour (mph)
esLlmaLes were 34.0 mph when Lhe word hlL" was used and 39.3 mph when Lhe word
colllded" was used. 1he lowesL average esLlmaLe was when Lhe word conLacLed" was used
(31.8 mph) and hlghesL when Lhe word smashed" was used (40.8 mph)-all for Lhe exacL same
vldeoLaped scene. 1hls example shows LhaL Lhe use of a slngle word can lnfluence Lhe way a
person assesses and feels abouL someLhlng. Labels maLLer. So, Lhe nexL Llme you puL a label on
a performance or an experlence, Lhlnk abouL wheLher LhaL label ls falr. ln mosL cases, lL wlll noL
be, as labels Lend Lo sum up only parL of an experlence, maklng Lhe experlence seem llke lL was
one way or anoLher, raLher Lhan a complex mlx of experlences. And, lf you use a negaLlve label
(My exerclse was lousy"), Lhen your feellngs of moLlvaLlon wlll suffer from Lhe effecLs of Lhls
label.
LeL us emphaslze Lhls polnL more clearly: uon'L use loaded words as labels! Speclflcally, we
wanL you Lo ldenLlfy and sLop uslng unfalrly loaded words ln your self-evaluaLlons. Words llke
dlsasLer, horrlble, worLhless, and fallure," are almosL never Lrue. 1hlngs may noL be
specLacular, wonderful, and unbellevably good" elLher, so parL of Lhe answer ls flndlng Lhe
mlddle ground. Cood self-evaluaLlon lnvolves noLlclng Lhe good along wlLh Lhe bad, guldlng
yourself more effecLlvely and honesLly. 1o be useful, self-evaluaLlon needs Lo be accuraLe and
dlrecLed aL faclllLaLlng useful change (whaL can happen dlfferenLly nexL Llme Lo make Lhlngs
beLLer?).
SE6F&COAC4IN8
As you sLarL your exerclse program, do some work Lo clean up your Lhlnklng. We are suggesLlng
Lhls because of one cenLral facL: ?our LhoughLs do noL need Lo be accuraLe Lo have a powerful
lmpacL on your mood and moLlvaLlon. 1hlnk abouL Lhe car speed sLudy. eople [usL llke you
made speed esLlmaLes LhaL were almosL 30 hlgher [usL because of one llLLle word. 1hls one
word (smashed") Lrumped Lhe LruLh people were seelng on Lhe screen. So, lf you come ouL of
a meeLlng (say, wlLh a frlend or wlLh a work group) and Lhlnk Lo yourself, 1haL meeLlng was a
dlsasLer," you wlll be blased Loward sLorlng and rememberlng feellngs approprlaLe Lo LhaL word
dlsasLer." lf you come ouL of Lhe meeLlng and say, arLs of LhaL meeLlng dld noL go well," you
wlll sLore and recall a very dlfferenL emoLlonal reacLlon. Llkewlse, lf you exerclse and run more
slowly Lhan you wanLed, Lhen say Lo yourself, 1haL run was horrlble," you wlll be creaLlng a
dramaLlcally dlfferenL moLlvaLlon for your nexL run Lhan lf you sald, l was slow ouL Lhere
Loday, buL l compleLed my 30 mlnuLes." lf labels can help or hurL your mood and moLlvaLlon,
why noL use accuraLe labels LhaL neverLheless puL a more poslLlve spln on Lhe experlence?
1hls ls probably a good momenL Lo menLlon SLuarL Smalley. SLuarL Smalley ls a characLer
broughL Lo 5ototJoy Nlqbt llve by Al lranken. ln Lhe SLuarL Smalley sklLs, lranken dellvers a
slgnaLure llne wlLh sLlcky sweeLness, l am good enough, l am smarL enough, and doggone lL,
people llke me." 1hls send-up of overposlLlve afflrmaLlons provldes a good conLrasL for our goal
for your LhoughLs. !usL as we do noL wanL overnegaLlve Lhlnklng, we also do noL wanL
overposlLlve Lhlnklng. We wanL occotote Lhlnklng. More preclsely, you need Lo develop an
accuraLe and useful sLyle for self-coocbloq-Lhe way you Lalk Lo yourself ln your head.
As you may have guessed, our lnLernal dlalog wlLh ourselves plays a blg parL ln how we percelve
our exerclse performance and success. ?ou can lmaglne LhaL, for a book on exerclse, self-
coachlng ls golng Lo be lmporLanL. Pow you Lalk Lo yourself ls golng Lo make a subsLanLlal
dlfference for your moLlvaLlon Lo exerclse, as well as some of your feellngs of pleasure afLer
your exerclse. More generally, how you Lalk Lo yourself ls also golng Lo make a blg dlfference
for your mood. 1hls ls especlally lmporLanL lf you are readlng Lhls book noL [usL Lo lmprove your
sense of well-belng buL also Lo help relleve depresslon or anxleLy. WlLh Lhese sLrong emoLlons,
how you coach yourself really maLLers.
'IASED T4IN5IN8B T4E INF6,ENCE OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION
uepresslon and anxleLy can blas our Lhlnklng and lmpacL Lhe way we label Lhlngs, evenLs, and
experlences. ln boLh dlsorders, people become more vlgllanL Lo negaLlve evenLs. 1haL ls, lf you
are depressed, you noLlce more negaLlve Lhlngs abouL Lhe world.
2
lf you are anxlous, you are
especlally adepL aL noLlclng and reacLlng Lo LhreaLenlng aspecLs of Lhe world.
3
Also, once
anxlous and depressed, people Lend Lo coach Lhemselves ln ways LhaL malnLaln Lhese dlsorders.
lL ls as lf Lhe dlsorders Lake on a volce of Lhelr own. When down and depressed, people Lend Lo
become more negaLlve and more wllllng Lo [udge Lhe world and Lhemselves ln a black-or-whlLe
fashlon.
4
1he world ls seen more ln Lerms of whaL should" happen, wlLh a sense of fallure
walLlng lf Lhese should" expecLaLlons are vlolaLed. Also, problem solvlng ablllLles decrease, and
people lose some of Lhelr buffers agalnsL sLress.
3
lnsLead of havlng a sLressful day, people sLarL
havlng Jlsttess fllleJ days. 1hls ls one of Lhe cosLs of depresslon, and Lhese paLLerns help
malnLaln depresslon over Llme.
Slmllar paLLerns are evldenL for Lhe anxleLy dlsorders. Worrles lncrease, as do expecLaLlons of
caLasLrophlc ouLcomes. 1hlnklng paLLerns sLarL belng domlnaLed by whaL lf" LhoughLs, where
all klnds of LhreaLenlng ouLcomes are boLh lmaglned and feel Lrue. 1wo prlmary Lhemes emerge
ln Lhese Lhlnklng paLLerns: (1) overesLlmaLlons of Lhe llkellhood of negaLlve ouLcomes
(confuslng a remoLe posslblllty wlLh a ptoboblllty LhaL someLhlng negaLlve wlll happen), (2)
and overesLlmaLlons of Lhe degree of caLasLrophe of Lhese ouLcomes (lL wlll be a dlsasLer, l
couldn'L cope"). 1ogeLher, Lhese Lwo paLLerns enhance dlsLress, and can make a person feel llke
danger ls lmmlnenL.
Conslder overesLlmaLes of Lhe probablllLy of a negaLlve ouLcome llke, say, a plane crash. lor Lhe
phoblc lndlvldual, an alr fllghL feels llfe-LhreaLenlng, even Lhough Lhe odds of crashlng are Llny.
Speclflcally, Lhe odds of belng kllled on any slngle fllghL ls on Lhe order of 1 ln 9.2 mllllon.
6
lL ls
posslble, buL lL ls very, very, very unllkely. noneLheless, for Lhe anxlous person, Lhls posslblllLy
feels llkely.
Cnce a person becomes anxlous, lL ls easler for negaLlve LhoughLs Lo feel Lrue. 1hls ls because
emoLlons are llke mood muslc for a movle. Mood muslc makes whaLever ls happenlng on Lhe
screen feel Lrue. We geL swepL up ln Lhe sLory, and may only reallze laLer LhaL Lhe sLory llne was
less Lhan compelllng. Llkewlse, our emoLlons make emoLlon-laden LhoughLs feel Lrue. When
anxlous, lL may feel unbearable Lo leL Lhe klds play ln Lhe fronL yard, wlLh worrles LhaL Lhey wlll
darL ouL ln Lhe sLreeL. 8uL when calm, you may recall LhaL your klds know well Lo sLay far from
Lhe sLreeL.
Cur memory processes work along wlLh Lhls effecL, emoLlons serve as memory cues. 1haL ls,
emoLlons acL as a brldge Lo oLher memorles of when you have felL slmllarly. So, when you are
down, you wlll naLurally remember oLher Llmes when you were down. 1hls process makes lL
easler Lo have really negaLlve LhoughLs (1hlngs have never worked ouL for me, and Lhey never
wlll"). ?uck. 1hls ls a classlc LhoughL LhaL occurs Lo people durlng depresslon. When depressed,
we really belleve lL. We belleve lL unLll we recover, and Lhen we exclalm, WhaL Lhe heck was l
Lhlnklng back Lhen?" ln facL, correcLlng Lhlnklng paLLerns llke Lhls forms Lhe bedrock of
coqoltlve tbetopy, a powerful LreaLmenL for depresslon and anxleLy dlsorders.
7
1he Lechnlques
descrlbed ln Lhls book are meanL Lo help you dlrecL your Lhlnklng Lo beLLer develop and
malnLaln moLlvaLlon and pleasure around your exerclse.
T"e T-rann- of D-sf.nctiona$ T"in1ing 4a/its
1hlnklng paLLerns can become a maLLer of hablL, [usL llke anyLhlng else. Chances are LhaL you
have some powerful and old hablLs when lL comes Lo your Lhlnklng paLLerns. Somehow, ln llfe,
many people learn Lo coach Lhemselves ln a way LhaL ls worse Lhan Lhe worsL coach Lhey ever
had. lL ls almosL llke we resolve Lo be our own worsL crlLlcs, so LhaL no one else can surprlse us
wlLh a crlLlclsm. ?eL, who ln Lhelr rlghL mlnd would choose Lo spend all Lhelr Llme, day ln and
day ouL, wlLh Lhelr worsL crlLlc? 8uL Lhls ls whaL we do Lo ourselves, pracLlclng Lhese same nasLy
LhoughLs over and over agaln. uue Lo Lhe repeLlLlon, Lhese LhoughLs become auLomaLlc. We
sLop quesLlonlng Lhese LhoughLs, whlch allows Lhem Lo keep bounclng around our heads,
worsenlng mood and Lorpedolng moLlvaLlon for change. 1hey can come Lo feel llke an old
frlend-a really nasLy old frlend-buL an old frlend all Lhe same. Cld LhoughLs have more power
Lhan Lhey should, and you llkely have sLopped quesLlonlng wheLher Lhey are accuraLe.
Eva$.ate T"o.g"ts Acc.rate$-B Marve$ing
Accordlngly, a flrsL sLep ln changlng LhoughL paLLerns, especlally old LhoughL paLLerns, ls
learnlng Lo llsLen ln and evaluaLe Lhese LhoughLs. We wanL you Lo LreaL your LhoughLs as
guesses abouL Lhe world. uon'L accepL Lhem as Lrue unLll you geL a chance Lo Lhlnk Lhem
Lhrough. Cld LhoughLs wlll lmmedlaLely feel Lrue because you are so used Lo havlng Lhem (Lhe
old frlend blL). lor Lhese LhoughLs especlally, you may need a sLraLegy for slowlng down your
Lhlnklng process. A sLraLegy LhaL helps many people ls Lo pracLlce motvelloq.
Marvellng ls a process of sLepplng back and havlng a sense of wonder aL your LhoughL: Wow, l
called LhaL meeLlng a dlsasLer, check ouL LhaL word-Jlsostet-LhaL label sure could make me
feel lousy and overwhelmed." 1haL ls marvellng. 8aLher Lhan accepLlng Lhe label and emoLlon,
you lnsLead gulde yourself Lo a sense of surprlse and lnLeresL ln Lhe words you choose. 1hls wlll
help you obLaln some perspecLlve on Lhe LhoughL. Cnce you have Lhls experlence of examlnlng
your LhoughL ob[ecLlvely, evaluaLe lL. ?ou may wanL Lo ask yourself one of Lhese quesLlons Lo
help yourself evaluaLe Lhe LhoughL ob[ecLlvely:
- ls Lhls really Lrue, ls [label/language] really Lhe besL way Lo descrlbe whaL happened?
- lf a frlend Lold me abouL her own experlence, ls [label/language] really how l would descrlbe
whaL occurred?
- WhaL ls a more accuraLe descrlpLlon LhaL beLLer capLures Lhe rlchness of whaL [usL happened?
As you do Lhls over Llme, you wlll come Lo learn some of Lhe hablLual ways you Lalk Lo yourself.
uo you call yourself a wlmp"? Are you more lncllned Lo label Lhe Lhlngs you do as fallures, or
no good? uo you keep yourself polsed ln an anxleLy sLaLe by focuslng on whaL could have
happened (lf noL for x, lL could have been a dlsasLer")? Cnce you noLlce some of Lhese
paLLerns, marvel aL Lhem: 1here l go agaln." 1hen, flrmly buL klndly, conLlnue wlLh your efforL
Lo coach yourself more usefully.
1o glve you a sense of Lhe sorL of change we are almlng for, lL ls someLlmes helpful Lo Lell a
sLory-Lo geL yourself focused on someone else, and Lo declde ob[ecLlvely whaL sorL of
coachlng may be mosL effecLlve for you. So, here ls a coachlng sLory LhaL has been parL of a
number of LreaLmenLs for mood and anxleLy dlsorders.
8
lL provldes a nlce meLaphor for how
you can Lhlnk abouL Lhe way you Lalk Lo yourself.
A Ta$e of T0o Coac"es
1hls ls a sLory abouL LlLLle League baseball. lL sLarLs wlLh !ohnny, who plays ln Lhe ouLfleld. Pls
[ob ls Lo caLch fly balls and reLurn Lhem Lo Lhe lnfleld players. Cn Lhe day of our sLory, !ohnny ls
ln Lhe ouLfleld and crack!"-one of Lhe players on Lhe oLher Leam hlLs a fly ball. 1he ball ls
comlng Lo !ohnny. !ohnny ralses hls glove. 1he ball ls comlng Lo hlm, comlng Lo hlm . and lL
goes over hls head. !ohnny mlsses Lhe ball, and Lhe oLher Leam scores a run.
now, a coach can respond Lo Lhls slLuaLlon ln a number of ways. LeL's look aL Coach A flrsL.
Coach A ls Lhe Lype who comes ouL on Lhe fleld and shouLs: l can'L belleve you mlssed LhaL
ball! Anyone could have caughL lL! My dog could have caughL lL! ?ou screw up llke LhaL agaln
and you'll be slLLlng on Lhe bench! 1haL was lousy!" Coach A Lhen sLorms off Lhe fleld.
AL Lhls polnL, !ohnny ls sLandlng ln Lhe ouLfleld and, lf he ls aL all slmllar Lo us, he ls Lense, LlghL,
Lrylng noL Lo cry, and praylng LhaL anoLher ball ls noL hlL Lo hlm. lf a ball does come Lo hlm,
!ohnny wlll probably mlss lL. AfLer all, he ls Lense and nervous and may see four balls comlng aL
hlm because of Lhe Lears ln hls eyes. lf we are !ohnny's parenLs, we may see more profound
changes afLer Lhe game. !ohnny, who Lyplcally places hls baseball glove on Lhe manLel, now
Lhrows lL under hls bed. And, before Lhe nexL game, he may complaln LhaL hls sLomach hurLs,
LhaL perhaps he should noL go Lo Lhe game. 1hls ls Lhe scenarlo wlLh Coach A.
now, leL's go back Lo Lhe orlglnal evenL and play lL dlfferenLly. !ohnny has [usL mlssed Lhe ball,
and now Coach 8 comes ouL on Lhe fleld. Coach 8 says: Well, you mlssed LhaL one. Pere ls
whaL l wanL you Lo remember: Plgh balls look llke Lhey are farLher away Lhan Lhey really are.
Also, lL ls much easler Lo run forward Lhan Lo back up. 8ecause of Lhls, l wanL you Lo prepare for
Lhe ball by Laklng a few exLra sLeps backward. As Lhe ball geLs closer, you can sLep lnLo lL lf you
need Lo. Also, Lry Lo caLch lL aL chesL level, so you can ad[usL your hand lf you mls[udge Lhe ball.
LeL's see how you do nexL Llme." Coach 8 Lhen leaves Lhe fleld.
Pow does !ohnny feel? Well, he ls noL happy. AfLer all, he mlssed Lhe ball. 8uL Lhere are a
number of lmporLanL dlfferences from Lhe way he felL wlLh Coach A. Pe ls noL as Lense or LlghL,
and lf a fly ball does come Lo hlm, he knows whaL Lo do dlfferenLly Lo caLch lL. And because he
does noL have Lears ln hls eyes, he may acLually see Lhe ball and caLch lL.
So, lf we were Lhe Lype of parenLs who wanL !ohnny Lo make Lhe Ma[or Leagues, we would plck
Coach 8 because he Leaches !ohnny how Lo be a more effecLlve player. !ohnny knows whaL Lo
do dlfferenLly, may caLch more balls, and may excel ln Lhe game. 8uL lf we dldn'L care wheLher
!ohnny made Lhe Ma[or Leagues-because baseball ls a game, and one ls supposed Lo be able
Lo en[oy a game-we would sLlll plck Coach 8. We would plck Coach 8 because we care wheLher
!ohnny en[oys Lhe game. WlLh Coach 8, !ohnny knows whaL Lo do dlfferenLly. Pe ls noL LlghL,
Lense, and ready Lo cry, he may caLch a few balls and he may en[oy Lhe game. Pe may also
conLlnue Lo place hls glove on Lhe manLel.
now, alLhough we may all selecL Coach 8 for !ohnny, we rarely choose Lhe volce of Coach 8 for
Lhe way we Lalk Lo ourselves. 1hlnk abouL your lasL mlsLake. uld you say, l can'L belleve l dld
LhaL! l am so sLupld! WhaL a [erk!"? 1hese are Coach A" LhoughLs, and Lhey have many of Lhe
same effecLs on us LhaL Coach A has on !ohnny. 1hese LhoughLs make us feel Lense and LlghL,
may make us feel llke crylng, and rarely help us do beLLer ln Lhe fuLure. 8emember, even lf you
were only concerned abouL producLlvlLy (maklng Lhe Ma[or Leagues), you would sLlll plck Coach
8. And lf you were concerned wlLh en[oylng llfe, wlLh guldlng yourself effecLlvely for boLh [oy
and producLlvlLy, you cettololy would plck Coach 8.
uurlng Lhe nexL week, llsLen ln" Lo your LhoughLs Lo see how you are coachlng yourself. lf you
hear Coach A, remember Lhls sLory and see lf you can replace Coach A LhoughLs wlLh Coach 8
LhoughLs.
SE6F&COAC4IN8 AND DEPRESSION
lf you are exerclslng for depresslon, we wanL you Lo be especlally ready Lo replace Coach A
LhoughLs wlLh Coach 8 alLernaLlves. ln parLlcular, when depressed, lL wlll be harder for you Lo
noLlce and appreclaLe Lhe galns you are maklng wlLh exerclse. negaLlve, moLlvaLlon-sapplng
LhoughLs also wlll be more common: Why boLher? noLhlng ls golng Lo help Lhls depresslon,"
Who cares! l feel so bad already, exerclse wlll [usL make me feel worse," l [usL wanL Lo be ln
bed, l wlll run Lomorrow." 8ecause you are feellng depressed, Lhese LhoughLs wlll feel Lrue.
Also, Lhey are llkely Lo be accompanled by a hosL of addlLlonal negaLlve LhoughLs abouL yourself
and your ablllLles (l blew lL," l am no good," lL never works ouL for me," Look aL me, l am
.," eLc.), oLhers (Pe does noL care abouL me", 1hey don'L llke me", eLc.), and Lhe fuLure (lL
won'L work ouL"). Clven LhaL many of Lhese LhoughLs are belng drlven by Lhe mood (meanlng,
your mood ls maklng Lhese LhoughLs seem more llkely and maklng Lhem feel Lrue), we don'L
wanL you Lo geL Loo lnvolved argulng wlLh Lhem. lnsLead, marvel aL Lhem, perhaps even accepL
Lhem as background mood chaLLer-and Lhen exerclse anyway. Lngaglng ln acLlvlLy and
exerclse aL Llmes of depresslon helps Lo proLecL you from falllng lnLo plLs of lnacLlvlLy and
lsolaLlon. useful acLlvlLy ln Lhe face of depressed mood helps undo Lhe cycle of worsenlng
moods and decreaslng engagemenL LhaL malnLalns depresslon.
1o sLay engaged, some people llke Lo reacL Lo LhoughLs llke Lhese as lf Lhey were rebelllous
chlldren. ?ou undersLand why your LhoughLs wanL Lo go wanderlng off ln Lhe wrong dlrecLlon,
buL you do noL need Lo follow Lhem. Culde yourself Lo useful acLlon desplLe Lhe presence of
Lhese LhoughLs. 8egardlng exerclse, you may wanL Lo coach Lhese wayward chlldren by saylng
someLhlng llke:
?es, lL ls posslble LhaL exerclse wlll noL work for me. And l know LhaL sLaylng ln bed or lylng
down or waLchlng Lelevlslon feels llke a good ldea, buL now ls my scheduled exerclse Llme. l
wanL Lo feel beLLer, and exerclse offers me a chance Lo do LhaL. LeL me geL myself ouL Lhe door
Lo see how dlfferenL l can feel.
ChapLers 6, 8, and 9, respecLlvely, are devoLed Lo helplng you develop a useful coachlng sLyle
for approachlng exerclse, guldlng your aLLenLlon Loward Lhe mosL pleasurable aspecLs of
exerclse, and glvlng yourself full credlL for your exerclse achlevemenLs.
8,I6T AND S4AME
We wanL you Lo be very careful abouL uslng gullL or shame as a moLlvaLlonal coachlng sLraLegy.
?es, we know oLher people do lL. We know LhaL some good coaches ln your llfe may have
dlpped lnLo Lhe gullL or shame plle Lo moLlvaLe you. 8uL don'L do Lhls yourself. 8emember, you
have Lo llve wlLh yourself every day, and lL ls rare for an emoLlon llke gullL Lo lead you ln a good
dlrecLlon. 1haL ls, lL ls [usL as easy Lo geL mad and avoldanL around gullL as lL ls Lo Lry Lo do Lhe
rlghL Lhlng. 1hls cerLalnly goes for exerclse. SlLLlng on Lhe couch and Lhlnklng, l should exerclse
now," over and over agaln ls a Lerrlflc way of maklng yourself feel bad and unmoLlvaLed.
lnsLead, sLep away from gullL and shame and Lell yourself Lhe LruLh. 1ry someLhlng llke Lhls:
l usually feel good when l exerclse, buL lL ls really hard Lo geL myself Lo do lL someLlmes. Pow
can l geL myself ln a poslLlon where l don'L have Lo push myself so hard Lo geL golng? LeL me
[usL geL up and Lurn off Lhe Lelevlslon, Lhen l can flgure ouL whaL l wanL Lo do nexL.
AlLernaLlvely you may say:
l feel busy, overwhelmed, and somewhaL blue. 1hese feellngs naLurally make me wanL Lo do
noLhlng. 8uL lf l do noLhlng, l am lefL alone wlLh Lhese feellngs. leellng overwhelmed and busy
ls Lhe perfecL feellng sLaLe for exerclse, lL ls exacLly when exerclse can help me feel very
dlfferenL. lL ls Llme Lo move, noL Llme Lo freeze up.
Look aL Lhese Lwo coachlng sLraLegles: no gullL, no shoulds," [usL honesL coachlng.
A Note A/o.t Procrastination
And whlle we are on honesL coachlng, leL us say a Lhlng or Lwo abouL procrasLlnaLlon.
rocrasLlnaLlon-puLLlng someLhlng off for an hour, a day, a week-really feels good ln Lhe
momenL. We need Lo acknowledge Lhls. SLress decreases, buL only for a llLLle whlle. 1hen sLress
and oLher bad feellngs lncrease. ln facL, sLudles of procrasLlnaLlon
9
reveal LhaL, alLhough
procrasLlnaLlon offers some lmmedlaLe good feellng, over Llme procrasLlnaLlon boLh lncreases
sLress and lowers Lhe chances of success. rocrasLlnaLlon also lncreases feellngs of de[ecLlon,
and ls llnked Lo a greaLer llkellhood of lllness. ln oLher words, lL ls bad for you. We don'L wanL
exerclse Lo conLrlbuLe Lo procrasLlnaLlon. lf procrasLlnaLlng ls a hablL of yours, lL wlll be
lmporLanL Lo seL up a clear schedule of exerclse. 1hen be especlally wary of self-Lalk llke, l wlll
geL Lo lL laLer." 8emlnd yourself of Lhe value of acLlon, we wanL you Lo do lL now as an acL of
selflshness-Lo save yourself feellngs of sLress, de[ecLlon, and lower success over Llme.
Schedule lL and do lL. Clve up Lhe shoulds."
Persectives from C"amions
l conLlnue Lo be amazed aL Lhe effecL of exerclse on my mood. Lven [usL a shorL amounL can
greaLly lncrease my energy levels and general happlness. now LhaL l'm noL compeLlng, lL can be
hard Lo convlnce myself Lo go for a workouL, buL lL's worLh lL every Llme.
Clymplc 8ower - Sllver MedallsL
SE6F&COAC4IN8 AND 6APSES
LsLabllshlng a new hablL Lakes paLlence and belng comforLable wlLh dlsappolnLmenL. As you
work Loward becomlng someone who can say l am physlcally acLlve," Lhere may be weeks
durlng whlch you do noL meeL your exerclse goals. Mlsslng a spln class, sklpplng Lhe planned
mornlng run, or decldlng LhaL Lhe week you are on vacaLlon means a vacaLlon from exerclse can
someLlmes cause feellngs of doubL or shame as lL relaLes Lo your exerclse rouLlne: See, Lhls
program ls noL for me," or, Why can'L l follow Lhrough for once?"
Lapses, or Lemporary seLbacks, are common. We wrlLe abouL Lhem here because we wanL you
Lo be prepared Lo deal wlLh Lhem. 8e prepared for surprlses, Lhlngs noL golng exacLly as
planned, and feellngs of gullL or demorallzaLlon LhaL may follow. 8e careful LhaL you don'L Lake
Lhese momenLary lapses Loo serlously by Lhrowlng your hands up ln Lhe alr and saylng, lorgeL
lL. l Lrled Lhls, buL clearly Lhls lsn'L for me," and dlsconLlnulng your exerclse rouLlne.
10
lnsLead,
lapses are [usL addlLlonal opporLunlLles for geLLlng back on your schedule, for worklng Lo
manlpulaLe your envlronmenL Lo beLLer supporL your lnLenLlons. When feellng demorallzed
abouL exerclse, remlnd yourself of lLs uLlllLy-remember, bad feellngs are never Lhe reason oot
Lo exerclse, Lhey are tbe reason Lo exerclse.
EN4ANCIN8 PRO'6EM SO69IN8S5I66S
Cne of Lhe beneflLs of exerclse ls LhaL lL can boLh clear your head and quleL your mlnd, whlle
also enhanclng your aLLenLlon and memory.
11
As such, exerclse ls useful for slowlng down
repeLlLlve LhoughLs and aldlng Lrue problem solvlng (see ChapLer 8). now, all you have Lo do ls
make sure you geL Lo LhaL problem solvlng Llme. lor LhaL, we recommend a focused Llme each
week. 1hls Llme ls used as an anLldoLe Lo worry. lnsLead of half Lhlnklng abouL problems all Lhe
Llme, we would llke you Lo plck a room and a Llme (leL's say 1uesday aL 6:30 .M. aL your home
desk) Lo acLlvely conslder problems and lssues for 30 mlnuLes Lo an hour.
8aLher Lhan [umplng from Loplc Lo Loplc, focuslng on whaL moy happen (Lhe caLasLrophlc
whaL lf" Lhlnklng we dlscussed earller ln Lhls chapLer), Lhls problem solvlng Llme ls meanL for
focuslng on clarlfylng Lhe concern behlnd Lhe worry (WhaL boLhers me abouL Lhls?") and how
you mlghL cope (Pow bad would Lhls be, and whaL are my opLlons for deallng wlLh Lhls?"). 1he
key ls Lo sLay focused on a slngle worry unLll you come up wlLh answers Lo Lhese quesLlons. And
lL ls lmporLanL Lo wrlLe ouL boLh Lhe quesLlons and answers. WrlLlng slows down Lhe Lhlnklng
process and helps focus lL. ?ou can Lhen revlew your LhoughL process, examlnlng wheLher
addlLlonal problem solvlng ls needed or wheLher Lhe worry lLself ls off Lrack.
First) Define t"e Pro/$em
ln your problem solvlng, we wanL you Lo proceed carefully and slowly wlLh problem deflnlLlon.
Many people sklp Lhls sLage and seL Lo worklng on solvlng a problem wlLhouL qulLe knowlng
whaL Lhe problem ls. 1hls happens frequenLly ln Lhe problem solvlng groups ln our cllnlcal work.
Pere ls Lhe drlll. ln Lhe group, one member wlll menLlon a problem LhaL he ls faclng ln hls llfe.
1hen, suddenly, llke a plLchlng machlne LhaL ls seL Loo fasL, he ls bombarded by soluLlons flred
off by Lhe oLher group members. llve or slx soluLlons come ln from all sldes, and Lhe person
wlLh Lhe problem slLs Lhere bewlldered, answerlng weakly, ?es, no, maybe, uh . l am noL
sure." Pls lack of enLhuslasm ls reflecLlve of a cruclal sLage LhaL was mlssed. 1he group, ln an
aLLempL Lo be lmmedlaLely helpful, falled Lo help Lhe person wlLh clotlfyloq wbot ls teolly
wtooq and esLabllshlng wbot sott of solotloo ls deslred. 1hls ls lmporLanL: LeL us repeaL lL. lL
Lakes a whlle Lo clarlfy whaL sorL of soluLlon ls deslred, ln parL because lL Lakes a whlle Lo clarlfy
whaL Lhe problem really ls.
Accordlngly, one of Lhe flrsL sLeps of problem solvlng Lralnlng ls Lo slow down Lhls process,
Laklng Llme Lo ask whaL ls mosL boLhersome abouL Lhls problem. 1hls ls besL done wlLh a clear
head, wlLhouL worrles swlrllng around and around-meanlng LhaL a good exerclse sesslon ls an
ldeal prelude Lo an acLlve problem solvlng sesslon. uurlng your weekly hour devoLed Lo
problem solvlng, grab a pen and a pad, and wrlLe ouL Lhe problems you face (lf you wanL, Lake
noLes on worrles durlng Lhe week and save Lhem up for Lhls Llme). 1hen, ask yourself Lhe
followlng quesLlon aL leasL Lhree Llmes: WhaL boLhers me abouL Lhls? WlLh each answerlng of
Lhls quesLlon, ask Lhe quesLlon agaln, Lrylng Lo geL more clarlLy. Cnly when you geL Lo your Lhlrd
answer should you devoLe efforL Lo Lhe generaLlon of poLenLlal soluLlons.
1o help you generaLe Lruly new soluLlons (we are all such creaLures of hablL!), Lry Lo generaLe as
many ldeas as posslble. WrlLe down ldeas LhaL feel good, as well as ldeas LhaL feel really bad.
1he key ls Lo generaLe ldeas wlLhouL devoLlng any energy Lo analyzlng wheLher Lhese poLenLlal
soluLlons are good or bad. 1hls ls done Lhls way because Lhe process of generaLlng a soluLlon ls
very dlfferenL from Lhe process of evaluaLlng a soluLlon. We don'L wanL evaluaLlon Lo geL ln Lhe
way of generaLlng new ldeas. Cnly when you have generaLed new ldeas should you pause Lo
evaluaLe whaL ls good and bad abouL each opLlon (rarely ls an opLlon all good or all
bad-remember Lhe Anu). 1hen, and only Lhen, should you revlew Lhe opLlons you have
generaLed and selecL Lhe one you wanL Lo pursue over Lhe nexL week. lf needed, use Lhe
followlng worksheeL Lo ald Lhls process.
S,MMIN8 ,P
A core feaLure of Lhls chapLer ls Lhe noLlon LhaL LhoughLs don'L need Lo be Lrue Lo have
powerful effecLs on mood and moLlvaLlon. 8ecause of Lhls, lL ls lmporLanL Lo LreaL LhoughLs as
guesses abouL Lhe world, raLher Lhan facLs. We have offered loLs of examples of bad Lhlnklng
hablLs, lncludlng Lhe use of lnaccuraLe and emoLlonally laden labels LhaL lead you Lo Lell
yourself Lhlngs LhaL feel Lrue buL ote oot Lrue. We asked you Lo sLarL Lhe process of learnlng
noL Lo Lake LhoughLs so serlously and Lo coach yourself more accuraLely. More preclsely, we
lnLroduced you Lo Lhe process of llsLenlng ln on your LhoughLs and: (1) waLchlng for loaded
words and phrases, (2) marvellng aL negaLlve LhoughLs raLher Lhan buylng lnLo Lhem, (3)
evaluaLlng Lhese LhoughLs, and Lhen (4) coachlng yourself more accuraLely and effecLlvely. 1he
nexL chapLer lnlLlaLes Lhe process of applylng Lhese prlnclples Lo self-coachlng sLraLegles for
exerclse, sLarLlng wlLh Lhe process of plannlng exerclse.
1able 3.1. roblem solvlng worksheeL
_______________________________________________
WhaL ls Lhe problem?
_______________________________________________
Why does Lhls problem boLher me (e.g., whaL are Lhe speclflc feaLures LhaL boLher me)?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
ls Lhls a reallsLlc problem (e.g., whaL do l really Lhlnk ls golng Lo happen, and whaL parL of Lhls
problem do l Lhlnk ls [usL worry)?
_______________________________________________
Pow can l rewrlLe Lhe problem clearly, so LhaL lL helps me Lhlnk abouL a soluLlon? WrlLe a
clear resLaLemenL of Lhe problem:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
now LhaL l have Lhe problem clearly ln mlnd, whaL are poLenLlal soluLlons Lo Lhls problem? 1o
generaLe soluLlons, l wanL Lo Lhlnk abouL as many soluLlons as posslble (wlLhouL Lhlnklng why
Lhey are good or bad, and wlLhouL chooslng an opLlon aL Lhls polnL). WhaL advlce mlghL a
good frlend glve? lf a frlend had Lhls problem, whaL advlce would l glve? oLenLlal opLlons:
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
now raLe each poLenLlal opLlon. lor each opLlon, raLe Lhe good and bad aspecLs of Lhe
proposed soluLlon. uo noL selecL an opLlon unLll each ls raLed.
Cood Lhlngs abouL each soluLlon 8ad Lhlngs abouL each soluLlon
1.
2.
3.
4.
3.
6.
Clven Lhls evaluaLlon, whlch soluLlon seems besL?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
uo l wanL Lo apply Lhls soluLlon, or ls more Llme or more lnformaLlon needed Lo solve Lhls
problem?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
8eprlnLed wlLh permlsslon from CLLo, M. W., 8ellly-ParrlngLon, n. A., knauz, 8. C., Penln, A.,
kogan, !. n., & Sachs, C. S. (2008). llvloq wltb blpolot JlsotJet (pp. 64-66). new ?ork: Cxford
unlverslLy ress.
MAN
P6ANNIN8 YO,R EXERCISE RO,TINE
1he goal of Lhls chapLer ls Lo help you Lake whaL you've learned from Lhe prevlous chapLers and
Lhlnk Lhrough some of Lhe speclflc envlronmenL and self-coachlng sLraLegles LhaL can make lL
easler for you Lo geL yourself Lo an exerclse sesslon. ln dolng so, we assume LhaL Lhere wlll be
Llmes when exerclse wlll demand a more efforLful push from you because of how lL collldes
wlLh your schedule and your oLher prlorlLles. 8y Lhe same Loken, we assume LhaL Lhere wlll be
oLher Llmes when lL wlll Lake less efforL for you Lo change cloLhes and head off Lo Lhe gym, dlve
lnLo Lhe pool, or hlL Lhe road. llrsL, leL's conslder some of Lhe common roadblocks and some of
Lhe advanLages assoclaLed wlLh dlfferenL exerclse paLLerns.
MA5IN8 IT EASIER TO EXERCISEB TIMIN8
When ls Lhe easlesL Llme durlng your day Lo geL movlng and exerclse? 1he answer ls: whenever
you wanL lL Lo be. !usL plck a Llme, and your body wlll adapL Lo whaLever you wanL Lo do. lf you
wanL Lo feel llke exerclslng ln Lhe mornlng, exerclse ln Lhe mornlng. lf you wanL Lo feel llke
exerclslng ln Lhe evenlng, Lhen Lraln yourself Lo do so Lhen. ?our body wlll plck up Lhe hablL.
1
1he ldea ls Lo develop a rewardlng exerclse reglmen LhaL lmproves your mood and well-belng.
Lxerclse aL Lhose Llmes LhaL make Lhe mosL of your moLlvaLlon. LeL's revlew some of Lhe lssues
surroundlng mornlng, mldday, and evenlng exerclse, examlne each and plck Lhe one LhaL besL
flLs your llfesLyle and self-coachlng hablLs. Lxerclse ls easlesL lf you schedule lL around (1)
naLural breaks ln your day, and (2) Llmes when you need a break ln your day for a mood boosL.
Morning E+ercise
Lxerclse can be a Lerrlflc way Lo sLarL your day. lf you do lL rlghL, you can roll ouL of bed and be
halfway lnLo your rouLlne before fully waklng up. And, once you are ln your rouLlne, few
lnLerrupLlons are llkely: Larly mornlng exerclse ls ofLen Lhe ulLlmaLe me-Llme. Also, lL can be
lnvaluable Lo have a clear-headed feellng from exerclse aL Lhe sLarL of Lhe day. uurlng exerclse,
you wlll have Llme Lo organlze your day, uslng Lhe slow, clear LhoughLs LhaL ofLen emerge
durlng and afLer exerclse. lL provldes busy lndlvlduals wlLh a [ump on feellng creaLlve, clear, and
able Lo focus on Lhe blg-plcLure Lasks of Lhe day. 1hese advanLages may be one reason why
mornlng exerclse ls parLlcularly popular among lndlvlduals over 30 years of age.
2
AnoLher speclflc beneflL of mornlng exerclse ls LhaL Lhe posL-exerclse shower becomes Lhe
mornlng dally shower, and, dependlng on where you llve, Lhe mornlng weaLher may be more
opLlmal (lower heaL and less wlnd) lf you are exerclslng ouLdoors. llnally, wlLh a good exerclse
sesslon, you sLarL Lhe day wlLh a sense of accompllshmenL, and LhaL accompllshmenL can serve
as a buffer agalnsL some of Lhe oLher frusLraLlons and sLressors durlng Lhe day. AgalnsL Lhe
chaos of Lhe day, you had a mornlng where your efforL led Lo dlrecL payoffs-you puL ouL Lhe
efforL, and you flnlshed your workouL.
Powever, mornlng exerclse ls noL wlLhouL lLs challenges. Cne core challenge ls Lhe dlfflculLy of
geLLlng ouL of bed early enough Lo allow for a full workouL. WlLh mosL peoples' schedules
consLralned on Lhe back end (wlLh a Llcklng clock unLll lL ls Llme go Lo work or school), even
small delays ln geLLlng ouL of bed can compromlse Lhe Llme needed for an adequaLe workouL.
Also, from Lhe perspecLlve of a warm, comfy bed, a workouL ls an especlally Lough proposlLlon.
Clven Lhese hurdles, lf you exerclse ln Lhe mornlng, lL ls especlally lmporLanL Lo chaln your goals
LogeLher for exerclse success. 1he flrsL goal ls slmply Lo geL ouL of bed on Llme. use Lhe pull of
oLher moLlvaLlons ln Lhls process. lnsLead of Lhlnklng, l should work ouL," Lhlnk, lL ls Llme Lo
geL up and go Lo Lhe baLhroom." 1hls uses an exlsLlng moLlvaLlon (assumlng you have Lo use Lhe
baLhroom) Lo help you geL Lo a more awake sLaLe of mlnd and focus on your exerclse
moLlvaLlons. lrom Lhe baLhroom, Lhe goal ls slmply Lo geL dressed ln workouL cloLhes. 1he
cloLhes Lhemselves glve you a sLrong cue LhaL lL ls Llme Lo exerclse (lL feels [usL plaln sllly Lo puL
Lhe cloLhes on and noL exerclse). Cnce Lhe cloLhes are on, Lhe goal ls Lo grab a drlnk of waLer, or
a blLe Lo eaL (lf you choose), and Lhen geL yourself ouL Lhe door for your workouL.
1o help keep your exerclse moLlvaLlon on Lrack, make Lhls process as easy as posslble. Pave
your exerclse cloLhes and shoes ouL, walLlng for you, and have your workouL already planned.
uon'L allow frusLraLlons or delays Lo make lL harder Lo reslsL Lhe LhoughL, l could [usL crawl
back ln bed."
1o help mornlng exerclse happen easlly, be prepared Lo reslsL any of a number of moLlvaLlon-
deralllng LhoughLs. 1hese lnclude LhoughLs such as:
- lL won'L maLLer lf l sLay ln bed now, l can work ouL Lomorrow.
- lL ls so warm here ln bed, l wlll [usL snuggle ln for a few more mlnuLes.
- lL won'L maLLer lf l mlss my workouL [usL Lhls one Llme.
- My mood wlll be even beLLer lf l [usL sleep ln.
- l am Loo Llred Lo exerclse.
- l can always exerclse laLer ln Lhe day.
lL wlll be hard Lo reslsL some of Lhese LhoughLs as Lhey bounce around your nearly asleep mlnd.
Cur prlnclple ls Lo never leL a sleepy mlnd Lrump declslons made by an awake mlnd.
3
?ou made
Lhe declslon Lo exerclse on Lhe prevlous evenlng when you seL your alarm. 1hls was Lhe owoke
mloJ declslon. SLlck wlLh Lhls declslon, regardless of whaL your osleep mloJ ls saylng.
Coach yourself Lhrough Lhese momenLs by saylng:
- l chose Lo work ouL now for a reason, worklng ouL early makes me feel really good laLer.
- keeplng my workouLs on schedule does maLLer Lo me. l know l wlll feel beLLer once l have
sLarLed, Llme Lo geL up and lnLo my workouL cloLhes now.
- Cf course l feel Llred, afLer all, l have been ln bed. Cnce l sLarL my workouL, l wlll be energlzlng
myself for laLer ln Lhe day.
- l am worklng ouL for my mood, puLLlng LhaL workouL off unLll laLer ln Lhe day does noL serve
me. l need Lo geL golng now Lo glve myself a beLLer mood for Lhe day.
Also, make sure you are ready for Lhe moLlvaLlon-sapplng LhoughLs. know LhaL you are golng Lo
hear one or more of Lhem, and be ready Lo lgnore Lhem. 1hls ls a form of lnoculaLlon agalnsL
belng deralled by negaLlve LhoughLs. Look Lhrough Lhe llsL above, and say each senLence aloud
Lo yourself. lcLure yourself Lhlnklng Lhem whlle ln bed on one of your exerclse mornlngs. 1hen,
plcLure yourself reslsLlng Lhem. And how do you do LhaL? 1ell yourself Lhe LruLh abouL Lhese
LhoughLs: l knew l would be saylng someLhlng llke Lhls-l really [usL need Lo geL ouL of bed and
lnLo Lhe baLhroom. Cnce l am Lhere, l can Lhlnk more abouL Lhe workouL lf l wanL." 1haL ls, sLarL
your movemenL Loward exerclse success, and leL Lhls movemenL help remlnd you of whaL your
owoke mlnd had already declded.
Mi!!a- E+ercise
Cne wonderful aspecL of Lravellng ln Lurope ls encounLerlng Lhe dlfferenL Lempo of Lhe day,
drlven ln parL by Lhe closlng of sLores beLween lunch and 3 .M. 1hls early afLernoon break
changes Lhe workday from a long maraLhon of acLlvlLy lnLo Lwo dlsLlncL half-workdays. 1he
posL-lunch break provldes a way Lo be refreshed and refocused for afLernoon and evenlng
work. We llke Lo Lhlnk a mldday exerclse break brlngs Lhese same beneflLs.
AfLernoon exerclse makes use of cltcoJloo tbytbms LhaL, ln general, make us more ready for
our bodles Lo perform physlcally well ln Lhe laLe afLernoon.
4
1hls naLural beneflL, Lhough, can
be undone by weaLher challenges (e.g., Lhe hoLLesL parL of Lhe day) dependlng on where you
llve.
A parLlcular challenge for afLernoon exerclse ls dlsengaglng from ongolng acLlvlLles. Cf speclal
concern ls Lhe Lendency Lo wanL Lo geL one more Lhlng done" before exerclse Llme. lf you
declde on afLernoon exerclse, you may well one more Lhlng" your way ouL of a full workouL.
1houghLs characLerlzlng a one more Lhlng" Lendency lnclude:
- lL wlll be easler Lo keep golng, l am ln Lhe groove now.
- l am Loo busy Lo Lake a break now.
- lf l keep aL work now, l can have a really good break laLer.
8e wary of Lhese LhoughLs. lL may be well worLh keeplng your nose Lo Lhe grlndsLone, as long as
you can guaranLee a good workouL laLer. 8uL be careful lf you are mlsslng scheduled workouLs
and noL maklng Lhem up. 1o help yourself counLeracL Lhese moLlvaLlon-sapplng LhoughLs,
remlnd yourself LhaL exerclse can enhance your focus and problem-solvlng ablllLles whlle
reduclng your sLress (see ChapLer 3). 1hlnk of exerclse as your perspecLlve Llme, when you
come back Lo your work, lL may feel very dlfferenL. 1houghL-wlse, you may wanL Lo coach
yourself as follows:
- l am Laklng a break so l can be more producLlve laLer.
- l don'L exerclse every day, and so l need Lo keep my Llmes. l wlll push for 20 mlnuLes more,
Lhen make sure l flL ln my exerclse Llme.
- l am more producLlve when l Lake Llme Lo manage my sLress and mood.
We should commenL furLher on Lhe lasL polnL. 1here ls good evldence LhaL exerclse helps your
Lhlnklng processes. When aged lndlvlduals are LesLed, flLness scores are llnked Lo boLh overall
scores of cognlLlve funcLlonlng (how well Lhe mlnd works generally), as well as Lo speclflc
aLLenLlon and execuLlve funcLlonlng (plannlng, declslon maklng) scores. A wealLh of sLudles
show LhaL lndlvlduals who exerclse have hlgher cognlLlve funcLlonlng scores, buL Lhere ls also
rellable evldence LhaL Lhose scores lmprove wlLh ptoqtommeJ exerclse.
1he comblned resulLs of 29 sLudles LhaL Lracked Lhe exerclse hablLs and cognlLlve funcLlons of
over 2,000 people found LhaL aeroblc exerclse lmproved aLLenLlon, menLal processlng speed,
and memory, even ln people over 70 years of age.
3
lL's preLLy clear LhaL a hlgh level of
cardlovascular flLness noL only proLecLs Lhe hearL, buL proLecLs agalnsL age-relaLed cognlLlve
decllne (seolllty) as well. And, Lhe earller ln llfe you sLarL exerclslng, Lhe beLLer Lhe effecLs on
cognlLlon as you age.
6
8rlefly sald-runnlng ls good for your noggln. So, lf you are sLressed or you have Lo perform
well aL work, geLLlng ouL Lo exerclse ln Lhe mlddle of Lhe day mlghL be a Lerrlflc way Lo geL your
work done, and done well.
Evening E+ercise
We Lhlnk evenlng exerclse ls a wonderful way Lo end Lhe day, lncludlng provldlng a shlfL
beLween work and soclal or famlly hours. 1hls ls especlally lmporLanL lf you have Lrouble leavlng
work aL work-lf you lnsLead Lake home worrles from Lhe workday LhaL lnvade your evenlng
hours. lf Lhls ls your paLLern, Lry pracLlclng Joot-closloq sttoteqles Lo help you beLLer segmenL
your day. 8efore leavlng work, pause Lo wrlLe ouL your concerns from Lhe day and an agenda
for addresslng Lhese concerns tomottow. 1hls ls Lhe lasL hurrah for Lhe workday-Lo clarlfy
how you wlll re-aLLend Lo lssues Lomorrow. uevoLe 3 mlnuLes Lo Lhls process, Laklng Lhls exLra
work Llme Lo help make your evenlng cleaner. WlLh Lhls llsL wrlLLen and lefL on your desk or ln
your drawer, sLand up and formally say goodbye Lo Lhe day and close Lhe offlce door (elLher
acLually or concepLually).
?our exerclse sesslon can Lhen serve as your LranslLlon Llme beLween work and home. lL ls Llme
for you Lo clear your head and geL ready Lo become your soclal or famlly self. lor Lhls purpose,
exerclse ls compleLed befote yoo qet bome. 1hls helps you avold all Lhe deralllng evenLs LhaL
awalL you aL home, lncludlng Lhe Lelevlslon and couch walLlng Lo swallow up your moLlvaLlon.
Conslder wheLher you can make your exerclse parL of your commuLe (by runnlng, blklng, or
rollerbladlng Lo and from work). Pavlng exerclse as parL of your commuLe ls amazlngly efflclenL.
8lklng, rollerbladlng, or runnlng ls a Lerrlflc anLldoLe Lo Lhe Llme you spend ln Lrafflc. Slnce you
are commuLlng anyway, exerclse Llme spenL durlng Lhe commuLe does noL Lake Llme away
from Lhe resL of your llfe. CommuLlng exerclse also makes your workouLs feel very
funcLlonal-Lo be aL work (or back home) on Llme, you have Lo keep up a cerLaln pace. And,
even Lhough you mlghL llke Lo sLop, you do sLlll have Lo geL Lo work (or home) somehow.
CommuLlng workouLs do demand a shower near work and Lhe ablllLy Lo manage cloLhes (havlng
a change of cloLhes sLored ln Lhe offlce, and a place Lo hang-dry your workouL cloLhes,
especlally lf you need Lo change back lnLo Lhem for Lhe commuLe home). 1hese workouLs may
be easler Lo arrange ln wlnLer, when sweaLlng may be reduced ln Lhe cold weaLher. 8ecause
exerclse Lhls way lnvolves a change of cloLhes and a shower afLerward, plan for how Lhese
dlsrupLlons can besL fall lnLo your dally rouLlne. 8emember, Lhe goal for your exerclse program
ls Lo maxlmlze moLlvaLlon noL by force, buL by flnesse.
lf commuLlng workouLs are noL feaslble, conslder ways Lo comblne your moLlvaLlons for
evenlng workouLs. lf you have a favorlLe Lelevlslon show, raLher Lhan waLchlng lL from Lhe
couch, conslder waLchlng lL from Lhe Lreadmlll or cycle aL home or ln Lhe gym. ?ou make Llme ln
your schedule for Lhe show by maklng lL counL as exerclse Llme. llnally, lf Lhere [usL lsn'L Llme
before you geL home and geL lnLegraLed lnLo famlly acLlvlLles, Lhen Lhlnk abouL how exerclse
can happen wlLh Lhe famlly (see ChapLer 10). 8unnlng whlle a chlld blkes or uslng a [ogglng
sLroller can help famlly Llme double as exerclse Llme, whlle offerlng Lhe beneflLs of exerclse Lo
Lhose you love.
lor all of Lhese approaches, be wary of Lhe deralllng LhoughLs LhaL come ln Lhe evenlng. 1hese
ofLen surround belng Loo Llred or Loo busy for Lhe workouL:
- l have had a full day, l am Loo Llred Lo work ouL.
- lL ls abouL Lo geL dark. l can [usL puL lL off unLll mornlng.
- l have achleved enough Loday, l can leL Lhe workouLs go for now.
- l was movlng consLanLly aL work, l don'L need Lo work ouL LonlghL.
laLlgue from a busy workday, even lf you do physlcal work, ls no reason Lo sklp lelsure Llme
exerclse. Work-relaLed physlcal acLlvlLles ofLen occur aL a low hearL raLe, and Lhese acLlvlLles,
even Lhough Lhey are Laxlng, are noL llnked Lo elLher physlcal or menLal healLh beneflLs.
7
1hey
don'L help, and Lhey can be used as an excuse Lo sklp a workouL.
Coach yourself around your faLlgue wlLh phrases llke:
- l am Llred, buL l can sLlll have a good workouL LhaL wlll leave me feellng refreshed menLally
and ln a beLLer mood for Lomorrow.
- 1hls workouL ls my LranslLlon Lo havlng a really good evenlng.
- WlLh Lhls workouL, l wlll feel reseL for a beLLer day Lomorrow.
1hen, geL yourself Lo your workouL.
Persectives from C"amions
A workouL ls hard Lo sLarL especlally afLer a long day, mlssed meal, or seaLed aL a desk/vehlcle. l
schedule Lhe workouL each day on Lhe prevlous day. l make sure l vary Lhe workouL (cross-Lraln)
and vary Lhe Llme of day. 1hls seems Lo keep my lnLeresL ln Lhe workouL, afLer a whlle, Lhe
workouL becomes a good hablL, someLhlng LhaL l do noL wanL Lo mlss.
uanlel k. Sayner 1980 Clymplc 8owlng (uSA boycoLL)
COMMON EXC,SES FOR S5IPPIN8 EXERCISE
Why do we sklp our workouLs, even Lhough we know how lmporLanL Lhey are? Pere are some
of Lhe mosL common reasons people offer Lo Lhemselves for noL exerclslng, along wlLh
Lechnlques you can use Lo sLay moLlvaLed.
Too Stresse! to E+ercise
roblem solvlng ls ofLen hampered by focuslng Loo lnLenLly on only one way of deflnlng Lhe
problem or concepLuallzlng Lhe soluLlon. WlLh Lrue problem solvlng efforLs sLymled, lL becomes
easy for Lhlnklng Lo become tomlootlve-Lhe same LhoughLs begln bounclng around lnslde
your head, agaln and agaln. unforLunaLely, whlle Lhese LhoughLs bounce around and around,
Lhey ofLen plck up emoLlons (anxleLy, sadness, frusLraLlon) LhaL can furLher hamper problem
solvlng efforLs and lncrease rumlnaLlve worry. WhaL you need aL Lhese momenLs ls an
emoLlonal and cognlLlve reseL buLLon. ush Lhls buLLon, and Lhe worry and Lhlnklng process
goes offllne, shuLs down Lemporarlly, and Lhen comes back onllne ln a fresh way, so LhaL any of
a number of poLenLlal problem deflnlLlons or soluLlon sLraLegles can be embraced.
Persectives from C"amions
use exerclse as an escape. no one wlll be yapplng ln your ear, and you wlll be alone wlLh your
LhoughLs. uon'L overdo Lhe exerclse. lf you are a 12-mlnuLe mller, Lhen don'L Lry Lo run an
11:30 mlle. 1haL makes you mlserable and sore. !usL geL sLarLed, even lf LhaL means a 30-
mlnuLe walk. lf noLhlng else, you wlll sleep beLLer and wake up fresh. Whenever l am super-
sLressed and can'L sleep, l always up Lhe mlleage. Works llke a champ.
Clymplc Cold MedallsL - 8owlng
ln Lhe absence of a Lrue reseL buLLon on your forehead, a sesslon of exerclse ls noL a bad
alLernaLlve. As noLed earller, we know LhaL exerclse can enhance aLLenLlon and memory,
8
buL
ln Lhe mldsL of a bouL of worry and sLress, lL can also brlng abouL an all-lmporLanL change ln
conLexL LhaL allows new soluLlons Lo emerge. As lndlvlduals who wrlLe for a llvlng, as parL of
boLh our day and evenlng [obs, we cannoL Lell you Lhe counLless Llmes we've been frusLraLed by
a paragraph, spendlng Lremendous menLal energy Lrylng Lo make a polnL clear, only Lo be
sLymled by all efforLs. ?eL, lf we are wlse or lucky enough Lo Lake a brlef exerclse break, a beLLer
way of expresslng ourselves may suddenly leap Lo mlnd. 1here ls noLhlng speclflc abouL Lhe
exerclse ln Lhe process, excepL LhaL lL can help us sLop rumlnaLlng abouL Lhe paragraph long
enough for new ldeas Lo emerge. Lxerclse ls Lhe reseL buLLon: lL sLops Lhe old process and
provldes an open road for new ldeas. Also, belng away from Lhe desk also helps, noL only does
exerclse provlde a new venue, lL makes lL lmposslble Lo wrlLe down anyLhlng unLll Lhe ldea fully
gels. All of Lhese elemenLs work LogeLher-change ln venue, change ln lnLernal sLaLe, reseL
buLLon clarlLy, emoLlonal recharge-Lo glve you a new perspecLlve for Lackllng Lhe nexL Lask aL
hand.
Too Deresse! to E+ercise
When you are down, blue, or sad, lL ls sorely LempLlng Lo sklp a work-ouL. 8uL, as you hear
yourself say, l don'L feel llke lL," remember LhaL Lhls ls Lhe very Llme aL whlch exerclse ls mosL
llkely Lo help. Chooslng noL Lo exerclse because you are feellng down ls llke chooslng noL Lo
Lake an asplrln because you have a headache. 1he asplrln ls for Llmes when you have a
headache, and exerclse ls mosL effecLlve when you are feellng down. When you feel blue, we
wanL you Lo Lhlnk selflshly. We wanL you Lo wanL Lo feel dlfferenLly, Lo feel beLLer. And, we
wanL you Lo use LhaL deslre Lo feel beLLer as moLlvaLlon Lo exerclse.
8ox 6.1. Au1PC8 L8SLC1lvL: 1CC S18LSSLu 1C LxL8ClSL
Lxerclse. Why boLher? no really, why boLher? lL ls hard, sweaLy, and requlres efforL and
plannlng. So, leL me Lell you a sLory. lL all Lakes place beLween Lhese senLences and Lhe nexL
secLlon. Ck, noL Lhese senLences. 1he senLences l had wrlLLen here have now been erased. 1hey
were borlng, horrlble llLLle senLences. l was bored wrlLlng Lhem, and l was ln a bad mood. l had
loLs of reasons Lo be ln a bad mood. l had a plle of sLressors, l was behlnd on mulLlple pro[ecLs,
and my academlc Leam was poslLlvely drlpplng wlLh lssues. And, l had Lo wrlLe Lhls secLlon. l
declded Lo Lake a break. l had no deslre Lo run, lL was wlnLer, and lL was cold ouL. 8uL l had
avolded exerclse yesLerday, and l dld noL wanL Lo face how hard lL becomes when you avold
exerclse Lwo days ln a row. So, l sulLed up. l am calllng lL sulLlng up" so LhaL lL wlll sound cooler
Lhan lL really was. Llke l sald, l dld noL wanL Lo run, and l needed someLhlng, even a llLLle false
cool. l pulled on my decldedly uncool runnlng ouLflL. l also grabbed my lod. l wenL ouL lnLo Lhe
wlnLer alr.
l sLarLed. My legs were heavy, and my galL was awkward. l Lold myself LhaL l haLe runnlng. l
llsLened Lo my flrsL song, Lrylng Lo geL comforLable ln my dlsdaln. lL was cold, buL Lhe sun was
warm on my face, Lhe muslc was good, and l was comforLable ln my haLe of exerclse. l ran on.
Somewhere afLer Lhe flrsL mlle, my galL loosened (Lhe beauLy of runnlng frequenLly ls LhaL Lhe
flrsL mlle can be lgnored-you walL awhlle, and Lhe bad parL [usL goes away). And l became
more aware of my muslc. lL was My 8aby !usL Cares lor Me" by nlna Slmone. uo you know lL?
1he plano work ls absoluLely [oyful. l leaned lnLo Lhe muslc. l felL some sadness pass up from my
chesL Lo my eyes. l leL lL slL Lhere. And Lhe sadness saL Lhere unLll Lhe nexL song, by 1he
lray-plano work dropplng lnLo rlch gulLar chords. l leaned lnLo LhaL muslc as well. 1he sadness
and sLress shlfLed agaln. l began Lo feel hollow. noL hollow ln an empLy way, buL hollow llke l
was now leLLlng someLhlng move Lhrough and ouL of me. l would say lL was eoetqy, buL l am
noL from Callfornla. l felL beLLer. l plcked up my pace and LhoughL abouL people l had noL called
and whaL l had Lo do laLer ln Lhe day. l LhoughL abouL wrlLlng Lhls paragraph. l plcked up my
pace. l llsLened Lo Leavlng on a !eL lane" (yes, really, buL lL was by ChanLal krevlazuk). l felL
open and full. l plcked up my pace, l llsLened Lo more muslc, l looked aL Lhe lce on Lhe pond, l
looked aL Lhe bare Lrees, and l flnlshed Lhe run. l walked Lhe lasL few blocks home. l wroLe Lhese
paragraphs. l feel llghL. l feel good. My llsL of problems slLs a few more yards away from me and
seems manageable, Lhe llsL wlll geL aLLenLlon, lLem by lLem.
CeL rlghL ouL Lhere Lo your workouL. know LhaL sad moods blunL moLlvaLlon and make
frusLraLlons feel LhaL much more annoylng. So, make your workouL slmple, wlLhouL a loL of
plannlng-only a devoLlon Lo maklng yourself feel beLLer. And when you feel beLLer, don'L
forgeL Lo noLlce. 8emlnd yourself how you dld noL wanL Lo exerclse, and noLlce [usL how
dlfferenLly you feel. 1here ls a reason why you Lake asplrln for a headache-make sure you feel
Lhe reason why you exerclse.
Conslder Lhe followlng example. !ames was a 39-year-old marrled man wlLh a long hlsLory of
depresslon and sulcldal LhoughLs. Pe had Lrled a number of medlcaLlons, buL had never
responded very well. Pe had heard abouL exerclse LreaLmenL for depresslon on Lhe news and
conLacLed one of us for consulLaLlon, exerclse Lo overcome depresslon seemed rlghL Lo hlm. ln
Lhe flrsL few weeks of LreaLmenL, Lhe focus was on sulcldal LhoughLs and feellngs of lnerLla.
Much of Lhe work lnvolved helplng hlm shlfL hls Lhlnklng away from a sLyle LhaL supporLed
depresslon (see ChapLer 3) and Lo sLarL a process of lncreaslng pleasurable acLlvlLles. WlLhln
Lhe conLexL of acLlvlLy goals, exerclse flL rlghL ln. !ames had noL exerclsed ln a whlle, so walklng
around Lhe nelghborhood seemed llke a good flrsL sLep. When? lnlLlally, we declded Lhe
mornlng was besL as Lhls would help [ump-sLarL !ames' day. Pls response Lo exerclse was good,
lL had Lhe deslred effecL of helplng hlm feel more allve." 8uL !ames frequenLly dld noL meeL hls
own exerclse goals. AfLer 3 weeks, lL became clear he needed a beLLer way of esLabllshlng an
exerclse hablL LhaL maLched hls mood needs. 1hrough monlLorlng of mood, !ames noLlced LhaL
hls mood always Look a down-Lurn aL 3:00 .M.-afLer a 9-hour workday. lL was clear Lo boLh of
us LhaL Lhls was Lhe Llme of day when he needed an lnLervenLlon. now, exerclse could be used
ln dlrecL response Lo hls greaLesL mood challenge.
1o help you monlLor your mood ln Lhls way, you may wanL Lo use a serles of slmple numerlcal
raLlngs (on a 0 Lo 100 scale) Lo keep Lrack of changes ln your mood, LhoughLs, and energy level
as you exerclse. Seelng Lhe beneflL LhaL exerclse glves you wlll glve you moLlvaLlon for your
nexL workouL and wlll help you reslsL LhoughLs abouL sklpplng a workouL because you are ln a
bad mood or faLlgued.
Too 'ore! to E+ercise
lf your nexL workouL seems llke lL mlghL be borlng, well, Lhlnk abouL whaL you could do Lo splce
lL up. Whlch muslc? WhaL locaLlon?
1able 6.1. Log for Lracklng mood beneflLs
Whlch frlends? A workouL ls a chance Lo experlence whaLever you choose for a half hour. WhaL
should be presenL durlng LhaL Llme Lo lncrease your quallLy of llfe? ls lL Lhe audlo book? ls lL a
radlo podcasL? uon'L rely on exerclse alone for enLerLalnmenL, rely on your ablllLy Lo add Lo
your exerclse experlence. 8unnlng ln Llme Lo a song can help you experlence your muslc
dlfferenLly, and, by downloadlng your favorlLe radlo program from Lhe web, you can have lL all
Lo yourself durlng exerclse. (uo, however, Lake care when wearlng headphones. Avold
dangerous slLuaLlons, because Lhe sounds of passlng cars, blkes, and rollerbladers can be
blocked by loud muslc. 1ry exerclslng wlLh [usL one earphone ln place, Lo keep yourself
approprlaLely alerL when exerclslng ouLslde.)
P6ANNIN8 YO,R RO,TINE
As you plan your exerclse rouLlne, we wanL you Lo aLLend Lo Lwo crlLerla: ease and [oy. 8y ease,
we are referrlng Lo Lhe degree of dlfflculLy you wlll have geLLlng yourself Lo show up for your
exerclse sesslon. 8y [oy . well, LhaL ls obvlous, lsn'L lL? We wanL your exerclse sesslons Lo be as
[oyful as posslble. 1hlnk abouL whaL you wlll wear, whaL you mlghL llsLen Lo, who you wanL Lo
be wlLh, and whaL you wanL Lo see.
#"at to #earO
Clnderella mlghL have sald, 1he rlghL palr of shoes can change your llfe."
9
lf you run, your
shoes wlll be an lmporLanL parL of your rouLlne. Co Lo a sporLs sLore and ask for help, pay
speclal aLLenLlon Lo Lhe degree of arch supporL and Lhe sLurdlness of Lhe shoe. Also, Lhe rlghL
cloLhes can enhance your workouL experlence. roLecL yourself from belng Loo hoL or Loo cold.
WlLh pracLlce, you wlll become adepL aL layerlng your cloLhes durlng cold-weaLher ouLdoor
exerclse. (new wlck-dry fabrlcs can keep you more comforLable ln hoL or cold weaLher, belng
dry keeps you comforLable and reduces chaflng. 1he only llmlLaLlon Lo wlck-dry cloLhlng ls LhaL
Lhey Lend Lo wlck body odor as well. uon'L leave used wlck-dry exerclse cloLhlng ln a heap aL
Lhe end of Lhe workouL-Lhe degree of odor can surprlse you.)
#"o to E+ercise #it"O
Lxerclse parLners are an excellenL way Lo avold relylng on your own moLlvaLlonal efforLs. Whlle
you may noL show up by yourself aL Lhe gym for a workouL on a glven day, you wlll probably
show up Lo avold dlsappolnLlng a frlend. 1hls ls Lhe value of a Leam-havlng oLhers dependlng
on you and maklng you feel parL of a greaLer good. 8evlew your frlends. Who mlghL [oln you for
a workouL? Pow can you use a frlend as a moLlvaLor for aL leasL one workouL a week? Pow can
you use a shared sporL acLlvlLy Lo make a workouL feel efforLless? Lxerclse parLners also make
exerclse Llme soclal Llme-see lf you can use your exerclse Llme Lo have more Llme wlLh a
valued frlend or parLner.
#"ere to 8oO
lf you have selecLed an ouLdoor acLlvlLy llke runnlng, blklng, rollerbladlng, [ogglng, or walklng,
selecLlng your rouLe beforehand may help you menLally prepare for your exerclse. Also, uslng
dlsLance markers (such as lnLersecLlons, buslnesses, or schools) Lo help you break up your
acLlvlLy lnLo smaller parLs can keep your workouL lnLeresLlng. See lf you can characLerlze each
parL by a feellngs sLaLe (hard, easy, full of sLruggle, coasLlng), so LhaL you can feel Lhe LranslLlons
LhaL your naLural Lerraln offers. Also, be aware of Lhe challenge of your warm-up perlod. 1he
flrsL secLlon of your exerclse may be Lhe mosL dlfflculL. lL ls here LhaL your moLlvaLlon may
wane, before you have a chance Lo geL lnLo Lhe swlng of Lhlngs. 8emlnd yourself LhaL you may
be parLlcularly sLlff or LlghL, and LhaL you may be especlally ouL of breaLh as you flrsL geL your
body movlng. Assume Lhe sLarL may be challenglng, and walL for your exerclse Lo geL beLLer as
you geL lnLo Lhe flow of Lhlngs.
Also, Lhlnk of your rouLe as a form of Lourlsm. WhaL do you wanL Lo see? WhaL do you wanL Lo
experlence? Pow can you maxlmlze your sense of play? uoes cuLLlng across Lhe local Lrack help
you feel fasLer? uoes runnlng on a paLh feel beLLer Lhan on Lhe sldewalk? 8unnlng ls an
excellenL way Lo geL Lo know a new clLy. lf you Lravel for work, conslder runnlng or walklng ln
Lhe clLy you're vlslLlng (check wlLh Lhe hoLel for recommended rouLes and for safeLy concerns).
?ou wlll geL Lo know Lhe clLy beLLer, and you wlll reLurn from your Lrlp wlLh valuable memorles
from ootslJe tbe botel Lo mark your vlslL.
llnally, remember LhaL Lhe lnLerneL provldes resources for ouLslde exerclsers. See Lhe Appendlx
for examples.
Persectives from C"amions
l llke Lo break up a workouL (or a long seL) lnLo smaller, more manageable chunks. l ofLen Lell
myself, ?ou're on Lhe downhlll slde" when l geL halfway, and Lhls makes Lhe workouL seem
shorLer.
!ohn naber, 1976 Clymplcs, Cold (4) and Sllver MedallsL - Swlmmlng
Trac1ing Yo.r Distance or Yo.r 4eart Rate
1racklng your runs can help Lhem feel more lnLeresLlng and can glve you goals for speclflc
workouLs. Slmple-Lo-use and lnexpenslve pedomeLers and hearL raLe monlLors allow you Lo
assess your exerclse dlsLance or lnLenslLy. ?ou can also use Lhem Lo check your dose of exerclse,
as dlscussed ln ChapLer 7.
EXPECTATIONS FOR S,CCESS
Persectives from C"amions
Cnce l commlL Lo golng Lo Lhe workouL, l'm golng Lo compleLe lL no maLLer whaL. l am a sLrlcL
Lralner and follow a reglmen, whlch ls how l've always Lralned. l use muslc now buL never dld
when l was acLlve because LhaL Lechnology hadn'L been developed yeL (lods, porLable dlsc
players, eLc.). 8uL l Lended Lo geL myself lnLo a Lrance" when l Lralned, so Lhose props weren'L
really necessary aL Lhe Llme. l llke Lhe dlverslon LhaL muslc affords me now Lhough.
uwlghL SLones, 1972, 1976, 1984 Clymplcs, 8ronze MedallsL (2) - Plgh !ump
?our exerclse ls for you and for your mood. lL ls a chance Lo approach Lhe world wlLh
approprlaLe selflshness-dolng whaL you need Lo do Lo feel beLLer Loday. keep Lhls ln mlnd as
you Lhlnk abouL your nexL workouL. ?ou are dolng lL Lo feel less sLressed, less down, and more
relaxed. ?ou are dolng lL for Lhe sense of energy lL provldes and for Lhe sense of belng ln Lune
wlLh your body. And, ln glvlng yourself Lhls beneflL, Lake some Llme Lo Lhlnk abouL how you can
make your exerclse as fun as posslble. As you keep exerclslng, you wlll geL beLLer aL maklng
exerclse a rewardlng experlence. And Lhose feellngs of reward wlll make lL easler Lo sLay
lnvolved ln your exerclse program.
10
1he key ls geLLlng ouL Lhere and maklng your exerclse a
regular parL of your llfe.
MDN
T4E EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION
1hls chapLer ls devoLed Lo Lhe characLerlsLlcs of your acLual exerclse rouLlne. lor LhaL, you
should conslder your level of flLness, Lhe Lype of exerclse you mlghL en[oy, Lhe approprlaLe
sLarLlng polnL for LhaL exerclse, and Lhe lnLenslLy and duraLlon LhaL you wanL Lo LargeL. 1he goal
ls exerclse success over Lhe long run, so LhaL you can en[oy Lhe mood effecLs of exerclse over
Llme. SLarL easy and plan well.
DETERMININ8 READINESS FOR EXERCISE
?our flrsL sLep ln conslderlng an exerclse program ls ensurlng LhaL you are healLhy and ready for
exerclse. CerLaln healLh condlLlons requlre LhaL you use cauLlon wlLh exerLlon, for some
condlLlons, exerclse requlres supervlslon by a medlcal professlonal or ls slmply noL safe.
1
We
suggesL LhaL you flrsL compleLe Lhe hyslcal AcLlvlLy 8eadlness CuesLlonnalre (A8-C
2
, see
Appendlx). As Lhe A8-C lndlcaLes, use common sense when you answer Lhese quesLlons, and
keep Lhls quesLlonnalre ln your flles, so LhaL you can measure readlness on an ongolng basls.
We belleve LhaL lL ls always besL Lo be conservaLlve when lL comes Lo your healLh, and we
recommend LhaL you dlscuss Lhe lnlLlaLlon of an exerclse program wlLh your prlmary care
physlclan. ?our healLh care provlder may compleLe a physlcal exam and check your blood
pressure, welghL, and cholesLerol levels, and based on Lhese resulLs, she may suggesL LhaL you
compleLe an exerclse sLress LesL. 1hls may seem cumbersome, buL knowlng wheLher you are
lndeed ready Lo begln an exerclse program on your own ls lmporLanL.
As an addlLlonal conslderaLlon, a number of people llke Lo use Lhe lnformaLlon gaLhered durlng
Lhe medlcal clearance process as moLlvaLlon Lo malnLaln or conLlnue Lhelr exerclse hablL, wlLh
Lhe addlLlonal goal of achlevlng meanlngful lmprovemenLs ln physlcal flLness. 1hese lndlvlduals
have used lndlcaLors of physlcal healLh-blood pressure, welghL, cholesLerol, and parLlcularly
Lhe good cholesLerol or hlgh-denslLy llpoproLeln (PuL) levels-Lo Lrack Lhelr lmprovemenL ln
flLness over Llme. 1hus, you may conslder havlng some of Lhese assessmenLs compleLed agaln
afLer a few monLhs of exerclse Lo complemenL Lhe poslLlve feedback from mood beneflLs wlLh
lmprovemenLs ln physlcal healLh.
DETERMININ8 ACTI9ITY
Cne of Lhe nexL cholces you face when sLarLlng an exerclse program ls selecLlng an acLlvlLy.
Several quesLlons can gulde you ln Lhls process. WhaL do l llke? WhaL do my frlends llke? WhaL
acLlvlLy can easlly flL lnLo my schedule? ln answerlng Lhese quesLlons, you may come up wlLh
more Lhan one acLlvlLy. ?ou may declde LhaL you wlll [oln your frlend's splnnlng class on
1hursday evenlngs, and LhaL you wlll walk or [og around Lhe nelghborhood before work on
Mondays, and agaln durlng Lhe day on SaLurday. Spend some Llme developlng a llsL of posslble
acLlvlLles.
As we dlscuss ln ChapLer 10, for many people, malnLalnlng an exerclse hablL requlres dlverslLy
ln acLlvlLles. Pavlng a llsL of acLlvlLles ready now can help you laLer on. lor example, have you
ever consldered racqueLball, cross-counLry skllng, sofLball, flag fooLball, klckball, rock cllmblng,
rollerbladlng or lce-skaLlng, orlenLeerlng, or aeroblc danclng, booL camp, or cardloboxlng
classes? All of Lhese lnvolve aeroblc acLlvlLy, buL are noL as repeLlLlve ln naLure as runnlng on a
Lreadmlll or oLher gym-llke exerclses. ln addlLlon Lo Lhese suggesLlons, ln Lhe Appendlx, we llsL
llnks Lo webslLes LhaL provlde overvlews of dlfferenL acLlvlLles caLegorlzed by lnLenslLy levels.
1hese resources are also avallable on Lhe webslLe hLLp://www.exerclse4mood.com.
AccesslblllLy ls also an lmporLanL conslderaLlon. 1he easler lL ls Lo geL Lo your preferred acLlvlLy,
Lhe harder lL ls Lo be deralled along Lhe way. Powever, accesslblllLy should noL be your only
conslderaLlon. Conslder Lhe example of Llndsey. Llndsey ls a 33-year-old slngle woman wlLh a
long hlsLory of depresslon and anxleLy. She remembers flrsL belng Lroubled by feellngs of
anxleLy when she was 9 years old. Per famlly had [usL moved Lo a new clLy so LhaL her faLher
could sLarL a new [ob. A new clLy meanL a new school and new people. She felL self-consclous
Lhe flrsL day of school-a feellng LhaL only became sLronger over Lhe years. Plgh school and
college were characLerlzed by soclal lsolaLlon. Cn a dally basls, Llndsey was consumed by
concerns abouL lnferlorlLy and lnadequacy, leadlng her Lo spend much of her free Llme alone
and Lo choose a career paLh lnvolvlng sollLary acLlvlLles because lL made her feel safe."
When Llndsey came Lo our cllnlc for help, she expressed an lnLeresL ln exerclse, mosLly because
she was also lnLeresLed ln lmprovlng her physlcal appearance. She lndlcaLed LhaL she had a
Lreadmlll aL home and LhaL her slsLer had some free welghLs LhaL she could borrow. As her
LheraplsL, l suggesLed LhaL she conslder a Leam sporL. 1he raLlonale was LhaL exerclslng ln a
group seLLlng could offer beneflLs beyond Lhose Lo be expecLed from exerclslng alone aL home.
8elng around oLher people would provlde Lhe opporLunlLy Lo learn more abouL her percepLlons
of herself. leedback from LeammaLes durlng and afLer games would help challenge Lhe lmage
she had of herself as belng lnadequaLe and lnferlor, Lhereby enhanclng self-esLeem and mood.
Also, belng a member of a Leam would counLeracL lsolaLlon. 1he resulL was LhaL Llndsey [olned
a co-ed clLy soccer league LhaL lnvolved games on Sundays and pracLlce on Wednesday and
lrlday evenlngs. 1he prospecL of [olnlng Lhe Leam was daunLlng for Llndsey, buL she declded Lo
choose Lhls as an lnvesLmenL ln her fuLure (a paymenL of anxleLy now, for Lhe beneflLs of beLLer
mood and less lsolaLlon laLer). 1he lnvesLmenL pald off. lL dld noL Lake long for Llndsey Lo reporL
Lhe expecLed beneflLs: beLLer mood, a beLLer sense of self, and a sense of Leam LhaL exLended
Lo Llme spenL soclallzlng wlLh oLher soccer players.
When conslderlng Leam acLlvlLles, we recommend LhaL you Lake lnLo accounL Lhe lnLenslLy of
exerclse, moderaLe-lnLenslLy and vlgorous-lnLenslLy acLlvlLles are more sulLable for achlevlng
mood lmprovemenL as compared Lo llghL-lnLenslLy acLlvlLles. WhaL Lhls means ls LhaL [olnlng an
elghL-member volleyball Leam, alLhough perhaps ldeal for combaLlng feellngs of lsolaLlon, may
noL help you as much ln Lerms of Lhe needed mood llfL as a plck-up baskeLball game LhaL keeps
you conLlnually acLlve.
When Lhlnklng abouL exerclses, also conslder collstbeolcs, whlch refers Lo a group of exerclses
LhaL are rhyLhmlcal ln naLure, such as lunges, [umplng [acks, slL-ups, push-ups, crunches, and
squaLs. CallsLhenlcs are Lhe maln focus of sesslons wlLh personal Lralners, as well as of aeroblc
flLness programs or Lhe so-called boot comp ptoqtoms LhaL have become lncreaslngly popular
over Lhe pasL few years. lf noL done wlLh oLhers, callsLhenlcs can easlly be accompllshed aL
home when weaLher or oLher conslderaLlons push you Loward an easy-Lo-arrange or lndoor
workouL. Conslder Lhe followlng case example.
Cerald was Lhe 47-year-old faLher of Lhree Leenage glrls. uepressed mood had never been an
lssue for hlm, unLll abouL 3 years ago. Cerald sald, l Lhlnk lL was because llfe became more
demandlng." Cerald marrled hls wlfe ln hls laLe 20s and became a faLher aL 31. An accounLanL
aL a naLlonal flrm, he was able Lo provlde for hls famlly and afford a comforLable llfesLyle. All
Lhree of Cerald's daughLers aLLended prlvaLe school. 1he resulL was lncreaslng flnanclal
pressure, hls salary lncreases dld noL keep up wlLh hls lncreaslng flnanclal demands. ulfflculLy
sleeplng was followed by lower energy, as well as by lncreaslng feellngs of lndlfference. When
hls docLor suggesLed LhaL he was depressed, Cerald sLarLed Laklng an anLldepressanL. Pe had
been falrly conslsLenL ln Laklng hls medlcaLlon, buL found LhaL lL had noL helped a greaL deal Lo
lmprove hls sympLoms of depresslon. Pe also belleved LhaL Lhe medlcaLlon was ln parL
responslble for Lhe 40 pounds he had galned over Lhe pasL few years.
Cerald had never llked exerclse. Pe had Lrled runnlng numerous Llmes (ofLen aL Lhe suggesLlon
of hls wlfe, who was an avld runner), buL could never sLlck wlLh lL for more Lhan 2 weeks. So,
when lnLroduced Lo uslng exerclse Lo overcome depresslon, hls lnlLlal reacLlon was negaLlve. Pe
had never heard of callsLhenlcs Lhough and was lnLrlgued, especlally when he learned LhaL lL
lnvolved lotetvol ttololoq-shorL exerclses followed by longer exerclses, all varylng ln lnLenslLy.
Pe [olned a local flLness club and sLarLed golng Lhree Llmes per week. 1he workouLs were
challenglng, buL fun. Cerald was surprlsed Lo see exerclse as someLhlng LhaL he could acLually
look forward Lo. Pe was able Lo make exerclse a parL of hls weekly rouLlne, and, over Lhe course
a few monLhs, saw a sharp lmprovemenL ln hls mood.
DETERMININ8 INTENSITY
ln addlLlon Lo personal preference, acLlvlLles can be raLed on lnLenslLy. lnLenslLy ls based on
how physlcal acLlvlLy lnfluences your hearL raLe and breaLhlng, and can be raLed on a range
from llghL Lo moderaLe Lo vlgorous. 1here are several ways Lo measure lnLenslLy. 1he easlesL
way ls Lo do Lhe Lalk LesL.
3
8aslcally, lf you can Lalk buL noL slng durlng an acLlvlLy, you are dolng
moderaLe-lnLenslLy exerclse. lf you are noL able Lo say more Lhan a few words wlLhouL pauslng
for a breaLh, you are dolng vlgorous-lnLenslLy exerclse. A more accuraLe meLhod lnvolves Lhe
use of a hearL raLe monlLor. 1hese monlLors are relaLlvely lnexpenslve devlces LhaL are easy Lo
use and provlde you wlLh lmmedlaLe feedback on your lnLenslLy durlng your exerclse. 1hey are
avallable aL many aLhleLlc sLores or on Lhe lnLerneL.
Pow do you lnLerpreL Lhe feedback? 1he hearL raLe LhaL corresponds wlLh moderaLe-lnLenslLy
exerclse ls beLween 64 and 76 of Lhe age-ad[usLed maxlmum hearL raLe, where maxlmum
hearL raLe (P8
max
) can be calculaLed by subLracLlng your age from 220. Lxerclse lnLenslLy
becomes vlgorous when your hearL raLe ranges beLween 77 and 93 of your P8
max
. 1he Lable
below glves ranges ln hearLbeaLs per mlnuLe for boLh moderaLe-lnLenslLy and vlgorous-lnLenslLy
exerclse by age. ?ou can vlslL hLLp://www.exerclse4mood.com Lo calculaLe your exacL LargeL
hearL raLe.
MeLabollc equlvalency Lasks (ML1s) are anoLher lndex for exerclse lnLenslLy. WlLhouL geLLlng
Loo Lechnlcal, ML1s express Lhe energy cosLs of acLlvlLles, where 1 ML1 ls Lhe meLabollc raLe of
quleL resL (l.e., slLLlng). AcLlvlLles can range from 1 ML1 (slLLlng) Lo 18 ML1s (runnlng aL a speed
of 11 mlles per hour or 3-mlnuLe mlles). ModeraLe-lnLenslLy acLlvlLles range beLween 3 and
3.9 ML1s, and vlgorous-lnLenslLy acLlvlLles are 6 ML1s or more. noLlce LhaL, as compared Lo
P8
max
, ML1s do noL Lake lnLo accounL personal varlables, lL ls an absoluLe as opposed Lo a
relaLlve measure of lnLenslLy. 1hls makes lL a llLLle easler Lo help you deLermlne wheLher you
are worklng aL Lhe rlghL lnLenslLy. lndeed, you wlll noL need a hearL raLe monlLor, you can
slmply look lL up. More deLalled lnformaLlon ls provlded aL relevanL webslLes:
hLLp://www.exerclse4mood.com or
hLLp://prevenLlon.sph.sc.edu/Lools/docs/documenLs_compendlum.pdf. 8elow, we provlde
examples as guldellnes.
1able 7.1. ueLermlnlng your LargeL hearL raLe
?ou may have heard LhaL vlgorous-lnLenslLy exerclse ls besL for you. 1hls appears Lo be Lrue for
enhanclng physlcal flLness.
4
Powever, mosL goals, lncludlng lmprovlng mood and well-belng,
can be reached by engaglng ln moderaLe-lnLenslLy exerclse or a comblnaLlon of moderaLe- and
vlgorous-lnLenslLy exerclse. AfLer revlewlng sLudles on Lhe effecLs of exerclse for depressed
mood,
3
we belleve LhaL Lhe besL lnformaLlon on a full dose ls provlded by Lhe u.S. ueparLmenL
of PealLh and Puman Servlces.
6
Accordlng Lo Lhelr guldellnes, a full dose of healLh-glvlng
aeroblc exerclse ls:
1able 7.2. Lxerclse lnLenslLy deLermlned by meLabollc equlvalency Lasks (ML1s)
- ModeraLe-lnLenslLy aeroblc exerclse for aL leasL 130 mlnuLes (2 hours and 30 mlnuLes) each
week, or
- vlgorous-lnLenslLy aeroblc exerclse for aL leasL 73 mlnuLes (1 hour and 13 mlnuLes) each
week.
AnoLher way of looklng aL Lhls ls LhaL you wanL Lo accumulaLe beLween 300 and 1,000 ML1
mlnuLes per week.
7
lor example, aL 3.8 ML1s (moderaLe lnLenslLy), brlsk walklng can help you
meeL your acLlvlLy goals lf you do lL for 130 mlnuLes per week (130 3.8 370). Slmllarly, Lwo
1-hour rock-cllmblng sesslons (vlgorous lnLenslLy, 8.0 ML1s) would also geL you Lhere, as lL
would yleld 960 ML1s (l.e., 120 8.0 960). Cr, you could comblne dlfferenL acLlvlLles. LeL's
say, for example, you kayaked on Mondays for 43 mlnuLes (43 3 ML1s 223 ML1 mlnuLes),
dld a aeroblcs dance class on 1hursdays for 30 mlnuLes (30 6.3 ML1s 323 ML1 mlnuLes), and
played doubles Lennls for 1 hour on SaLurdays (60 3 ML1s 300 ML1 mlnuLes). ?ou would
accumulaLe 830 ML1 mlnuLes over Lhe week and meeL your acLlvlLy goal. lf you prefer Lhese
exacL calculaLlons, our webslLe hLLp://www.exerclse4mood.com provldes a calculaLor Lo help
you deLermlne wheLher you are meeLlng Lhe acLlvlLy guldellnes.
INITIATIN8EXERCISE
lollowlng Lhe guldellnes from Lhe Amerlcan College of SporLs Medlclne,
8
we recommend LhaL
you choose a sLarLlng polnL LhaL wlll allow you Lo sLay wlLh your exerclse hablL over Lhe long
run. no sLarLlng level ls Loo low, success early on ls crlLlcal Lo sLlcklng wlLh exerclse over Llme.
1he key ls Lo sLarL wlLh an acLlvlLy LhaL allows you Lo feel good durlng Lhe acLlvlLy. As you geL
used Lo regular exerclse, you can always push yourself more over Llme. 1here ls also plenLy of
research suggesLlng LhaL havlng a buddy can be Lremendously helpful when you are maklng
changes ln healLh hablLs, llke exerclse. So, lf you are noL ln shape aL presenL, conslder sLarLlng
wlLh shorL walks several Llmes a week. MeeL a frlend aL Lhe park, or walk around Lhe block wlLh
your nelghbor. 1he goal ls Lo compleLe whaL you seL ouL Lo do. 1hen, over Lhe course of several
weeks, you wlll noLlce LhaL Lhese acLlvlLles become less physlcally demandlng. 1hen you can
conslder an lncrease ln exerclse lnLenslLy. SLarL small, and make your hablL sLrong.
Cn Lhe followlng page ls a sample schedule for Lhe lnlLlal weeks of an exerclse program for a
new exerclser. As you can see, Lhe lnLenslLy, duraLlon, and frequency of exerclse lncreases over
Llme, Laklng 3 or 4 weeks Lo geL Lhe acLlvlLy schedule up Lo Lhe recommended dose. Cf course,
you can declde Lo use a dlfferenL schedule Lo geL you Lo your correcL exerclse dose. 1he
Appendlx provldes LemplaLes LhaL you may use for Lhls purpose.
6O88IN8 EXERCISE
A speclflc acLlon plan, wlLh whlch you seL speclflc, reasonable, and wrlLLen weekly goals, can
help you work Loward success.
9
We emphaslze teosoooble because of Lhe lmporLance of
meeLlng lnlLlal goals whenever you sLarL someLhlng new. Successfully meeLlng Lhese goals
lncreases your confldence and Lhe overall success of Lhe exerclse program.
10
AfLer wrlLlng ouL
your goals (conslder a slmple calendar, see nexL page), posL Lhese goals ln a vlslble locaLlon.
Agaln, when you share your goals wlLh oLhers, lL ls llkely you wlll Lry harder Lo meeL Lhem.
11
Persectives from C"amions
l keep a Lralnlng [ournal, where l wrlLe down all my workouLs: spllL Llmes, hearL raLes, and how l
felL LhaL day. lL glves me a sense of accompllshmenL Lo see Lhe workouL wrlLLen down on paper,
and lL also allows me Lo Lrack my progress. 1here's noLhlng more moLlvaLlng Lhan seelng sLeady
lmprovemenLs. And, when l don'L lmprove, lL helps Lo have a record so l can flgure ouL why.
Caryn armenLler uavles 2004 & 2008 Clymplcs,
Cold and Sllver MedallsL - 8owlng
As you conLlnue wlLh your exerclse beyond Lhe flrsL few weeks, declde wheLher conLlnulng a
wrlLLen schedule of exerclse (as well as logglng your progress, see ChapLer 9) ls valuable. 1here
ls good evldence LhaL such logglng can help people adhere beLLer Lo Lhelr own exerclse
program.
12
noneLheless, Lhe people we work wlLh are spllL on Lhls Loplc. Some embrace formal
logglng, keeplng a schedule/ dlary of Lhelr exerclse progress over Llme. Cn Lhe oLher hand, for
some, logglng seems Lo lnduce flashbacks of homework asslgnmenLs from school, wlLh all Lhe
urges Lo avold lL. We can respecL Lhls, so we only ask LhaL you aL leasL Lry schedullng and
logglng ln Lhe beglnnlng of your program. Some commerclal dlarles are sold for Lhls purpose,
wlLh spaces for recordlng Lhe dlsLances and quallLy of runs, for example. Cver Llme, you can
declde Lo whlch camp you belong (love or haLe logglng), and wheLher Lo conLlnue logglng over
Lhe long run.
NO# TO DO ITU
1hls chapLer offered help wlLh some of Lhe Lechnlcal aspecLs of your exerclse rouLlne: Lhe whaL,
Lhe where, and Lhe how fasL. We encourage you Lo sLarL easy and Lo plan well, flndlng an
exerclse LhaL lnLeresLs you and besL flLs lnLo your schedule, one LhaL allows you Lo sLep slowly
lnLo Lhe hablL of regular exerclse. now LhaL you have a sense of whaL you are golng Lo do, and
how hard you are golng Lo do lL, lL ls Llme Lo conslder how Lo make LhaL experlence as pleasanL
as posslble. 1haL ls Lhe Loplc of Lhe nexL chapLer.
M@N
EN*OYIN8YO,RSE6F D,RIN8 EXERCISE
1hls chapLer focuses on ways Lo approach exerclse wlLh as much [oy as posslble, lncludlng
sLraLegles Lo mlnlmlze paln as well as Lo enhance pleasure durlng exerclse. 8uL no maLLer whaL
you do, your en[oymenL of exerclse eplsodes wlll vary. ?ou wlll have LranscendenL exerclse
sesslons, and you wlll have exerclse sesslons when your arms and legs feel llke lead and you
have Lo push yourself Lhrough every sLep. 1he good news ls LhaL, regardless of how Lhe exerclse
sesslon feels, you sLlll can geL poslLlve mood beneflLs ln Lhe hours afLer exerclse, lncludlng Lhe
nexL day. ?ou may serlously dlsllke an lndlvldual exerclse sesslon, buL you'll sLlll geL all Lhe
mood galns from lL.
noneLheless, we would llke Lo glve you some sLraLegles for flndlng Lhe mosL pleasure durlng
your exerclse eplsodes. 1hls pleasure depends largely on how you dlrecL your aLLenLlon durlng
exerclse, and your ablllLy Lo drlnk ln Lhe pleasures LhaL exerclse has Lo offer. 1he sLraLegles here
are meanL Lo help you learn how Lo do [usL LhaL. We wanL you Lo geL as much pleasure as
posslble Jotloq exerclse whlle you awalL Lhe greaLer mood beneflLs LhaL follow exerclse.
TRAININ8 YO,R EFFORT M,SC6E
uurlng any exerclse, you are evenLually golng Lo flnd yourself aL a polnL of sLraln and efforL,
when you wlll need Lo declde how hard Lo push forward. ln a run, lL may be aL Lhe nexL hlll, Lhe
nexL mlle, or Lhe nexL sLep. ln a splnnlng class, lL may be Lhe lasL 10 mlnuLes, when you are
asked Lo puL your sLaLlonary blke ln Lhe hlghesL gear. AL LhaL polnL, you feel Lhe dull paln of
exerLlon, accompanled by odd feellngs ln your sLomach, chesL, or legs. uo you conLlnue, do you
Lry harder, do you plck up Lhe pace, or do you decrease your efforL? ln decldlng wheLher Lo
press forward, you wlll be decldlng how much Lo use your effott moscle (remember Lhe efforL
muscle from ChapLer 4?). 1he efforL muscle ls dlfferenL from any of your oLher muscles. lL ls
llnked Lo physlcal efforL, buL lL relles on emoLlon raLher Lhan Lhe oxygen and glucose requlred
by your oLher muscles. 1he efforL muscle, as we deflne lL, ls a Lype of self-conLrol efforL-an
emoLlonal push Lo geL someLhlng done. As lL relaLes Lo exerclse, lL ls Lhe wllllngness Lo bear
down and Lry harder. uependlng on your exerclse, lL ls used Lo geL yourself Lo Lhe polnL of
sLarLlng your exerclse rouLlne, Lo lncrease exerLlon, or slmply Lo work harder, puLLlng up wlLh all
Lhe sympLoms of exerLlon and faLlgue, so LhaL you can malnLaln your pace. ln essence, lL ls LhaL
parL of you LhaL Lells you, ?es, Lhls ls hard, buL deep down l know LhaL lL wlll brlng someLhlng
very good, so be perslsLenL."
?ou can see Lhe beneflLs of havlng a sLrong efforL muscle. Cbvlously, lL ls nlce Lo be able Lo use
lL durlng exerclse, buL a sLrong efforL muscle also offers advanLages ln all sorLs of areas of your
llfe, and lL can affecL your overall well-belng as well. Lucklly, you can sLrengLhen your efforL
muscle, and exerclse can help. Much as we have lllusLraLed ln prevlous chapLers, sLrengLhenlng
skllls merely Lakes pracLlce, paLlence, and a wllllngness Lo belleve LhaL Lhe change wlll Lhen
only be a maLLer of Llme. 1o help you Lake Lhls leap of falLh (?ou are Lelllng me Lhls, buL l am
noL sure"), you may conslder Lracklng Lhe sLrengLh of your efforL muscle over Lhe course of Lhe
nexL few monLhs. SelecL one or Lwo slLuaLlons ln your llfe LhaL you flnd parLlcularly challenglng,
ln LhaL Lhey Lake a loL of emoLlonal efforL Lo compleLe. Lach Llme you deal wlLh LhaL slLuaLlon,
slmply wrlLe down a few noLes on how Laxlng lL was. We predlcL LhaL you wlll see an
lmprovemenL as you sLarL uslng exerclse more effecLlvely, and we wanL you Lo be aware of LhaL
lmprovemenL.
1able 8.1. Changes ln emoLlonal efforL
Effort M.sc$es of A$$ 5in!s
Clymplc aLhleLes are exLraordlnary lndlvlduals, noL purely for Lhelr aLhleLlc ablllLles, buL also for
Lhelr exLraordlnary efforL muscles. 1helr ablllLy Lo push Lhemselves Lo geL Lo workouLs, Lo sLrlve
LhroughouL workouLs, and Lo achleve ln compeLlLlons ls amazlng. 1hey also geL Lhe beneflL of
hablL, and Lhe beneflL of knowlng LhaL Lhelr efforL leads Lo rewards-Clymplc-level rewards.
noneLheless, Lhls hablL ls bullL upon hundreds and hundreds of hours of exerclse, perhaps
lncludlng mulLlple sLrenuous workouLs a day. And, durlng each of Lhese workouLs, unllke Lhose
of us who exerclse for mood, Lhese aLhleLes push Lhemselves Lo exhausLlng llmlLs. ?eL, even aL
Lhese exLreme levels of work and achlevemenL, you wlll recognlze ln Lhelr volces some of Lhe
same challenges and Lrlumphs LhaL you wlll face as you exerclse for mood beneflLs, raLher Lhan
performance beneflLs.
Persectives from C"amions
lor Lhe pasL 20 years, l have worked ouL regularly, 3 or 6 days a week. uurlng peak Lralnlng, Lhls
lncluded Lhree workouLs a day. l can remember a few workouLs where l couldn'L walL Lo geL Lo
lL, buL mosL of my workouLs (we're Lalklng Lhousands) lnvolved havlng Lo push myself, aL leasL a
llLLle blL, Lo geL golng. 8uL lL ls always worLh lL when l flnlsh.
WhlLney osL, 1993 World Champlon,
2000 Clymplc 1eam - 8owlng
1o provlde a complemenLary perspecLlve, ln Lhe accompanylng box ls an accounL of uslng Lhe
efforL muscle, Lhls ls someone who ls noL worklng aL a champlonshlp level, buL ls slmply
exerclslng for mood. 1he exerclse sLarLs when Lhelr efforL muscle was already faLlgued. 1he goal
wasn'L performance, Lhe goal was slmply maklng lL Lhrough Lhe workouL Lo Lhe mood beneflLs
walLlng on Lhe oLher slde.
8ox 8.1. Au1PC8 L8SLC1lvL: LllC81 ALL CCnL
l [usL had Lhe mosL paLheLlc run of my llfe, aL leasL ln Lerms of acLual aLhleLlclsm. My pace
remlnded me of Lhose comedy skeLches, where Lhey puL Lwo people ln fronL of a blue screen
and have Lhem preLend Lo [og whlle a nelghborhood vlew ls presenLed on a screen behlnd
Lhem. 1hey [og ln place, up and down, whlle Lhe pro[ecLlon glves Lhem Lhe appearance of
progresslng forward. uolng Lhls, l am sure Lhey would have passed me. l was runnlng LhaL
slowly: [ogglng up and down, barely maklng any movemenL forward.
lL was my flrsL run afLer a blg sLressor-my son had been ln lnLenslve care afLer a sudden and
severe lllness. Pe had recovered, and was home and safe. 1he sLress was over, l had glven
myself a full nlghL's sleep, buL l was emoLlonally exhausLed. l had noL worked ouL for 3 days,
and l had developed lower back paln, Lhe comblnaLlon of sLress and a long fllghL home-a Lrlp
cuL shorL Lo see my son. l dld noL feel llke runnlng, buL LhoughL lL would help me LranslLlon ouL
of feellngs of emoLlonal exhausLlon. My flrsL sLeps felL bad, and Lhe nexL few sLeps felL even
worse. l made a deal wlLh myself Lo run aL leasL 3 mlnuLes, and Lhen declde whaL Lo do.
AL Lhe 3-mlnuLe mark, l was wllllng Lo keep golng, and my back had loosened up some. 8uL l
was sLlll slow, and felL llke l was carrylng an exLra 30 pounds. l searched for good muslc on my
lod, and found myself haLlng every song. l kepL runnlng. AL Lhe 20-mlnuLe mark, l found one
good song. l kepL slogglng forward. l flnlshed 13 mlnuLes laLer, sLlll golng slowly.
AfLer Lhe run, l sLopped ln a park Lo sLreLch. l dld noL feel good, buL l had sweaLed, l had moved,
and l had Llme ouLslde. l felL dlfferenL. l felL llke someLhlng had changed. l was Llred, buL ln a
dlfferenL way Lhan before Lhe run. l felL more engaged, and relleved. Walklng home, l leL my
shoulders drop. l leL my arms swlng comforLably. 8y evenlng, l felL Lhe sLress of Lhe lllness belng
replaced by Lhe [oy of my son's lmprovemenL. l had perspecLlve.
COAC4IN8 D,RIN8 TRAININ8B REP6ACIN8 OR #IT4 AND
1ralnlng your efforL muscle helps you geL used Lo perslsLlng even when Llred. When you use
your efforL muscle, you may feel yourself bearlng down as you Lry harder. lnsLead of followlng
Lhls naLural Lendency Lo bear down, we would llke you Lo use your efforL muscle whlle Lrylng Lo
sLay as llghL and open as posslble. no need Lo grlmace when you use your efforL muscle. ln facL,
rlghL ln Lhe mlddle of your exerLlon would be an excellenL Llme Lo relax your brow, and Lry Lo
make an efforL be as opeo ooJ llqbt as posslble. 1hls ls easler Lhan you mlghL Lhlnk, as long as
you are wllllng Lo leL go of some preconcelved noLlons. Are you used Lo Lhlnklng of efforL as Lhe
opposlLe of relaxed? 1haL you are elLher exerLlng yourself ot you are relaxed? 8uL do Lhese
caLegorles have Lo be muLually excluslve? Can you exerL yourself ln a relaxed way?
ln conslderlng Lhese quesLlons, lL ls helpful Lo remember LhaL seemlngly opposlLe emoLlons can
co-exlsL slde by slde. ln facL, many aspecLs of llfe can be made more dlfflculL by conslderlng
emoLlonal evenLs as muLually excluslve. Conslder Lhe followlng:
- l can be mad aL my spouse C8 l can have a good relaLlonshlp.
- l feel really dlsappolnLed aL work C8 l can be ln Lhe rlghL [ob for me.
now look aL Lhe same sLaLemenLs where Anu ls used lnsLead of C8.
- l can be mad aL my spouse Anu l can have a good relaLlonshlp.
- l feel really dlsappolnLed aL work Anu l can be ln Lhe rlghL [ob for me.
lf every anger and dlsappolnLmenL nulllfles Lhe poslLlve aspecLs of your llfe slLuaLlon, Lhen you
can'L help buL be on an emoLlonal roller-coasLer wlLh every sLressor. 1haL, or you have Lo deny
half your experlence (no, why would you Lhlnk l am boLhered aL work, my [ob ls a good flL for
me" and Ch, l am noL mad, l love my husband"). Poldlng an C8 perspecLlve denles Lhe
complexlLy of llfe, C8s lnsLead of Anus make llfe boLh harder and more lnaccuraLe. Conslder
Lhe C8s ln Lhe realm of exerclse:
- l can feel really Llred C8 l can have a good workouL.
- l can be really sLralnlng C8 l can en[oy Lhe beneflLs of runnlng.
Lach descrlbes a worldvlew LhaL ls more dlfflculL, because cholces are llmlLed. now conslder Lhe
Anu perspecLlve:
- l can feel really Llred Anu l can have a good workouL.
- l can be really sLralnlng Anu l can en[oy Lhe beneflLs of runnlng.
Lxerclse ls an excellenL way Lo Lraln yourself Lo be able Lo experlence Lhe Anus ln llfe. ?our Lask
ls Lo develop a frame of mlnd LhaL mosL allows you Lo en[oy exerclse, even wlLh Lhe experlence
of exerLlon or faLlgue. 1hls ls whaL we mean by open and llghL-open Lo embraclng Lhe good
parLs of Lhe experlence and ln flndlng [oy, even when oLher parLs of Lhe experlence are Laxlng.
8y noL [olnlng wlLh Lhe mosL negaLlve parLs of your exerclse experlence, and lnsLead dropplng
your shoulders, relaxlng your brow, and relaxlng wlLh your exerLlon, you wlll lndeed feel llghLer
ln whaL you do.
'E T4E DIRECTOR OF YO,R FEE6IN8S
uurlng Lhe efforL of exerclse, whaL ls your faclal expresslon? ls your forehead smooLh, or are
your brows drawn ln concerned concenLraLlon? uo you have an easy half smlle on your face, or
do you have a LlghL-llpped grlmace? Check your face, and reseL lL lnLo Lhe smooLh-browed half
smlle. 1hen, noLlce wheLher your pace changes, wheLher you have an easler Llme wlLh Lhe
efforL you are exerLlng. lf you do noLlce a dlfference, your experlence ls conslsLenL wlLh
research on Lhe effecLs of faclal expresslons on mood.
A smlllng faclal expresslon makes lL easler Lo experlence poslLlve emoLlons, a frown does Lhe
opposlLe. 1hls ls Lrue even when a smlllng expresslon ls produced falsely.
1
lor example, lf you
waLch a carLoon whlle holdlng a pen ln your mouLh ln a way LhaL mlmlcs a smlle (see llgure
8.1), you are llkely Lo be more amused Lhan lf you waLched lL wlLhouL Lhls forced expresslon
(LhaL ls, lf you held Lhe pen ln your hand).
1
1hls suggesLs LhaL subLle changes you make ln your
posLure and faclal expresslon send messages Lo your braln abouL how you feel.
2
1he
lmpllcaLlon ls clear: lnsLead of leLLlng your posLure and faclal expresslons follow your feellngs,
use your posLure and faclal expresslons Lo Jltect your feellngs.
llgure 8.1. olsed Smlle (Poldlng a en) used Lo Change Mood. lrom SLrack, l., MarLln, L., &
SLepper, S. (1988). lnhlblLlng and faclllLaLlng condlLlons of Lhe human smlle: A non-obLruslve
LesL of Lhe faclal feedback hypoLhesls. Iootool of letsooollty ooJ 5oclol lsycboloqy, 54 (3), p.
771, reprlnLed wlLh permlsslon.
1ry ouL Lhe half smlle and relaxed forehead (you may wanL Lo check your expresslon ln Lhe
mlrror before you exerclse), and see lf lL doesn'L lead Lo a beLLer experlence whlle you
run-and afLerward. And, don'L llmlL Lhls poslLlve acLlon Lo your exerclse sesslon. SLarL Lhlnklng
abouL whaL you can do dlfferenLly Lo lmprove your mood and anxleLy ln oLher slLuaLlons. 1he
besL gulde here ls Lo ask yourself, WhaL would l do lf l felL good?" lor many people, Lhe
answer would be, My posLure would be relaxed, l would be engaged, and pay aLLenLlon Lo
whaL ls golng on rlghL here ln Lhe momenL." 1hese are all behavlors LhaL are wlLhln your
conLrol.
MINDF,6 EXERCISE
Lxerclslng wlLh a half smlle on your face provldes some good lnlLlal Lralnlng ln mlndfulness. 8y
mloJfoloess, we mean a curlous aLLenLlon Lo Lhe presenL momenL, ln an open, non[udgmenLal,
and accepLlng manner.
3
CurloslLy refers Lo Lhe frame of mlnd by whlch you approach your
experlence. lnsLead of knowlng how you should lnLerpreL Lhe nexL evenL or Lhe nexL sensaLlon,
LhoughL, or emoLlon you noLlce, wlLh mlndfulness you approach LhaL evenL wlLh curloslLy: a
Pmm, leL me check ouL whaL l am feellng," raLher Lhan an ugh, l haLe feellng sweaLy."
?ou can hear Lhe absence of [udgmenL wlLh Lhe hmm" approach. 1hls ls an lmporLanL aspecL of
mlndfulness. 8aLher Lhan lmmedlaLely caLegorlzlng your experlence as good or bad (wlLh an
ugh," for example), ln mlndfulness you approach Lhe nexL evenL or sensaLlon wlLh open-eyed
curloslLy (AL Lhls momenL of my llfe, whaL does lL really feel llke Lo be sweaLy?"). WlLhouL
lmmedlaLe caLegorlzaLlon (good or bad, Lolerable or noL, eLc.), many sensaLlons and
experlences are much more Lolerable Lhan we would oLherwlse assume.
lL ls Lhls process of concepLually slLLlng back and observlng your emoLlons LhaL descrlbes Lhe
concepL of mlndfulness. Mlndfulness lncludes noL only a sense of deLachmenL from a slngle
provocaLlon, buL Lhe ablllLy Lo be aware of mulLlple lnpuLs aL any one Llme, and Lo declde whlch
lnpuL should geL your aLLenLlon.
1hlnk abouL your experlence rlghL now as you read Lhls book. ?ou are absorblng Lhe conLenL of
whaL you are readlng, you feel Lhe pages on your flngerLlps, and you are aware of Lhe amounL
of llghL and nolse ln Lhe place where you are readlng. ?ou may also be aware of your breaLhlng
raLe, a bodlly dlscomforL, or Lhe feellng of your shoes on your feeL. Mlndfulness refers Lo Lhe
ablllLy Lo be aware of Lhese many lnpuLs, wlLhouL belng auLomaLlcally capLured by one. And, lf
you are noL capLured by one, you have Lhe freedom Lo shlfL your aLLenLlon Lo more fully
experlence a dlfferenL lnpuL. ShlfL your aLLenLlon Lo whaL lL feels llke Lo hold Lhls book. Are Lhe
pages warm or cold? Pow smooLh do Lhe pages feel agalnsL your flngerLlps? Pow comforLably
can you hold Lhe book? WhaL memorles does Lhe feel of Lhe paper brlng? 1hls ls an example of
mlndfully experlenclng a slngle lnpuL: helplng yourself curlously noLlce Lhe experlence and drlnk
lL ln more fully. 1hls ls an ablllLy we would llke you Lo pracLlce durlng exerclse: 8e aware of
physlcal sensaLlons or emoLlons durlng exerclse, buL don'L be overly capLured by Lhem.
8uL Lo Lake LhaL momenL Lo flnd ouL how Lolerable a sensaLlon acLually ls, you wlll need a way
Lo lnhlblL your lmmedlaLe and auLomaLlc [udgmenL. 1o make yourself sLop and noL follow your
hablL, we recommend motvelloq. We lnLroduced you Lo marvellng ln ChapLer 3, when we were
dlscusslng reacLlons Lo LhoughLs. We asked you Lo marvel aL your LhoughL conLenL, Lo buy
yourself Llme Lo evaluaLe Lhe LhoughL, raLher Lhan slmply reacLlng Lo lL emoLlonally or
behavlorally. As parL of mlndfulness, we wanL you Lo expand your marvellng sklll Lo help you
examlne your reacLlons Lo sensaLlons and emoLlons, raLher Lhan [usL your LhoughLs. Marvel aL
Lhe way ln whlch you are coachlng yourself, Wow, check ouL whaL l am saylng Lo myself," and
marvel aL your physlcal experlence as well, Wow, check ouL my reacLlon Lo sweaLlng."
?our [ob ls Lo be amazed by and curlous abouL how you reacL Lo sensaLlons, Lo communlcaLe Lo
yourself a sense of wonder and lnLeresL. Why wonder? 8ecause Lhere are a loL of ways Lo reacL
Lo sensaLlons llke sweaLlng, breaLhlessness, faLlgue, and Lhe llke. Chances are you have fallen
lnLo a ruL across your llfespan, chooslng Lo reacL ln one parLlcular way. Marvellng glves you a
chance Lo develop a new way of reacLlng. 1he goal ls Lo have a fresh experlence of Lhe
sensaLlon by noLlclng whaL lL octoolly feels llke, lnsLead of whaL you tblok lt sboolJ feel llke.
And, ln fully noLlclng Lhe sensaLlon, Lhe Lask ls Lo see lf you can reacL Lo Lhe sensaLlon ln a way
LhaL glves you more pleasure and less dlsLress.
8etting t"e Most O.t of Marve$ingB Re$ations"is
As an aslde, you should know LhaL marvellng works well ln relaLlonshlp confllcLs. ConfllcLs ln
romanLlc relaLlonshlps happen so ofLen because we care so much, and because we have so
much Llme Lo develop blases ln how we Lhlnk. We have all sorLs of ldeas abouL whaL our
parLners are Lhlnklng or dolng, and we are really ready Lo caLegorlze (Pe sald LhaL because he
Lhlnks l ."). WlLh Lhese caLegorles ln place, lL ls easy Lo reacL emoLlonally ln ways LhaL we may
laLer regreL. Marvellng aL Llmes of relaLlonshlp confllcL buys you Llme and provldes you wlLh a
way Lo more calmly reacL Lo provocaLlons of Lhe momenL. lnsLead of reacLlng auLomaLlcally (l
can'L belleve she sald LhaL"), Lake a momenL Lo marvel aL Lhe experlence. ln Lerms of your self-
coachlng, lL may sound llke Lhls:
She dld say LhaL, and, wow, l really have an urge Lo geL mad. ln facL, look how hurL l am and
how ready l am Lo reacL wlLh an angry reLorL. llrsL, l am golng Lo marvel for a momenL aL Lhe
sLrengLh of my emoLlon . Lhen, second, l am golng Lo declde whaL sorL of response besL serves
me and my relaLlonshlp.
As you can Lell, marvellng ls a good sLraLegy for avoldlng geLLlng auLomaLlcally hooked lnLo an
emoLlonal response Lo a provocaLlon.
'EIN8 IN T4E MOMENTB PRACTICIN8 MINDF,6 T4O,84TS
Mlndfulness helps you Lo be able Lo run when faLlgued, for example, wlLhouL counLlng every
sLep. Mlndfulness helps you Lo have Lhe LhoughL of qulLLlng early, buL Lo declde Lo flnd a feellng
of comforLable relaxaLlon ln Lhe faLlgue. Mlndfulness helps you Lo llsLen lnLenLly Lo your muslc
whlle also breaLhlng hard and Lhlnklng abouL your runnlng rouLe. Mlndfulness Lralnlng also
helps you Lo noL Lake your LhoughLs Loo serlously. lL helps you Lo noLlce your sensaLlons, your
emoLlons, your LhoughLs, and your exLerlor envlronmenLs as an ongolng sLream of lnformaLlon,
lL ls up Lo you Lo declde whaL Lo pay aLLenLlon Lo. 1o develop Lhls ablllLy, pracLlce dlrecLlng your
aLLenLlon wlLh open curloslLy Lo Lhe wealLh of your currenL experlences. Pere ls a four-sLep
example for pracLlclng Lhls process durlng aeroblc exerclse:
1. SLarL by noLlclng where your aLLenLlon ls dlrecLed (ls lL on your breaLhlng, your faLlgue, your
movemenLs?). LeL's assume you are paylng aLLenLlon Lo your feellngs of faLlgue. now noLlce
whaL you are Lhlnklng Lo yourself abouL your faLlgue (Lhls ls your lnLerpreLaLlon of your
feellngs). noLlce LhaL your lnLerpreLaLlon of your faLlgue ls dlfferenL from Lhe faLlgue lLself
(noLlce, for example, LhaL your acLual feellng of belng Llred ls dlfferenL from your Lendency Lo
say 1hls feels lousy").
2. Conslder your faLlgue and your LhoughLs abouL faLlgue as Lwo dlfferenL evenLs. LeL yourself
be very curlous abouL each evenL. 1hen, pracLlce shlfLlng your aLLenLlon beLween Lhe Lwo:
1hlnk really hard Lhls feels lousy" for 10 seconds, Lhen noLlce whaL your faLlgue acLually feels
llke for 10 seconds. uo all Lhls whlle you conLlnue your exerclse, so LhaL your aLLenLlon ls
flowlng beLween Lhe Lhlnklng, feellng, and movlng parLs of Lhe exerclse experlence. 1hese are
Lhree dlfferenL evenLs.
3. now, raLher Lhan focuslng all your aLLenLlon on feellngs of faLlgue or your LhoughLs abouL
faLlgue, shlfL your aLLenLlon Lo someLhlng more fun (e.g., Lhe look of Lhe Lrees lf you are
ouLslde, or Lhe feel of Lhe waLer on your arms lf you are swlmmlng). noLlce how you feel whlle
shlfLlng Lhls aLLenLlon. now, play around wlLh shlfLlng your aLLenLlon beLween Lhe Lrees (for
example), your LhoughLs abouL faLlgue, and your acLual feellngs of faLlgue.
4. now, plck Lhe aLLenLlonal focus LhaL ls mosL pleasurable, and leL Lhe oLher Loplcs floaL Lo Lhe
background. ConLlnue Lo exerclse, buL leL your faclal expresslon reflecL whaL you are devoLlng
your aLLenLlon Lo.
Persectives from C"amions
lL ls geLLlng Lhe workouL sLarLed LhaL ls Lhe hardesL for me. AfLer a good warm up, Lhe mlddle of
Lhe workouL ls Lhe besL parL. 1he mlddle of Lhe workouL puLs me lnLo a Zen. l can Lhlnk and flnd
soluLlons Lo problems, lL ls a Llme Lo uncluLLer my braln. 1rylng Lo seL a base Llme/dlsLance Lo
lmprove on ls always good for me, Lhough, l do noL seL my goals Loo hlgh.
uanlel k. Sayner 1980 Clymplc 8owlng (uSA boycoLL)
1hls ls where Lhe half smlle comes ln. A half smlle ls a remlnder LhaL your mood does noL have
Lo be owned by Lhe mosL averslve aspecLs of your experlence. 1ake runnlng for example. LeL's
assume you are runnlng on whaL appears Lo be a bad day." ?ou were Llred aL Lhe sLarL of your
exerclse, and you are Llred now. ?ou are aware of every sLep, ln facL, you are counLlng every
sLep, and grlmaclng whlle you do so. 1hen you remember Lhe half smlle. 1he half smlle helps
you remember Lo be open Lo loLs of lnpuLs aL Lhe same Llme, and Lo choose whlch lnpuLs and
whlch responses help you Lhe mosL. CounLlng sLeps: noL helpful. Crlmaclng: noL helpful. SeLLlng
a half smlle, noLlclng Lhe Lrees and Lhe sky, and seLLllng lnLo a beLLer daydream whlle you
exLend efforL: helpful. Marvellng aL your hablLs, remlndlng yourself Lo be curlous and open Lo
Lhe enLlre range of your experlences, and spreadlng your aLLenLlon ouL more evenly-LhaL ls
mlndfulness.
6ESS #ORRY) MORE PRO'6EM SO69IN8
Cne Lerrlflc beneflL of an exerclse sesslon ls LhaL lL ls makes lL hard Lo worry. Many people
reporL a decrease ln rumlnaLlve (repeLlLlve) LhoughLs whlle Lhey exerclse. lor your auLhors, lL
Lakes aL leasL 20 mlnuLes of exerclse for rumlnaLlons Lo quleL. 1hen, whaLever repeLlLlve
LhoughLs LhaL have been wlLh us LhroughouL Lhe day sLarL Lo lose Lhelr sallence. A calm, quleL
mlnd emerges.
?ou can help Lhls process by noL overfocuslng on worrles. Chronlc worry paLLerns are
characLerlzed by a Lendency Lo acLlvely resLarL worrles. lL ls llke sLlcklng your Longue ln an
empLy LooLh sockeL, lL hurLs, buL lL feels lrreslsLlble. And, even when you force your Longue Lo
Lhe oLher slde of your mouLh, lL ls only a maLLer of Llme before lL comes back
searchlng-checklng Lo see lf lL sLlll hurLs.
ln Lhe mosL common worry paLLern, people brlng up a worry, focus on lL for a whlle, and Lhen
[ump Lo a new worry. 1hls process soon acqulres a llfe of lLs own, and lL becomes easy for
worrles Lo cycle around ln a nonsLop fashlon. 1hls ls when a reseL buLLon ls needed-a way Lo
sLop Lhls cycle and clear Lhe head. Lxerclse can provlde Lhls, buL Lhe exerclser needs Lo be ready
Lo embrace Lhls change, Lo noL resLarL Lhe worrles when a momenL of resplLe comes. lor Lhls
reason, we wanL you Lo be prepared Lo look for, en[oy, and embrace a shlfL ln LhoughLs when lL
comes. 8aLher Lhan resLarLlng a worry, Lake acLlve pleasure ln Lhe shlfL ln focus (Ahh, now l am
less connecLed Lo LhaL LhoughL") and Lake Lhe opporLunlLy Lo refocus your aLLenLlon on
someLhlng more pleasanL (your muslc, Lhe feel of your body, Lhe sunllghL Lhrough Lhe Lrees).
1hls does noL mean LhaL we wanL you Lo use exerclse Lo lgnore lmporLanL problems or feellngs.
1he arL of belng mlndful ls ln flndlng Lhe rlghL level of aLLenLlon Lo problems and emoLlons-lL ls
as lmporLanL noL Lo underfocus on lssues as lL ls noL Lo overfocus. Cne way Lo help ensure LhaL
you are noL lgnorlng lmporLanL lssues ls Lo schedule weekly problem solvlng sesslons wlLh
yourself (as dlscussed ln deLall ln ChapLer 3).
1o sum up, uslng exerclse Lo deal wlLh worrles ls a Lwo-sLep process. llrsL, use exerclse Lo break
up rumlnaLlve Lhlnklng, and use mlndfulness Lo embrace Lhe quleL mlnd LhaL exerclse brlngs.
Second, ensure LhaL problems do geL your full aLLenLlon wlLh a clear mlnd. SeL up focused,
weekly problem solvlng Llme, wlLh a pen and paper aL hand Lo help deflne problems LhaL need
soluLlons.
P6AYIN8#IT4 PACEB TA5IN8 T4E ANXIETY O,T OF SENSATIONS
ModeraLe Lo moderaLe-sLrong levels of efforL and exerLlon are as hard as you ever need Lo push
yourself Lo en[oy boLh Lhe menLal healLh and physlcal healLh beneflLs of exerclse.
4
noneLheless, many readers may wanL Lo choose more Laxlng exerclse reglmens as parL of oLher
flLness goals, or as parL of aLhleLlc compeLlLlons. Also, more Laxlng exerclse provldes a way Lo
geL used Lo some of Lhe boLhersome sensaLlons LhaL play a role ln anxleLy dlsorders.
As dlscussed ln ChapLer 2, panlc dlsorder ls one of Lhe anxleLy condlLlons LhaL can be helped by
exerclse. anlc dlsorder ls an anxleLy condlLlon characLerlzed by recurrenL panlc aLLacks. 1hese
aLLacks are sudden rushes of anxleLy sympLoms-for example, a poundlng hearL,
breaLhlessness, dlzzlness, numbness and Llngllng sensaLlons, chesL pressure, or choklng
sensaLlons-LhaL seem Lo come ouL of Lhe blue. 1hese sensaLlons can feel overwhelmlng Lo
panlc sufferers, and Lhey are ofLen lnLerpreLed noL as anxleLy sympLoms buL as slgns of a
caLasLrophe-Lhlngs LhaL are frlghLenlng ln Lhelr own rlghL-llke a hearL aLLack, sLroke, or
nervous breakdown. ln facL, lL ls Lhe fear of Lhese sympLoms LhaL helps keep panlc dlsorder
allve.
8elow ls a flgure lllusLraLlng a core lnLervenLlon used ln Lhe cognlLlve-behavloral LreaLmenL of
panlc dlsorder. lL lnvolves Lhe sLep-by-sLep presenLaLlon of sympLoms slmllar Lo Lhe feared
sympLoms of a panlc aLLack. aLlenLs are shown how Lo recreaLe Lhese sympLoms wlLh slmple
exerclses (e.g., runnlng ln place), and Lhey are glven a chance Lo geL comforLable wlLh Lhese
sensaLlons. ln facL, paLlenLs are asked Lo pracLlce lnduclng Lhe sensaLlons beLween sesslons,
Lrylng noL only Lo decrease Lhelr fear of sensaLlons llke dlzzlness or a rapld hearL raLe, buL Lo geL
bored by Lhese sensaLlons (movlng from an uh oh" response Lo a relax wlLh lL" response). As
paLlenLs achleve Lhls comforL level, Lhe panlc cycle ends. llgure 8.2 lllusLraLes Lhls process of
lnduclng feared sensaLlons, noLlclng Lhem, and relaxlng wltb Lhem, whlle pracLlclng dolng
noLhlng Lo conLrol Lhem. 1hls lasL parL ls lmporLanL. 8y [usL leLLlng Lhe sensaLlons be Lhere,
lndlvlduals have a chance Lo learn Lo reacL dlfferenLly (nondefenslvely) Lo Lhelr bodlly
sensaLlons. When people sLop desperaLely Lrylng Lo sLop Lhe sensaLlon, Lhe body calms down
and fear subsldes.
llgure 8.2. 8eacLlng dlfferenLly Lo feared sensaLlons. lrom CLLo, M. W., & SmlLs, !. A. !. (2009).
xetclse fot mooJ ooJ ooxlety JlsotJets (Workbook). new ?ork: Cxford unlverslLy ress,
reprlnLed wlLh permlsslon.
As you can Lell, lnLenLlonal exposure Lo feared bodlly sensaLlons makes use of mlndfulness
skllls: noLlclng a sensaLlon (llke a poundlng hearL) wlLhouL belng capLured by auLomaLlc
reacLlons Lo LhaL sensaLlon (such as, uh oh, l have Lo make lL sLop"). As you mlghL has guessed,
exerclse as a way Lo expose people Lo feared sensaLlons can be used successfully as a LreaLmenL
for panlc dlsorder.
3
lears of anxleLy sensaLlons (anxleLy senslLlvlLy) decrease wlLh programmed
bouLs of exerclse. Pence, lf you are sufferlng from panlc dlsorder, or [usL flnd sensaLlons of
emoLlonal arousal boLhersome, Lhen you wlll wanL Lo apply mlndfulness Lo boLh Lhe sensaLlons
of exerLlon and Lhe LhoughLs LhaL accompany Lhese sensaLlons. Pere ls one way we have
dlrecLed paLlenLs undergolng panlc LreaLmenL:
As you lncrease Lhe lnLenslLy of your exerclse (as your flLness lncreases), parL of Lhe goal wlll be
Lo exerclse vlgorously enough Lo produce bodlly sensaLlons slmllar Lo Lhose you experlence
durlng a panlc aLLack. rlor Lo and durlng Lhls vlgorous exerclse, you wlll wanL Lo:
1. 8emlnd yourself of whaL sensaLlons you are golng Lo feel so LhaL Lhere are no surprlses (e.g.,
dlzzlness, rapld hearL raLe, llghL-headedness).
2. CompleLe Lhe exerclse, fully expecLlng Lo experlence Lhese sensaLlons.
3. noLlce Lhe sensaLlons and see how comforLable you can geL wlLh exerclslng whlle havlng Lhe
sensaLlons.
AfLer you compleLe Lhe exerclse, Lry noL Lo walL for Lhe sensaLlons Lo go away. !usL become
good aL LoleraLlng Lhem. 8emlnd yourself LhaL lL does noL maLLer how long Lhese sensaLlons lasL
because Lhey are noL dangerous (glven LhaL your physlclan has approved your exerclse),
Lherefore, you don'L have Lo geL rld of Lhese sensaLlons.
6
1o help you become more comforLable wlLh bodlly sensaLlons of exerLlon, approach your
exerclse as lf you are playlng wlLh feellngs of exerLlon. Changlng your efforL durlng exerclse,
such as lncreaslng your pace durlng runnlng, glves you a chance Lo see how dlfferenL levels of
exerLlon feel, and a chance Lo become comforLable wlLh Lhese sensaLlons.
1o help yourself aLLend mlndfully Lo sensaLlons of exerLlon durlng exerclse, conslder keeplng a
log of your experlences durlng vlgorous exerclse (see llgure 8.3). 1hls log provldes you wlLh a
way Lo Lrack Lhe sensaLlons you experlence, raLlng Lhelr lnLenslLy on a 0 Lo 100 scale, and
examlnlng how Lhese sensaLlons lmpacL your emoLlon. Also, we wanL you Lo be aware of Lhe
negaLlve lnLerpreLaLlons of Lhese sensaLlons LhaL lncrease anxleLy. Llke oLher anxleLy-provoklng
LhoughLs, Lhese LhoughLs are usually abouL fuLure evenLs and Lake Lhe form of, WhaL lf .?":
llgure 8.3. Lxerclse racLlce Log for anlc-relaLed Concerns. lrom CLLo, M. W., & SmlLs, !. A. !.
(2009). xetclse fot mooJ ooJ ooxlety JlsotJets (Workbook, p. 73). new ?ork: Cxford
unlverslLy ress, reprlnLed wlLh permlsslon.
- WhaL lf Lhese sensaLlons geL worse?
- WhaL lf l lose conLrol?
- WhaL lf someLhlng ls wrong wlLh me?
1hese LhoughLs are classlc ln panlc dlsorder, and all have a role ln Lransformlng naLural
sensaLlons lnLo fearsome evenLs. 1he exerclse log provldes a space for you Lo examlne wheLher
Lhese LhoughLs are accuraLe. Was Lhere any acLual danger assoclaLed wlLh Lhese sensaLlons, or
was lL okay [usL Lo noLe Lhem mlndfully and Lo conLlnue wlLh your exerclse? 1he lnformaLlon
you puL ln Lhe log wlll gulde you ln your nexL exerclse sesslon. More lnformaLlon on panlc
dlsorder and lLs LreaLmenL can also be found aL relevanL webslLes (see Lhe Appendlx).
EN4ANCIN8 P6EAS,RE
lf noLhlng else, exerclse provldes you wlLh a break from your regular rouLlne and Lhe
opporLunlLy Lo flnd unexpecLed rlches. lL provldes you wlLh momenLs Lo aLLend Lo new aspecLs
of Lhe world, Lo be wlLh dlfferenL people, Lo experlence novel Lhlngs. Lven wlLh someLhlng
relaLlvely repeLlLlve llke runnlng or swlmmlng, exerclse glves you a chance Lo en[oy sensaLlons
for sensaLlon's sake. 1he feel of a breeze agalnsL your skln whlle runnlng deserves Lo be noLlced
and en[oyed mlndfully. Llkewlse, Lhe feel of waLer on your body and Lhe sounds of your
breaLhlng deserve mlndful aLLenLlon whlle swlmmlng. CuLdoor acLlvlLles puL you ln closer
conLacL wlLh Lhe envlronmenL and Lhe seasons Lhan you mlghL oLherwlse be: Lhe feel of llghL
raln, Lhe shlfL ln scenLs as auLumn comes, Lhe dlfference beLween your cold face and warm
body ln wlnLer, and Lhe flrsL sprlngLlme experlence LhaL naLure's flrsL green really ls gold.
7
arL
of Lhe beneflL of exerclse ls geLLlng pracLlce ln belng vlgllanL Lo whaL ls good and pleasurable.
And, when you are [usL Loo Llred for Lhls vlgllance, Lhen lL ls Llme for good muslc, a good book,
or good Lelevlslon durlng exerclse. Lxerclse machlnes aL Lhe gym or aL home lend Lhemselves
well Lo Lhese pursulLs. We have frlends who geL Lhelr week's academlc readlng done durlng
exerclse, and we have frlends who waLch Lhelr favorlLe recorded Lelevlslon shows or movles
whlle on Lhe home exerclse machlne.
Persectives from C"amions
LaLely, l've been readlng my law school LexLbooks on Lhe exerclse blke. l have Lo do Lhe readlng
anyway, so l mlghL as well klll Lwo blrds wlLh one sLone and geL ln a workouL aL Lhe same Llme.
lL Lakes some pracLlce Lo be able Lo concenLraLe on whaL l'm readlng, buL l flnd ln Lhe end LhaL l
remember Lhe maLerlal beLLer LhaL way.
Caryn armenLler uavles 2004 & 2008 Clymplcs,
Cold and Sllver MedallsL - 8owlng
1he key ls approachlng exerclse whlle belng prepared Lo be enLerLalned by aL leasL a parL of Lhe
experlence. 1he process of mlndfully shlfLlng your aLLenLlon among lnpuLs may offer you mood
beneflLs, ln addlLlon Lo Lhe mood llfL LhaL exerclse lLself wlll brlng you. ShlfLlng aLLenLlon ln Lhls
way may well sLrengLhen Lhe parL of your braln LhaL acLs Lo dampen down Lhe rumlnaLlons LhaL
occur durlng depresslon. ShlfLlng aLLenLlon also makes you able Lo en[oy rlcher experlences.
?ou can'L lose-wheLher lL ls a useful braln exerclse for flghLlng Lhe rumlnaLlons of depresslon
or slmply a way Lo drlnk ln [oy whlle exerLlng yourself, guldlng your aLLenLlon mlndfully has lLs
beneflLs. llgure 8.4 provldes flve ways Lo Lry Lo enhance your mlndfulness durlng exerclse. We
plcked lLems LhaL can be done whlle runnlng ouLslde. We plcked runnlng because lL ls an
exerclse open Lo almosL everyone and because runnlng can be very monoLonous lf you do noL
use sLraLegles Lo drlnk ln [oy. All of Lhese acLlvlLles assume LhaL you have a safe area ln whlch Lo
run, and LhaL you are noL prone Lo Lrlpplng or runnlng off Lhe road whlle playlng around wlLh
your aLLenLlon.
1able 8.2. Mlndful runnlng exerclses
- Look aL a Lree lnLenLly. Pow would you draw or palnL lL? WhaL colors are ln Lhe bark? Pow
many colors oLher Lhan green are ln Lhe leaves? Pow does Lhls Lree dlffer from a proLoLype
Lree? Pow does lL move ln Lhe wlnd?
- noLlce Lhe breeze agalnsL your forearm, flrsL on your lefL slde, Lhen on your rlghL slde. Pow
would you descrlbe Lhe feellng? WhaL ls pleasanL abouL lL? Pow cenLral can you make Lhe
feellng Lo your awareness?
- Cf all your senses, how can you make muslc more cenLral over Lhe nexL 3 mlnuLes? lnsLead
of passlvely llsLenlng Lo Lhe muslc, leL yourself fall fully lnLo Lhe Lones. Pow does your sense
of Lhe world change as Lhe muslc Lakes over?
- Pow are you holdlng your arms and shoulders? Can you help Lhem relax, dropplng your
shoulders and leLLlng your arms swlng more freely as you run? noLlce how your hands feel.
Are Lhey weL? Are Lhey comforLable? 1ouch your flngers LogeLher on your rlghL hand. WhaL ls
pleasanL abouL LhaL? ConLlnue your run whlle Lrylng Lo leL your hands en[oy Lhe experlence.
- Lvery mlnuLe or so, make sure you breaLhe ln Lhrough your nose. noLlce whaL smells you
can ldenLlfy. noLlce subLle dlfferences ln Lhe scenLs. Marvel aL how many scenLs you mlss
because your aLLenLlon ls elsewhere.
6OO5IN8 FOR#ARD TO T4E MOOD S4IFT
Mlndfulness ls useful for helplng you dlrecL your aLLenLlon Loward [oyful momenLs durlng
exerclse, and noL leLLlng you become overly dlsLracLed by ongolng dlscomforLs. Many feellngs
of dlscomforL occur early ln exerclse, before you and your body geL lnLo Lhe swlng of Lhlngs.
Warmlng up slowly can mlnlmlze Lhese feellngs, buL probably wlll noL ellmlnaLe Lhem. knowlng
LhaL your aLLenLlon can be fluld, and knowlng LhaL you can en[oy pleasanL momenLs desplLe
uncomforLable feellngs, wlll help keep your moLlvaLlon up durlng your flrsL 3 mlnuLes of
exerclse. lL ls also useful Lo remlnd yourself of Lhe beneflLs Lo come. Clear expecLaLlons of a
mood llfL afLer exerclse make lL easler Lo lnvesL ln Lhe drudgery of Lhe flrsL few mlnuLes of
exerclse. 8llnd falLh-knowlng LhaL lL wlll geL easler as you go along and LhaL you wlll en[oy
mood beneflLs when you are done-ls a greaL anLldoLe Lo Lhose flrsL few mlnuLes of ugh."
8emlnd yourself LhaL exerclse ls your break, a chance Lo clear your head and reseL your mood.
Look forward Lo whaL you wlll experlence durlng your exerclse sesslon, so LhaL you can Lake
your mlndfulness-a curlous, open, and non[udgmenLal aLLlLude-wlLh you, helplng you be
ready Lo en[oy whaLever comes nexL.
Fact or FictionOB T"e R.nner2s 4ig"
As Lhe popularlLy of runnlng sharply lncreased ln Lhe 1970s and researchers dlscovered naLural
oplaLe-llke compounds ln Lhe braln (known as eoJotpblos), Lhe experlence referred Lo as
runner's hlgh" aLLracLed wldespread aLLenLlon. noneLheless, dlfflculLy ln deflnlng and
measurlng Lhls sub[ecLlve experlence has led Lo conLroversy over wheLher a runner's hlgh
acLually exlsLs.
8
1hose who have aLLempLed Lo deflne Lhe Lerm emphaslze Lwo componenLs: (1)
feellngs of euphorla and (2) enhanced lnsenslLlvlLy Lo paln. AnecdoLal accounLs, however, are
wldely avallable and varled. Some descrlbe shorL perlods characLerlzed by lnLense [oy, peace,
and energy. CLhers descrlbe mllder feellngs of well-belng, whlle sLlll oLhers deny experlenclng
such feellngs.
1he feellngs of Lranscendence or [oy LhaL geL labeled a runner's hlgh" are noL speclflc Lo
runnlng. Any exerclse LhaL offers prolonged exerLlon brlngs wlLh lL Lhe poLenLlal for Lhese
feellngs. Pow much exerLlon ls needed ls noL known. Larly research suggesLed LhaL aL leasL one
conLlnuous hour of aeroblc exerclse was necessary, buL even Lhls ldea has come lnLo doubL,
wlLh some evldence for slmllar physlologlcal changes broughL by shorLer bouLs of exerclse.
9
And Lhe physlologlcal basls for Lhls experlence? 1here ls some evldence LhaL Lhese feellngs are
lndeed due Lo acLlvlLy of endorphlns, buL even LhaL evldence ls far from cerLaln. Clven Lhe
eluslve naLure of a runner's hlgh, we don'L wanL you spendlng your exerclse Llme searchlng for
one, buL we do wanL you Lo emphaslze you mlndfulness durlng exerclse-Lhls wlll puL you ln a
greaL poslLlon for en[oylng feellngs of Lranscendence should Lhey occur.
A RIC4ER EXERCISE EXPERIENCE
1hls chapLer was deslgned Lo change Lhe way you approach your exerclse experlence, whlle you
are ln lL. 1hls wlll Lake some pracLlce, and lL may be helpful Lo reread Lhls chapLer prlor Lo a
number of your workouLs, so LhaL you are prepared Lo Lhlnk abouL how you are uslng your
efforL, where you are dlrecLlng your aLLenLlon, and wheLher you can adopL a more mlndful and
open approach Lo your exerclse experlence. ln dolng all of Lhls, Lry Lo reLaln a curlous aLLlLude,
asklng yourself how you can besL use a half smlle durlng your nexL workouL. And don'L forgeL Lo
apply Lhe same prlnclples Lo fully en[oylng Lhe warm shower afLerward!
M?N
RE#ARDIN8 YO,RSE6F AFTER EXERCISE
1he momenL you flnlsh a workouL, reward yourself afLer exerclse wlLh Lwo lmmedlaLe llnes of
LhoughL. llrsL, say Lo yourself someLhlng llke, l dld lL, anoLher workouL ln Lhe bank." Second,
allow yourself a saLlsfled smlle. 8oLh Lhe sLaLemenL and Lhe smlle are an accuraLe
acknowledgmenL of Lhe lnvesLmenL you [usL made ln your well-belng. ?ou goL yourself Lo your
workouL. ?ou puL ln Lhe Llme. And, fasL or slow, smooLh or rough, llghL or heavy, fleeL-of-fooL or
Lrudglng, you flnlshed. 1hls ls whaL you need Lo aLLend Lo as parL of your mood managemenL:
Lhe compleLlon of regular workouLs of moderaLe Lo hlgh lnLenslLy.
Clvlng yourself credlL and en[oylng Lhe effecLs of your workouL are Lhe Loplcs of Lhls chapLer.
We need Lo Lake Llme Lo cover Lhese Loplcs because so many people have Lrouble glvlng
Lhemselves credlL. 1hls dlfflculLy can sLand ln Lhe way of boLh en[oylng and exLendlng your
exerclse achlevemenLs.
Pow well do you glve yourself credlL? lf you are llke many people, Lhe answer ls noL very well."
Across llfe, lL becomes easy Lo devoLe aLLenLlon Lo whaL ls oot worklng raLher Lhan whaL ls
worklng. Cn any glven day, when you have down-Llme momenLs-aL a sLop llghL, whlle ln an
elevaLor, whlle ln a checkouL llne-whaL do you Lhlnk abouL? Are you rellvlng every low polnL
of your day? Are you revlewlng problems? Cr, are you glvlng yourself a chance Lo noLlce whaL ls
worklng well ln your llfe, whaL ls good, and how you can have more of lL?
#ATERIN8T4E F6O#ERS) NOT T4E #EEDS
roblems deserve your aLLenLlon, Lhls ls why we encourage a formal problem solvlng approach
ln ChapLer 3. 8uL your achlevemenLs deserve aL leasL equal Llme. 8y focuslng on whaL ls
worklng, as well as whaL ls noL worklng, you have a beLLer chance of maklng Lhe mosL of your
successful momenLs.
1hlnk of lL ln Lerms of gardenlng: We wanL you Lo waLer Lhe flowers, noL Lhe weeds. uurlng
down-Llme momenLs-Lhe elevaLor, sLop llghL, checkouL llne, eLc.-revlew your dally successes
and whaL led Lo Lhem. We Lhlnk of Lhls process as ecboloq Lhe good momenLs ln llfe. !usL llke
an echo, you geL Lo have mulLlple reverberaLlons of a poslLlve evenL. lnsLead of havlng a
pleasanL momenL occur only once, we wanL you Lo make sure lL occurs once ln llfe and Lhen
several more Llmes ln memory.
EC4OIN8 EXERCISE
Speaklng of echolng, Lry echolng your exerclse successes across Lhe day. 1hls lncludes noL only a
repeLlLlon of Lhe l dld lL" phrase, buL also a revlew of whaL was mosL poslLlve abouL your
exerclse, and how lL made (and ls maklng) you feel. And don'L be afrald of aLLendlng dlrecLly Lo
feellngs of faLlgue or soreness LhaL you may be experlenclng afLer exerclse. 1hese feellngs are
markers of your achlevemenL. laLlgue says LhaL you LreaLed your body well, uslng lL and maklng
lL approprlaLely Llred. Muscle aches are llkewlse a marker of sLrong workouLs. uon'L be shy
abouL seelng a physlclan lf dlscomforL ls sLrong or perslsLs. 8uL oLherwlse, feellngs of muscle
recovery are Lo be celebraLed for Lhe flLness and mood effecLs Lhey reflecL.
Persectives from C"amions
My reward for a workouL ls geLLlng a shower and feellng good abouL myself for Lhe resL of Lhe
day.
Cary W. Pall, Mu, 1968, 1972, & 1976 Clymplcs, Sllver (2) and 8ronze MedallsL - Swlmmlng
Lcholng exerclse successes can also help malnLaln your moLlvaLlon for Lhe nexL exerclse sesslon.
1hese perlods of revlew help keep Lhe role of exerclse ln mood managemenL clear, and help
keep exerclse approprlaLely hlgh ln your hlerarchy of moLlvaLlons (see ChapLer 4). When
echolng exerclse, make sure Lo revlew all Lhe poslLlve aspecLs of Lhe experlence. ?ou wlll have
some days of clear achlevemenL ln whlch, for example, you blked or swam farLher or beLLer
Lhan you expecLed. 8uL, on many days, Lhe echolng experlence mlghL be around someLhlng you
saw, felL, or LhoughL abouL durlng your exerclse. Also, as parL of Lracklng your ablllLy Lo be
mlndful durlng exerclse, Lhlnk speclflcally abouL how you changed your aLLenLlon durlng
exerclse, and wheLher you had momenLs of adopLlng Lhe curlous aLLenLlon Lo experlence LhaL
we dlscussed ln Lhe lasL chapLer.
ln addlLlon Lo revlewlng poslLlve momenLs durlng exerclse, also Lake Llme Lo revlew poslLlve
changes LhaL occur afLer exerclse. ls your mood dlfferenL? Pow abouL your reacLlon Lo sLress?
ls Lhere a change ln your sense of energy or your sense of engagemenL ln your surroundlngs?
Pas your sleep quallLy changed? knowlng how exerclse ls servlng you wlll help you keep up wlLh
your regular program of mood and sLress managemenL.
Conslder exLendlng echolng Lo sharlng your experlences wlLh your supporL Leam as well. 1he
more you verballze and share your achlevemenLs and assoclaLed mood and beneflLs, Lhe beLLer
off you are ln Lerms of esLabllshlng a durable physlcal acLlvlLy hablL. 1hls ls exacLly Lhe reason
why some people love Lo keep an exerclse log. lL lsn'L [usL abouL recordlng Lhe exerclse, buL
abouL marklng achlevemenLs and Lhe [oyful aspecLs of Lhe exerclse experlence (see p.209).
PRO'6EMS #IT4 COAC4IN8
lf you are exerclslng for rellef of depresslon, be especlally vlgllanL Lo how you are coachlng
yourself afLer exerclse. 1he volce of depresslon ls focused on waLerlng Lhe weeds. Moods
acLlvely color our memorles and our percepLlons. When you feel down, you wlll naLurally
remember oLher Llmes when you were sad. 1hls ls because your mood ls acLlng as a memory
cue. !usL as Lhe smell of cafeLerla food may remlnd you of belng ln grade school, a negaLlve
mood wlll brlng Lo mlnd pasL Llmes when you were sad. ln Lhls way, your fallure experlences
crowd your lnLernal experlence, maklng lL hard Lo see all Lhe ways LhaL Lhlngs are worklng well
for you. leellng down also lnfluences you Lo devoLe more aLLenLlon Lo bad Lhlngs and Lo lgnore
good Lhlngs LhaL are golng on currenLly.
1
ln Lhe mornlng, aL Lhe mlrror, you wlll noLlce your skln
blemlshes lnsLead of your eyes, aL work, you wlll noLlce your coworker's sllence raLher Lhan her
noddlng approval, and when lL comes Lo exerclse, you wlll noLlce when your work ouL wenL
poorly raLher Lhan when lL wenL well.
When you are ln a low mood, acLlvely counLer Lhese Lendencles. uo noL leL Lhem geL pasL you
unnoLlced! Lnsure LhaL you focus on Lhe pleasanL momenLs of exerclse. 1he more negaLlve your
mood, Lhe more lmporLanL lL ls Lo acLlvely echo and Lo acLlvely coach yourself around your
successes. 1o glve you a sense of whaL Lhls may be llke, we have lncluded an example. ln our
cllnlcal work, we are face Lo face wlLh mood blases on a dally basls, and our [ob ls Lo help our
paLlenLs see Lhelr achlevemenLs more clearly. ln Lhe followlng dlalogue,
2
we have capLured Lhls
experlence ln Lhe lnLeracLlons beLween a LheraplsL (1) and paLlenL ().
1: As you seLLle lnLo your exerclse program, l would llke you Lo pay exLra aLLenLlon Lo how you
are Lalklng Lo yourself abouL your experlence of exerclse. ?our moLlvaLlon for exerclse, and Lhe
degree Lo whlch you en[oy your exerclse and posL-exerclse experlence, may depend on how
you dlrecL your aLLenLlon and how you coach yourself. lor example, l wanL Lo make sure you
are paylng aLLenLlon Lo Lhe achlevemenLs you have made so far ln adopLlng an exerclse
program. ?ou have been exerclslng for 3 weeks so far and have succeeded ln exerclslng Lwo Lo
Lhree Llmes per week. Pave you commended yourself for Lhese efforLs?
: Well, noL really. l mean l mlssed Lwo exerclse sesslons.
1: ?ou dld mlss Lwo sesslons, buL you made seven sesslons. 1hls efforL deserves some noLlce!
: l guess l have done okay.
1: l wanL you Lo be careful abouL how llLLle credlL you glve yourself. lf you heard LhaL a frlend
sLarLed an exerclse program and made seven of nlne scheduled sesslons, whaL would you say?
: l guess l would say good [ob," especlally lf Lhey are [usL sLarLlng ouL . llke l am.
1: Cood polnL-someone sLarLlng ouL wlLh a new program deserves encouragemenL. And slnce
you are Lhe coach of yourself ln Lhls efforL, lL wlll be lmporLanL for you Lo commend yourself for
your efforLs.
: ?eah, l guess so.
1: So, leL me hear lL. Pave you been on Lrack-do you deserve a good [ob"?
: ?eah. Cood [ob for me [smlles].
1: nlce. [pause] And whlle we are on Lhe Loplc of coachlng yourself, have you noLlced whaL you
Lend Lo Lhlnk abouL durlng exerclse?
: Ch, yeah, l noLlced LhaL someLlmes when l run l Lend Lo counL my breaLhs. lL geLs really
Ledlous.
1: l beL. lf you flnd LhaL you are counLlng your breaLhs, whaL mlghL be more lnLeresLlng Lo dlrecL
your aLLenLlon Loward?
: l guess whaL ls golng on. ln facL, l was runnlng alongslde a park Lhe oLher day, and l noLlced
Lhls Lree LhaL was changlng colors. lL was beauLlful, and l noLlced LhaL l don'L ofLen pay
aLLenLlon Lo LhaL sorL of Lhlng ln Lhe clLy. SomeLlmes, my wlfe and l wlll drlve ouL ln Lhe counLry
Lo see Lhe leaves, buL l don'L even noLlce Lhem very well when Lhey are on a Lree [usL down Lhe
block. 8uL on my run, l dld happen Lo noLlce Lhe colors.
1: lL sounds llke you have one alLernaLlve Lo counLlng. lf you noLlce LhaL your aLLenLlon has
fallen Lo someLhlng borlng on your run, you can redlrecL yourself Lo see lf Lhere ls anyLhlng
lnLeresLlng Lo look aL along Lhe way.
: ?eah.
1: And, how abouL afLer your runs? Pow do you Lend Lo feel?
: ?ou know, l feel Llred, buL l usually feel good. l am noL sure l am geLLlng much of a mood llfL
ln general, buL afLer Lhe runs l feel peaceful-llke. l feel Llred buL good.
1: l llke LhaL phrase, Llred buL good." l Lhlnk Lhe phrase capLures a reallLy abouL a Lype of mood
shlfL LhaL happens from exerclse. Lxerclse does make you physlcally Llred buL emoLlonally
refreshed. l Lhlnk Llred buL good" capLures LhaL shlfL ln mood.
: ?eah, lL ls klnd of neaL Lo feel LhaL. l usually [usL feel Llred, or Llred and cranky, aL Lhe end of
Lhe day.
1: As parL of coachlng yourself effecLlvely around your new exerclse hablL, l wanL you Lo make
sure Lo reflecL on Lhls Llred buL good" feellng and remlnd yourself LhaL you are changlng your
mood wlLh exerclse. ?ou have farLher Lo go ln Lhe exerclse program before we expecL blgger
changes ln mood, buL lf you aLLend Lo, remlnd yourself abouL, and make sure Lo en[oy Lhe
mood changes you have had so far, lL wlll help you malnLaln your moLlvaLlon for Lhe nexL
exerclse sesslon.
: 1haL makes sense, sounds good!
keep ln mlnd LhaL you wlll have Lo play Lhe role of Lhe LherapeuLlc coach, uslng Lhe same volce
you use when glvlng advlce Lo people who are lmporLanL Lo you. lf you geL someone else Lo
help as well, LhaL ls greaL. 8uL you are Lhe maln coach. lL ls up Lo you Lo provlde yourself wlLh a
guldlng volce LhaL glves you credlL for whaL you have done.
6EARNIN8 FROM YO,R EXPERIENCES
An addlLlonal parL of self-coachlng ls plannlng well for your nexL exerclse sesslon. Clven how
your lasL several bouLs of exerclse have gone, how do you wanL Lo dlrecL your aLLenLlon durlng
exerclse? uo you need dlfferenL muslc? uo you need dlfferenL cloLhes? ls Lhere a frlend you
now wanL Lo lnvolve ln exerclse? Also noLe whaL helps you geL Lo your exerclse sesslons,
parLlcularly when your moLlvaLlon ls low. keeplng a regular log of your exerclse program can
help you ln Lhls process. Surprlslngly, [usL keeplng a log wlll enhance your ablllLy Lo sLay wlLh
your exerclse.
3
lor any sorL of log, sLarL by flndlng yourself a noLebook, someLhlng LhaL you
flnd pleasanL enough Lo keep handy on your desk. lor a weekly log, we recommend keeplng
Lrack of Lhe daLe and Lype of workouL, a raLlng of Lhe lnLenslLy of Lhe exerclse, and Lhen wrlLlng
abouL whaL was noLeworLhy or mosL pleasanL abouL Lhe exerclse. 1o make Lhlngs easy for you,
an example log form ls avallable ln Lhe Appendlx and on our webslLe aL
hLLp://www.exerclse4mood.com.
TRAC5IN8 YO,R MOOD C4AN8ES
ln addlLlon Lo aLLendlng Lo Lhe mood beneflLs of lndlvldual exerclse sesslons, Lry Lo Lrack how
your fuller program of exerclse ls beneflLLlng your mood. ln Lhe Appendlx, we provlde you wlLh
a copy of Lhe Culck lnvenLory of uepresslve SympLomaLology (CluS)
4
as a way of assesslng
depresslon severlLy. We recommend you repeaL your CluS assessmenL every week, Lo regularly
assess how your exerclse program ls worklng for you. We expecL your depresslon Lo decrease
across weeks of exerclse, buL, ln Lhe LreaLmenL of depresslon, lndlvldual proflles of
lmprovemenL dlffer. Some lndlvlduals reporL Lhe same score for weeks and Lhen suddenly
experlence large galns ln 1 week, oLhers may have slower and sLeadler lmprovemenL over Llme.
And, lL ls posslble LhaL you may have dlfflculLy lmprovlng from exerclse. lf Lhls ls Lhe case-LhaL
you are noL lmprovlng desplLe regular exerclse across weeks of Lralnlng-do noL heslLaLe Lo
seek addlLlonal help. 1he Appendlx provldes you wlLh resources for flndlng Lhls addlLlonal help.
8uL do conLlnue your exerclse, used alone or ln comblnaLlon wlLh oLher sLraLegles, exerclse can
lmprove well-belng ln a mulLlLude of ways.
COMPENSATORY EATIN8AND SITTIN8
We prefer Lo focus on Lhe acLlve poslLlve-whaL Lo do, raLher Lhan whaL noL Lo do.
noneLheless, Lhere are Lwo acLlvlLles LhaL deserve cauLlon: compensaLory eaLlng and
compensaLory slLLlng. compeosototy eotloq-when people lncrease Lhelr food consumpLlon
afLer exerclse-has been shown Lo nulllfy some of Lhe expecLed welghL-loss beneflLs of exerclse
programs.
3
8e parLlcularly vlgllanL of Lhe Lendency Lo use food as a reward for exerclse. 8y Lhls,
we don'L [usL mean Lhe classlc vlslon of a person [ogglng Lo Lhelr local coffee shop for a donuL,
buL Lhe more subLle declslons of how you load up your plaLe durlng your meals, or wheLher you
selecL an exLra desserL durlng Lhe day because you have exerclsed.
We also wanL you Lo be wary of compeosototy slttloq-Lhe Lendency Lo slL more durlng Lhe day
because you have exerclsed. lor some, addlLlonal slLLlng ls seen as a reward for exerclse (l ran
Lhls mornlng, l mlghL as well Lake lL easy now"), for oLhers, lL may be a reacLlon Lo feellng
faLlgued (l should relax Lo recover"). As we explaln below, Lhere are excellenL
reasons-wheLher you are Llred or noL, happy or noL, busy or noL-Lo break up your slLLlng
Llmes and Lo reduce Lhe overall Llme ln whlch you are sedenLary, lndependenL of how much you
exerclse. Powever, before we geL Lo sLraLegles for mlnlmlzlng compensaLory behavlors, lL ls
lmporLanL Lo revlew Lhe naLure and scope of healLh behavlor compensaLlon, sLarLlng wlLh
eaLlng.
T"e Notion of Comensation
1here's a wldespread bellef LhaL healLhy eaLlng cancels ouL unhealLhy eaLlng. And by bellef, we
don'L mean LhaL people carefully Lhlnk Lhrough and declde LhaL healLhy food cancels ouL
unhealLhy food, buL raLher LhaL mosL people have an auLomaLlc (and llloglcal) assumpLlon LhaL
lL does. Pere ls Lhe evldence. 8esearchers had Lwo groups of adulLs, 934 ln LoLal, look aL
plcLures of hlgh-calorle food-Lhlngs llke a meaLball pepperonl cheese-sLeak, a bowl of chlll, or
a bacon-and-cheese waffle sandwlch. Cne group saw one of Lhese lLems presenLed alone. 1he
oLher group saw one of Lhese lLems presenLed wlLh a healLhy slde dlsh-a small green salad,
celery and carroLs, eLc. 8oLh groups were asked Lo esLlmaLe Lhe LoLal calorles of Lhe food Lhey
saw. noL only dld Lhe adulLs who saw Lhe hlgh-calorle food plus Lhe slde dlsh fall Lo lncrease
Lhelr calorle esLlmaLes (lL ls a larger meal, afLer all), buL Lhey gave lowet estlmotes of Lhe LoLal
calorle counL. lL ls almosL as lf Lhey expecLed Lhe carroLs and celery Lo vacuum calorles ouL of
Lhe cheese-sLeak. As Lhe auLhor of Lhe sLudy commenLs, eople behave as Lhough healLhy
foods-such as frulLs and vegeLables-have halos' LhaL exLend Lo all aspecLs of Lhe meal,
lncludlng lLs effecL on welghL galn."
6
Cf even more concern ls Lhe flndlng LhaL Lhls halo effecL ls
sLronger ln Lhose lndlvlduals mosL concerned wlLh welghL loss.
1hls halo effecL ls one explanaLlon for Lhe fallure of many welghL loss aLLempLs. 1he shlfL Lo a
dleL cola wlll noL remove Lhe calorles from a double cheeseburger, and Lhe frulL smooLhle aL
Mcuonalds wlll noL lmprove healLh lf lL provldes a green llghL for orderlng a 8lg Mac. Slmllarly,
exerclse wlll noL lmprove Lhe walsL-llne lf lL glves us permlsslon for an exLra donuL and whlpped
cream caramel coffee.
1o help you avold compensaLory eaLlng, make sure you are fully aLLenLlve Lo Lhe rewards of
exerclse. 1he adopLlon of healLhy behavlors should never come aL Lhe expense of [oy-buL LhaL
[oy, and any rewards you may wanL Lo glve yourself, doesn'L need Lo come from Lhe realm of
food. As you well know, one cenLral and powerful reward for exerclse ls Lhe reducLlon ln sLress
and lmprovemenL ln mood. no need Lo compensaLe for LhaL. Lxerclse gave you a beLLer mood,
lL ls already a falr deal! 8uL lf you wanL more rewards, Lhlnk of oLher Lhlngs you may wanL Lo
glve yourself. 1able 9.1 provldes a llsL of common, pleasanL evenLs, Lhose evenLs LhaL glve
people momenLs of pleasure and are generally lnexpenslve. lf you need a reward, conslder
selecLlng one from Lhe llsL lnsLead of chooslng someLhlng from Lhe panLry.
Comensator- Sitting an! Y Deat"U
WlLh a dramaLlc headlng llke LhaL, we had beLLer explaln. lL ls clear LhaL exerclse, ln addlLlon Lo
helplng you feel happler, less depressed, and less sLressed, wlll also help you llve longer. ln
addlLlon Lo Lhese powerful effecLs from formal perlods of aeroblc exerclse, general acLlvlLy
levels are also key. ln parLlcular, lL ls lmporLanL Lo avold prolonged sedenLary (prlmarlly slLLlng)
Llme. Pere ls Lhe evldence. ln a recenL, large-scale sLudy, predlcLlon of deaLh raLes were
examlned over Llme ln 33,000 healLhy (dlsease-free) men and over 69,000 healLhy women.
Across Lhe 14 years of sLudy, Lhere were nearly 19,000 deaLhs ln Lhls group. lndependenL of Lhe
level of exerclse, Lhe Llme spenL slLLlng was assoclaLed wlLh deaLh. 1hose who saL more Lhan 6
hours a day, compared Lo Lhose who saL fewer Lhan 3 hours a day, had a 34 lncreased rlsk of
deaLh!
7
1hls assoclaLlon was sLrongesL for cardlovascular dlsease deaLhs. When rlsk of deaLh
was examlned for people who Lended Lo slL for prolonged perlods as well as engage ln
adequaLe exerclse levels (as recommended ln Lhls book), Lhe rlsk of deaLh was almosL double
for women and one and a half Llmes for men, as compared Lo Lhose who dld noL slL for long
perlods and who dld exerclse. ln anoLher sLudy, a llnk beLween Lwo speclflc sedenLary
behavlors (rldlng ln a car and waLchlng 1v) and cardlovascular deaLh was found for a large
sample of men sLudled for more Lhan 21 years.
8
normal welghL and greaLer physlcal acLlvlLy
offered proLecLlve effecLs for Lhese men.
1able 9.1. leasanL evenL llsL
- Walk ouLslde and look aL Lhe sky
- 1ake a baLh wlLh candles around Lhe Lub
- 8eread a book you read ln hlgh school or college
- SlL on a porch swlng
- WrlLe a leLLer Lo a frlend
- uo a crossword puzzle (each day for a week)
- 1ake a kld Lo mlnl golf
- Call Lwo frlends and go bowllng
- Cllmb a Lree
- uL on some muslc and dance ln your llvlng room
- Co for an evenlng drlve
- Slng a song
- Pave a Lea parLy on your fronL porch
- MedlLaLe
- alnL (olls, acryllcs, waLercolor)
- 8ead Lhe newspaper ln a coffee shop
- 8uy flowers for Lhe house
- LlsLen Lo your favorlLe song from hlgh school . really loudly
- lay wlLh a lrlsbee
- 8enL a vldeo and lnvlLe frlends over
- lan a garage sale (perhaps wlLh a nelghbor)
- Walk ln Lhe snow and llsLen Lo your fooLsLeps
- 8uy a spool of wlre, and make a sculpLure
- 1ake a really long shower
- 8ead a novel
- lay a vldeo game
- 8uy a magazlne on a Loplc you know noLhlng abouL
- CeL a massage
- ollsh your favorlLe shoes
- llnd your Lop Lhree favorlLe vldeos on ?ou 1ube and share Lhem wlLh a frlend
- 8uy a new planL
- WrlLe poeLry
- uo Sudoku puzzles
- lan a poker nlghL
- Co Lo an arL museum and flnd one plece you really llke
- SlL ln Lhe sun
- Clean ouL a closeL
- 8urn a Cu of your favorlLe movle muslc
- 8epalnL a Lable or a shelf
- lay a muslcal lnsLrumenL
- SLarL a scrapbook
- lay wlLh chlldren
- lan a hlke for Lhe weekend
- SLarL wrlLlng a [ournal
- Pave a plcnlc aL a park wlLh a frlend
- Co blrd/naLure waLchlng
- 8ead a book under a Lree
- Crganlze phoLos/Cu collecLlon
- vlslL a peL shop and look aL Lhe anlmals
- lan Lo go flshlng ln a local sLream or pond
- CaLch snowflakes ln your mouLh
- lnvlLe frlends over for board games
- Learn Lo knlL
- lan a garden
- volunLeer Lo walk dogs for a local anlmal shelLer
- lan an affordable 3-day vacaLlon
- SLarL a collecLlon of hearL-shaped rocks
- lan a drlve ln Lhe counLry
- Learn Lo fold dollar bllls lnLo orlgaml creaLures
- Soak your feeL ln warm waLer
- Learn Lo [uggle
- Clean and pollsh Lhe lnslde of your car
- Crganlze a weekly game of crlbbage or brldge
- 8ead abouL places you've always wanLed Lo vlslL (and maybe plan a vlslL!)
- Co Lo Lhe beach
- 1ake a phoLo (every day for a week)
- Co Lo Lhe zoo
- lay horseshoes
- Co Lo a sporLlng evenL
- ALLend a local arL evenL (a dance performance, a play, an arL show openlng)
- Lle by a pool/rlver/lake/beach
- !oln a museum lrlday nlghL evenL
- 1ake a yoga class
- 1ake a hlsLorlc Lour of your clLy
1able adapLed from CLLo, M. W., & SmlLs, !. A. !. (2009). xetclse fot mooJ ooJ ooxlety
JlsotJets (Workbook). new ?ork: Cxford unlverslLy ress.
Aslde from reduclng Lhe LoLal Llme spenL slLLlng, addlng ln breaks durlng slLLlng Llme may be
lmporLanL for malnLalnlng healLh. ln a sLudy of 168 people who provlded
9
deLalled lnformaLlon
on slLLlng and acLlvlLy over a week-long perlod, a break ln slLLlng Llme was llnked Lo a number of
lmporLanL healLh ouLcomes ranglng from walsL clrcumference Lo Lrlglycerlde levels and plasma
glucose, all facLors LhaL are llnked Lo Lhe developmenL of dlabeLes and oLher healLh condlLlons.
ln Lhls sLudy, a break ln slLLlng Llme was deflned as aL leasL 1 mlnuLe of lncreased acLlvlLy (such
as sLandlng up and walklng or paclng brlefly). Why mlghL Lhls movemenL be helpful? As you
mlghL guess, lL ls ln Lhe way Lhe skeleLal muscles uLlllze energy, Lhey are a ma[or clearance slLe
for glucose and plasma Lrlglycerldes. 1haL, and movlng around helps lncrease LoLal dally energy
use. 1hese sLudy flndlngs were powerful enough for us, your auLhors, Lo adopL Lwo sLraLegles
durlng Lhe prolonged desk Llme lL Look Lo wrlLe Lhls book. llrsL, we worked hard Lo remember
Lo sLand and elLher pace or sLreLch aL Lhe end of each hour of wrlLlng. lorLunaLely, our
academlc schedules are such LhaL such prolonged wrlLlng Llme ls unllkely Lo be found durlng Lhe
day, buL aL nlghL, prolonged wrlLlng ls posslble. So, we sLood and paced. 8uL, ln addlLlon,
beLween Lhe wrlLlng of lndlvldual paragraphs, we adopLed a pollcy of exaggeraLed fldgeLs.
1hese fldgeLs lnvolved leg llfLs whlle slLLlng (exLendlng each leg several Llmes whlle aL Lhe desk)
as well as arm upward sLreLches.
We recommend slmllar acLlvlLy for you durlng your dayLlme or nlghLLlme Lelevlslon, drlvlng,
readlng, or desk Llme. ln addlLlon Lo sLandlng up and walklng beLween Lelevlslon shows, for
example, we recommend leg llfLs, arm llfLs, or presses aL every commerclal break.
10
llgure 9.1
summarlzes Lhls movemenL. lL ls lmporLanL Lo remember LhaL Lhese mlld exerclses are noL an
alLernaLlve Lo Lhe aeroblc exerclse LhaL we encourage ln Lhls book, Lhese small breaks are a
separaLe llfe-savlng efforL Lo reduce Lhe lll-effecLs of prolonged slLLlng. no maLLer how much
you exerclse, Lhese breaks from slLLlng are lmporLanL. And, by Lhe way, regular fldgeLlng does
burn calorles, especlally fldgeLlng done whlle sLandlng and walklng, provldlng anoLher sLraLegy
for managlng Lhe energy balance requlred Lo malnLaln a healLhy welghL.
11
Also, look for alLernaLlves Lo prolonged slLLlngs. AL Lhe many sclenLlflc meeLlngs we aLLend, lL ls
noL unusual for Lhe program Lo lnvolve 8 Lo 10 hours of slLLlng across Lhe day. 8uL we don'L slL.
uurlng perlods of Lhe meeLlng, you wlll flnd us sLandlng aL Lhe back or slde of Lhe room. WlLh
years of Lhls pracLlce, we can assure you, lL ls noL rude or overly dlsLracLlng Lo Lhe speakers.
lndeed, Lhe mosL frequenL commenL we have recelved from oLher aLLendees ls Lhe sLaLed wlsh
LhaL Lhey had sLood more (Lo reduce back paln, boLLom paln, or Lo keep Lhe meeLlngs more
sLlmulaLlng). So, we encourage you Lo Lhlnk abouL when you can sLand and move more: durlng
Lelevlslon Llme, beLween or durlng meeLlngs, or when on Lhe phone.
llnally, we are remlnded LhaL WlnsLon Churchlll wroLe aL a sLandlng desk. 1hls ldea has been
Laken one sLep furLher wlLh Lhe advenL of Lreadmlll worksLaLlons. lndeed, a recenL New otk
1lmes arLlcle
12
documenLed Lhe Lhree Lo slx mlles a day logged by employees whlle Lhey Lyped
aL Lhelr compuLer screen. Some wlll even hold meeLlngs whlle walklng backward on Lhelr offlce
Lreadmllls. LnLhuslasLs reporL LhaL lL Lakes aL leasL as much coordlnaLlon as walklng and
chewlng gum, buL we suspecL LhaL more ls requlred. We don'L know lf Lhls mlnl-fad wlll lasL, buL
Lhe Lrend ls already marked by lLs own soclal neLwork (hLLp://offlcewalkers.nlng.com/). We do
llke Lhe ldea of lnLegraLlng movemenL and exerclse wlLh desk Llme, and lL ls clear LhaL walklng
and worklng sLraLegles can provlde dramaLlc lncreases ln calorles burned durlng Lhe day.
13
lor
us, perhaps a Lreadmlll or sLandlng desk wlll be on order for our nexL book.
- lace your hands on Lhe arms of your chalr, and compleLe 3 Lo 10 press ups (llfLlng your
boLLom of Lhe chalr seaL by sLralghLenlng your arms). lf your arms feel Loo Laxed, you can press
up llghLly wlLh your legs Lo make lL easler.
- LlfL your arms, Louchlng your hands LogeLher above your head. uo Len such llfLs and Louches,
slowly.
- LlfL one leg aL a Llme, sLralghLenlng your leg, wlLh your fooL off Lhe ground, whlle sLaylng
seaLed. uo each llfL slowly (1-2 seconds llfLlng, 1-2 seconds reLurnlng your fooL Lo Lhe ground),
and compleLe flve llfLs wlLh each leg.
- ress your heels lnLo Lhe ground (you wlll feel Lhe backs of your legs and your boLLom
LlghLen). llex Lhls way for 3 seconds, and Lhen relax. 8epeaL 3 Lo 10 Llmes.
llgure 9.1. 8rlef exerclses for Lelevlslon commerclal breaks.
'RIN8IN8 IT A66 TO8ET4ER
ln sum, parL of your moLlvaLlonal power comes from glvlng yourself credlL for on-Lrack
behavlors. We dlscussed Lhe lmporLance of echolng Lhese momenLs across Lhe day, parLlcularly
aL momenLs when you mlghL oLherwlse daydream abouL worrles or concerns. lor Lhe nexL
several weeks, pracLlce searchlng for and echolng Lhe poslLlve dally evenLs LhaL occur. Lcholng
wlll make your Lrafflc llghL, check ouL llne, and elevaLor Llme more pleasurable, and wlll serve as
a moLlvaLlon gulde Lo keep your on-Lrack momenLs happenlng. ln addlLlon, Lhls ls Lhe perfecL
Llme ln your llfe Lo re-evaluaLe your self-coachlng and Lo use your self-Lalk Lo glve yourself
credlL where credlL ls due. llnally, we lnLroduced Lhe ldeas of compensaLory eaLlng and slLLlng.
More lnformaLlon on eaLlng paLLerns and acLlvlLy levels ls provlded ln ChapLer 11, buL aL Lhls
polnL, conslder how you can use exerclse as parL of more general acLlvlLy promoLlon. lrom Lhe
number of Llmes you walk Lo Lhe waLer founLaln aL work, Lo whaL you do durlng Lelevlslon
commerclal breaks, Lhe presenL ls an excellenL Llme Lo use acLlvlLy Lo help you become
generally more acLlve ln your dally rouLlne.
M=<N
DI9ERSIFYIN8 YO,R EXERCISE RO,TINE
ugh, noL Lhls agaln!" As wlLh any acLlvlLy, you wlll face Lhe rlsk LhaL, over Llme, your exerclse
rouLlne wlll sLarL Lo feel repeLlLlve and dull. lnsLead of looklng forward Lo your exerclse, you
may begln Lo dread lL, and your feellngs of pleasure wlll sLarL Lo be replaced wlLh a sense of
lrrlLaLlon. 8oredom happens, and we wanL you Lo be ready for lL. 8oredom ls noL a slgn Lo sLop
exerclse, lnsLead, lL should be a slgn Lo stott opptoocbloq yoot exetclse Jlffeteotly.
Cne key Lo malnLalnlng a sLrong exerclse hablL over Llme ls varleLy. varleLy lncludes changlng
exerclse hablLs and conLexL-Lhlngs llke Lhe muslc, cloLhes, workouL buddles, Llme of day, and
place of your workouLs-as well as Lhe Lype of exerclse you compleLe.
Any slngle exerclse rouLlne has loLs of parLs. uo you exerclse ouLdoors or lndoors, alone or wlLh
a frlend, wlLh muslc or wlLhouL? 1o whaL do you pay aLLenLlon? WhaL are your goals? AbouL
whaL are you daydreamlng? All of Lhese facLors make a dlfference ln how exerclse feels. And
how exerclse feels makes a dlfference ln how long you wlll sLay wlLh lL. As you know, good
versus bad feellngs durlng exerclse predlcL wheLher people sLay wlLh or glve up on exerclse
over Llme.
1
1herefore, be vlgllanL Lo whaL you need. AlLhough occaslonal boredom ls okay,
regular feellngs of boredom are noL. lf boredom becomes a regular parL of your exerclse
rouLlne, we wanL you Lo lnLervene acLlvely, sLarLlng by asklng yourself whaL conLrlbuLes Lo Lhe
boredom LhaL yoo experlence durlng exerclse.
8ox 10.1. 8C8LuCM 8LLlLl LAnnlnC
- Where have l been exerclslng? ____________________
WhaL changes mlghL glve me more Lo look aL, experlence, hear, or feel durlng my exerclse?
________________________
- When have l been exerclslng? _____________________
WhaL Llmes of day may glve me a dlfferenL moLlvaLlon Lo exerclse?
____________________________________
- WhaL have l been Lhlnklng abouL durlng exerclse?
________________________________________
Pow can l beLLer dlrecL my LhoughLs durlng Lhls Llme?
__________________________________________
- WhaL have l been llsLenlng Lo durlng exerclse?
________________________________________
WhaL mlghL be beLLer ways Lo make my exerclse Llme
lnLeresLlng?__________________________________
- WlLh whom have l been exerclslng?
________________________________________
Can l flnd a beLLer way Lo make my exerclse Llme feel more soclal?
__________________________________________
- WhaL have l been dolng for exerclse?
________________________________________
Are Lhere ways l can change up Lhls rouLlne Lo make lL more lnLeresLlng?
__________________________________
- WhaL oLher Lypes of exerclse mlghL l llke Lo Lry aL Lhls polnL ln my llfe?
___________________________________
Clven Lhls, whaL ls my plan Lo add more plzzazz lnLo my exerclse?
____________________________________
NO# T4AT I AM 'ORED) #4AT S4O,6D I DOO
LeL's dlscuss some Lhlngs LhaL you can do durlng exerclse Lo curb boredom. ln a recenL sLudy,
2
researchers asked a group of lndlvlduals who were exerclslng aL leasL an hour a week Lo Lry ouL
dlfferenL Lypes of lmagery durlng exerclse, such as recreaLlng a pasL exerclse scene LhaL was
really en[oyable or lmaglnlng Lhe energy Lhey felL ln a prevlous exerclse slLuaLlon. Pere, people
were encouraged Lo Lhlnk of sounds, colors, and oLher elemenLs relaLed Lo Lhe scene Lo creaLe
a vlvld lmage. lL Lurns ouL LhaL lmaglnlng en[oymenL and energy helped people feel beLLer
durlng exerclse. 1hose who used Lhese Lechnlques experlenced more poslLlve feellngs durlng
exerclse and felL more revlLallzed afLer exerclse Lhan dld people who exerclsed wlLhouL uslng
lmagery Lechnlques.
Persectives from C"amions
1he ldea of belng Lhe besL ls qulLe moLlvaLlng for compeLlLlve aLhleLes. l used Lo Lhlnk abouL all
my compeLlLors and how l would ouLwork Lhem ln Lralnlng. l would vlsuallze all Lhe Llme abouL
compeLlng agalnsL my blggesL rlvals durlng my workouLs.
uarrln SLeele 1998 & 2002 Clymplcs - 8obsled
1urnlng Lo energeLlc and en[oyable lmages durlng exerclse can be complemenLed or perhaps
faclllLaLed by Lhe Lype of muslc LhaL you have avallable on your lod or oLher muslc player. 1hls
can mean slmply swlLchlng from rock Lo classlcal, Lrylng Lhe muslc LhaL your frlend
recommended, or maklng exerclse Lhe Llme when you llsLen Lo a audlo book. 1he ldea of
llmlLlng cerLaln muslc or book llsLenlng Llme [usL Lo exerclse Llme can be a powerful lnfluence
on helplng you geL Lhe exerclse you need Lo enhance your weekly well-belng. ?ou geL book Llme
and you geL exerclse Llme, and you geL boLh as long as you are flrm wlLh yourself and only llsLen
when you are movlng. ln addlLlon Lo helplng you combaL boredom, muslc can help you meeL
your speclflc exerclse goals. ln a recenL sLudy,
3
recreaLlonal blcycllsLs were asslgned exerclse
whlle llsLenlng Lo no muslc, preferred muslc, or nonpreferred muslc. As you mlghL expecL,
llsLenlng Lo preferred muslc resulLed ln beLLer performance as raLed by percelved exerLlon and
greaLer rldlng dlsLances. nonpreferred muslc had no beneflL, so lL ls lmporLanL Lo choose your
muslc well.
AlLhough changlng whaL you do durlng exerclse ls effecLlve, don'L heslLaLe Lo make a full-scale
change ln Lhe Lype of exerclse you do. As one of us experlenced recenLly, someLlmes lL Lakes a
new beglnnlng Lo keep exerclse feellng fresh see 8ox 10.2.
Persectives from C"amions
l use exerclse Llme as my creaLlve Llme" for work. ln Lhe mldsL of Lhe workouL, l am Lhlnklng
abouL whaL buslness problems l need Lo solve and how l mlghL do lL. l deflnlLely use muslc and
lf sLaLlonary, vldeo.
Clymplc Cold MedallsL - Men's 8owlng
SEASONA6 C4AN8ES
Whlle a core exerclse (e.g., blklng, runnlng, or swlmmlng) may carry you Lhrough as a regular
workouL regardless of Lhe Llme of year, you may wanL Lo brlng oLher Lypes of exerclse onllne
durlng Lhose monLhs of Lhe year LhaL besL supporL Lhem. Seasonal Leam acLlvlLles can provlde
moLlvaLlon Lo show up, Lry hard, have fun, and Lo make use of Lhe flLness you have culLlvaLed
durlng oLher seasons. Pavlng one workouL a week devoLed Lo a novel acLlvlLy can provlde you
wlLh some naLural cross-Lralnlng and reward you for Lhe flLness you have achleved.
Also, seasonal changes provlde new ways Lo make your regular exerclse lnLeresLlng. 8unnlng ln
snow ls a challenge ln lLs own rlghL. lf you Lry lL, remember one of Lhe caveaLs of lce drlvlng
courses (yes, Lhere are lce drlvlng courses over really awesome frozen Lracks): ?ou can Lurn and
you can brake, buL you can'L boLh Lurn and brake aL Lhe same Llme. 1haL ls, you can'L lf you
wanL Lo keep conLrol of your car. 1he same prlnclple applles Lo runnlng ln snow and lce, slow
down befote Lurnlng. ln facL, slow down generally, and be prepared Lo use a shorLer sLrlde Lo
beLLer keep your feeL under your body. lf you do so, you may dlscover LhaL runnlng ln snow can
be especlally [oyful: Lhe smell of Lhe alr, Lhe sofLness of falllng snow, and Lhe ablllLy Lo pass cars
splnnlng Lhelr way along Lhe sLreeL. Maklng use of seasonal changes ls [usL one way Lo keep
your exerclse lnLeresLlng over Lhe long haul.
8ox 10.2. Au1PC8 L8SLC1lvL: 8C8LuCM ln1L8vLn1lCn
My regular exerclse had been a four-mlle rouLe ln my nelghborhood, Lwlce a week before work
and Lhen once on Lhe weekend. l felL preLLy good abouL Lhe facL LhaL l had been meeLlng Lhe
publlc physlcal acLlvlLy healLh dose, buL had sLarLed becomlng concerned abouL keeplng lL up.
lndeed, geLLlng up early every mornlng Lo go ouLslde and pound Lhe pavemenL, faclng Lhe same
slghLs (and ofLen Lhe same people on Lhe way) had become merely a demandlng Lask lnsLead of
a rewardlng acLlvlLy. Pavlng [olned many gyms wlLhouL acLually golng ln Lhe pasL, l dld noL
conslder Lhls a reallsLlc alLernaLlve. l had always en[oyed Lennls, buL Lhen could noL Lhlnk of Lhls
becomlng a regular acLlvlLy. 1hen, one day, one of my frlends suggesLed l [oln her ln a new
workouL group. 1hls workouL group was organlzed by professlonal Lralners and offered sesslons
Lhree Llmes per day on slx days of Lhe week. 1hls was noL Lhe usual workouL, Lhls was
someLhlng new ln LhaL lL comblned lnLerval Lralnlng (low-lnLenslLy followed by hlgh-lnLenslLy
exerclses), sprlnL and aglllLy drllls, and plyomettlcs (hops, [umps, and boundlng movemenLs) all
ln one sesslon. CLher aLLracLlve feaLures of Lhls workouL were LhaL sesslons were always
dlfferenL, Lhe sesslons were held aL publlc parks around Lhe clLy, and Lhe sesslons were group-
based. l slgned up, and almosL lmmedlaLely noLlced an lmporLanL shlfL: lnsLead of comlng up
wlLh reasons noL Lo exerclse, l sLarLed looklng forward Lo lL. lmporLanLly, boredom durlng
exerclse was replaced by [oy.
Why Lhe shlfL? llrsL, Lhe slmple change from [usL runnlng Lo lnLerval Lralnlng comblned wlLh
exerclslng oLher parLs of Lhe body such as arms, chesL, and abdomen made Lhe workouL appear
less repeLlLlve. Second, havlng an lnsLrucLor Lelllng me whaL Lo do and when Lo do lL added an
elemenL of surprlse, maklng Lhe workouL less predlcLable and more lnLeresLlng. 1hlrd, worklng
ouL ln a group raLher Lhan alone Lurned exerclse lnLo soclal lnLeracLlon, and made lL a more
fulfllllng experlence.
TRYIN8 NE# T4IN8SB 'EIN8 8OOD AT 'EIN8 'AD
Cne requlremenL for [oyfully Lrylng someLhlng new ls LhaL you have Lo be good aL belng bad aL
lL. 1haL ls, lf lL ls Lruly new-meanlng you are sLepplng ouLslde your sklll and comforL
zone-Lhen you need Lo be prepared Lo be a beglnner. 1he [oy of belng a beglnner ls ln Lhe
experlence, LasLlng and seelng Lhlngs LhaL you have never experlenced before. 1rylng Lo be
qooJ ot Lhls new experlence? Why, LhaL ls unfalr Lo Lhe whole process!
We belleve LhaL, every so ofLen, you should acLlvely seek ouL someLhlng LhaL you are bad aL.
uolng Lhls provldes you wlLh such a clear and palpable remlnder LhaL Lhe goal ls noL
perfecLlonlsm, Lhe goal ls [oy. !oy can exlsL aL every sLage of compeLence, as long as you don'L
Lake yourself Loo serlously. And, lL may Lake some good self-coachlng on your parL. AcLlvely
remlnd yourself LhaL you are a beglnner, and Lake LhaL flrsL yoga, dance, cllmblng, kung fu, or
volleyball class wlLh a smlle on your face and a readlness Lo learn. When you flnd yourself Lo be
Lhe only one faclng Lhe wrong way ln class, smlle agaln and learn. And Lake Lhe lesson wlLh
you-lL ls posslble Lo demand so much of yourself LhaL everyLhlng you do feels llke a fallure.
lnsLead, leL yourself learn, and leL yourself be happy wlLh far less Lhan perfecL. 1here ls more
[oy aL Lhls level.
MIXIN8 IT ,PB INTER9A6 TRAININ8
8ecenL sLudles have shown LhaL lotetvol ttololoq can provlde some dramaLlc beneflLs
compared Lo conLlnuous moderaLe exerclse.
4
1hese galns can be achleved ln as llLLle as 2
weeks. lnLerval Lralnlng alLernaLes sprlnL-level lnLenslLy wlLh recovery perlods. 1he Llmlng of
Lhese Lwo perlods dlffers dramaLlcally beLween sLudles, wlLh some programs calllng for 30-
second sprlnL bouLs lnLerchanged wlLh 1 mlnuLe recovery perlods,
3
and oLhers uLlllzlng 4-
mlnuLe (blke) sprlnL perlods alLernaLlng wlLh 2-mlnuLe recovery Llmes.
6
1he number of Lhese
lnLervals (sprlnLs and resL cycles) vary, wlLh somewhere beLween four and Len of each, whlch
means LhaL you can achleve a very lnLense workouL ln very llLLle Llme. lnLerval Lralnlng ls llnked
Lo enhanced muscle and flLness bulldlng as well greaLer faL-burnlng capaclLy. As such, lL
provldes a LempLlng sLraLegy for Lhose who wanL Lo geL ln beLLer shape for compeLlLlon, as well
as for Lhose who wanL Lo lmprove faL burnlng and oLher healLh lndlces. 1he only problem wlLh
lnLerval Lralnlng ls, well, Lhe lnLervals. 1he sprlnL ls hard, admlLLedly less hard aL Lhe 30-second
level Lhan Lhe 2-mlnuLe duraLlon, buL sLlll hard.
uurlng Lhe sprlnL lnLerval you wlll be acuLely aware of your efforL and fadlng sLamlna. ln facL,
one of your auLhors ls cerLaln LhaL durlng lnLerval Lralnlng he once passed Lhrough kbler-8oss'
emoLlonal sLages of dylng: you know, uenlal, Anger, 8argalnlng, uepresslon, and AccepLance.
7
1he problem wlLh Lhe lnLervals ls LhaL you geL Lo Lhe resL perlod before you geL Lo AccepLance.
1hen you have Lo sLarL over aL uenlal (l can make lL, lL lsn'L so hard"). Ckay, we are
exaggeraLlng, buL lnLerval Lralnlng ls a very dlfferenL workouL. 1hls ls lLs value. 8y shlfLlng Lo
lnLerval Lralnlng on some of your workouLs, you can use Lhese challenges Lo more qulckly
change your flLness level as well as change Lhe feel of your longer, slower workouLs. WlLh
lnLerval Lralnlng, you can provlde yourself wlLh very dlverse workouLs and make Lhe longer,
slower workouLs feel easler, a resLful break from Lhe hlgh-lnLenslLy ones. 8uL make sure you are
healLhy enough for Lhls Lralnlng, check wlLh your physlclan lf you conslder shlfLlng Lo Lhese
hlgher-lnLenslLy cardlovascular challenges. And don'L forgeL Lo warm up before and cool down
and sLreLch afLer lnLerval Lralnlng.
Persectives from C"amions
l llke Lo be creaLlve wlLh Lhe seLs l do and vary my Lralnlng a loL, so l do someLhlng dlfferenL
each Llme. Cnce l am ln pracLlce, l llke Lo seL goal Llmes for myself Lo make lL more challenglng.
Cary W. Pall, Mu, 1968, 1972, 1976 Clymplcs,
Sllver (2) and 8ronze MedallsL - Swlmmlng
REMEM'ER T4AT YO,2RE IN IT FOR T4E MOOD 6IFT
now LhaL we have encouraged you Lo conslder Lhe [oys and challenges of hlgh-lnLenslLy
workouLs, we wanL Lo cauLlon you abouL Lhese workouLs as well. Cne of Lhe addlLlve [oys of
exerclse over Llme ls ln observlng how your body and your ablllLles change wlLh conLlnued
workouLs. lf you exerclse regularly, dependlng on how you exerclse, you wlll become fasLer and
sLronger ln whaL you do, and wlll have more endurance for fuLure acLlvlLles. lf you comblne
your workouLs wlLh regular sLreLchlng, you wlll flnd LhaL your body wlll supporL you ln more
acLlvlLles. MovemenLs wlll become easler, chronlc back paln may decrease, and you may keep
your breaLh ln acLlvlLles LhaL used Lo Lax you. 1hls means you have poLenLlal for more fun ln
more acLlvlLles.
lncreaslng flLness may also lead you Lo lncrease your performance demands for workouLs. 1hls
ls a naLural consequence of lmprovlng flLness, you expecL a more flL performance. Powever, we
would llke you Lo be very careful abouL how you coach yourself around Lhese lncreaslng
performance expecLaLlons. Seek a balance beLween maxlmlzlng performance and achlevlng
opLlmal mood beneflLs. ln Lerms of maxlmlzlng your mood beneflLs, remember LhaL any
moderaLely sLrenuous workouL hlLs Lhe mark. leel good abouL lL-even hard workouLs LhaL you
sLruggle Lhrough. undersLand LhaL Lhese days are golng Lo happen, and avold self-crlLlclsm. ?ou
goL ouL Lhere, you exerclsed, your body gave you aL leasL parL of whaL you demanded of lL, and
you puL yourself ln llne for mood beneflLs. uon'L undo Lhese galns by calllng yourself names.
?ou need Lo be ready for and undersLandlng of varlable performance. 8e flrm wlLh yourself,
asklng yourself for a beLLer workouL laLer ln Lhe week, buL do noL sap Lhe [oy from whaLever
workouL you do geL. We are noL saylng noL Lo sLrlve Lo perform well or compeLe, we [usL wanL
you Lo be careful Lo noL leL Lhe compeLlLlon Lake on a llfe of lLs own. We wanL you Lo exerclse
for Lhe [oy lL brlngs, so proLecL aL leasL one preferred exerclse from Lhe compeLlLlon bug!
Persectives from C"amions
A goal such as a race, rowlng regaLLa, or backpacklng Lrlp ls always good Lo have and seems Lo
help me make lmprovemenLs ln Lhe quallLy and quanLlLy of Lhe workouLs. MosL lmporLanLly, lL
ls a healLhy behavlor addlng Llme on my llfe.
uanlel k. Sayner 1980 Clymplc 8owlng (uSA boycoLL)
EXPANDIN8 YO,R EXERCISE TEAMB YO,R FAMI6Y
ln solldlfylng and dlverslfylng your exerclse hablLs, conslder how besL Lo lnvolve your famlly and
frlends. Lveryone wlns lf exerclse Llme ls occaslonally famlly Llme-as long as balance beLween
acLlvlLles ls malnLalned. Pavlng aL leasL one workouL a week wlLh a famlly member or close
frlend offers Lhe beneflL of shared Llme, shared goals, and Lhe spread of Lhe healLh beneflLs of
exerclse Lo Lhose you love. ?ou also geL Lhe poLenLlal beneflL of supporL for your healLh hablLs
from famlly. 1here ls always Lhe danger LhaL exerclse Llme deLracLs from valued famlly
Llme-moLlvaLlng a push-back from famlly-and Lhls ls an effecL we do noL wanL Lo see. Maklng
exerclse Llme shared Llme helps ensure supporL for your acLlvlLy, and guaranLees LhaL lL sLays
lnfused wlLhln Lhe broader search for [oy LhaL we hope ls aL Lhe base of famlly Llme.
lor your romanLlc relaLlonshlps, you may especlally wanL Lo conslder Lrylng new exerclse
acLlvlLles, aL leasL Lhose LhaL are wlLhln your currenL aLhleLlc ablllLles. karaLe programs, dance
lessons, and rock cllmblng classes are avallable ln mosL ma[or clLles. Llkewlse, more aLyplcal
acLlvlLles such as Lrapeze classes are also becomlng lncreaslngly avallable (Lalk abouL an
abdomlnal muscle workouL!). lf Lhese acLlvlLles seem darlng, lL may be [usL Lhe LlckeL for your
relaLlonshlp. Some research suggesLs LhaL arousal upon meeLlng or lnLeracLlng wlLh a poLenLlal
romanLlc parLner, regardless of source (e.g., fear from a swaylng brldge Lo, belleve lL or noL,
exerclse), can be (mls)aLLrlbuLed Lo Lhe romanLlc parLner who shared ln Lhe acLlvlLy.
8
lL seems
Lhere Lhe body geLs confused abouL Lhe source of Lhe exclLemenL, and Lhe exclLemenL ls
aLLrlbuLed Lo Lhe romanLlc parLner, as long as LhaL parLner ls vlewed as aL leasL moderaLely
aLLracLlve. We assume LhaL Lhls ls sLlll Lhe case for your relaLlonshlp. lf so, because of Lhe
anxleLy and Lhrlll of a shared Lrapeze class, yoo may be seen as more aLLracLlve by your
romanLlc parLner. We are noL saylng LhaL you speclflcally need Lo be seen as more exclLlng and
arouslng by your parLner, we [usL don'L know any couples LhaL can'L beneflL from Lhls effecL.
1hlnk abouL lL.
Don2t Forget t"e 5i!sB T"e 'enefits of E+ercise for Yo.t"
1he occurrence and emoLlonal cosL of depresslon ln chlldren and adolescenLs ls a sLarLllng
reallLy. Larly eplsodes of depresslon are also llnked Lo a recurrence of depresslon across Lhe
llfespan,
9
moLlvaLlng Lhe need for boLh early LreaLmenL as well as an ongolng mood
managemenL sLraLegy. uepresslon ln youLh ls also llnked Lo a much broader seL of healLh
problems. lor example, depresslon durlng adolescence, aL leasL ln glrls, ls assoclaLed wlLh more
Lhan a doubllng ln Lhe llkellhood of obeslLy ln adulLhood.
10
ln Lhese glrls, depresslon ofLen
recurs over Llme, and Lhe rlsk of obeslLy ls even hlgher for glrls who have had mulLlple eplsodes
of depresslon. arL of Lhls effecL may be Lhe way ln whlch depresslon ls lLself assoclaLed wlLh
poor eaLlng hablLs, speclflcally Lhe eaLlng of frled or processed foods, reflned gralns, and hlgh-
sugar producLs.
11
arL of Lhls effecL may also be due Lo acLlvlLy levels and exerclse lLself. uurlng
adolescence, glrls ofLen undergo a marked decrease ln physlcal acLlvlLy,
12
and a depressed
mood may decrease Lhls even furLher, seLLlng off a feed-forward cycle of poor mood, reduced
acLlvlLy, and an even worse mood.
1he dramaLlc rlse of chlldhood obeslLy ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes has been well documenLed.
13
8eLween 2003 and 2007, obeslLy raLes among u.S. chlldren lncreased by 10 (18 for glrls),
wlLh an overall 2007 obeslLy raLe of 16.
14
AlmosL one-Lhlrd of chlldren were overwelghL aL
Lhls Llme perlod. 8aLes of obeslLy were llnked Lo Lelevlslon vlewlng Llme and recreaLlonal
compuLer use, and, as you mlghL expecL, lower levels of physlcal acLlvlLy. 1he healLh lmpacL of
Lhls obeslLy epldemlc ls sLrlklng, wlLh obeslLy llnked Lo Lhe developmenL of dlabeLes and oLher
cardlovascular rlsk facLors, lncludlng asLhma.
13
Lxerclse and welghL loss provldes lmporLanL
proLecLlon agalnsL Lhls rlsk, and even aL Lhe early age of 3 years, regular physlcal acLlvlLy ls
llnked Lo lower levels of emoLlonal and behavloral problems, ln addlLlon Lo lLs physlcal healLh
beneflLs.
16
Lxerclse has oLher beneflLs as well. Cne such beneflL appears Lo be work success. ?es, work
success! Pere ls Lhe evldence. A recenL sLudy has shown LhaL people who had been lnvolved ln
hlgh school aLhleLlcs have 14 Lo 19
17
hlgher worklng wages ln adulLhood. Whlle lL ls noL
clear whlch aspecLs of aLhleLlc lnvolvemenL help brlng abouL Lhls assoclaLlon, lL ls clear LhaL lL ls
noL slmply a dlfference ln educaLlon or famlly background, raLher, lL may be LhaL aLhleLlcs helps
klds develop skllls Lo lncrease personal and work producLlvlLy ln llfe. ALhleLes learn how Lo
compeLe well wlLhln Lhe rule sLrucLure of a glven sporL, and also learn how Lo operaLe wlLhln a
Leam sLrucLure Lo work Loward a clear goal. 1hey also learn how Lo malnLaln moLlvaLlon and
focus on a goal, desplLe adverslLy (Lhe efforL muscle). All of Lhese skllls may provlde beneflL ln
Lhe worklng world.
Ckay, parenLs, leL's revlew. So far, we have evldence LhaL exerclse ln youLh can help Lhem
become healLhy and wealLhy. Pow abouL wlse? ?es, wlse as well. 8esearch on youLh lndlcaLes
LhaL exerclse has beneflLs Lo aLLenLlon and memory,
18
[usL as lL does ln adulLs.
19
As such,
exerclse can glve your chlld a beLLer opporLunlLy Lo learn. WheLher or noL LhaL LranslaLes lnLo
beLLer grades depends on oLher facLors, llke wheLher LhaL lmproved learnlng ablllLy ls applled Lo
academlc pursulLs or [usL a qulcker reacLlon Llme for a vldeo game.
4e$ing Yo.r C"i$! Start an E+ercise 4a/it
?ou can use boLh boLLom-up and Lop-down sLraLegles Lo help your chlld develop lnLeresL ln
exerclse. lor Lhe lnlLlal engagemenL of Lhe chlld's own lnLeresLs (boLLom-up), emphaslze
exerclse ln Lhe conLexL of fun games. 1here ls evldence LhaL chlldren flnd exerclse more
en[oyable when Lhe focus ls noL on compeLlLlon and wlnnlng.
20
lnsLead conslder: (1) focuslng
on parLlclpaLlon wlLh famlly members, wlLh parenLs encouraglng and parLlclpaLlng ln acLlvlLles,
and (2) provldlng a broad array of cholces, Lo see whaL parLlcular sporL or acLlvlLy capLures a
chlld's lnLeresL. 8uL remember LhaL unsLrucLured acLlvlLles may be preferred Lo any sLrucLured
acLlvlLles. lf a chlld does Lry a Leam sporL, keep ln mlnd LhaL mlsLakes are common. MosL
chlldren wlll look Lo parenLs when Lhese mlsLakes occur, so parenLs have an lmporLanL role Lo
play ln keeplng Lhose mlsLakes ln perspecLlve and focuslng on Lhe [oys of parLlclpaLlon.
21
Chlldren have a range of moLlvaLlons for exerclse, lncludlng Lhe exclLemenL LhaL Lhey feel when
lnvolved ln an acLlvlLy, saLlsfacLlon and pleasure from learnlng a new sklll or decreaslng a
weakness, learnlng someLhlng LhaL may be useful laLer ln llfe, or slmply en[oylng Lhe mood
beneflLs.
22
CulLlvaLlng an lnLeresL ln compeLlLlon and wlnnlng can come laLer.
As a Lop-down sLraLegy, parenLs can Lhlnk abouL how Lo lnvolve Lhelr chlldren ln Lhelr own
exerclse hablLs. !ogglng sLrollers revoluLlonlzed Lhe ablllLy of parenLs Lo make exerclse Llme
famlly Llme, aL leasL for Loddlers. ln addlLlon Lo regular famlly walks, parenLs can geL more
aeroblc efforL by havlng Lhelr chlldren blke or scooL along wlLh Lhem on a safe Lrack or blke
lane. arenLs should also keep ln mlnd how easy lL ls Lo exerclse ln Lhe conLexL of chase games,
or sporLs (such as a half hour of shooLlng baskeLs). 1hese sLraLegles noL only help parenLs,
exerclse buL lnLroduce chlldren Lo Lhe ldea LhaL exerclse ls a regular parL of adulL llfe-an
expecLaLlon LhaL may help keep Lhe exerclse hablL allve as your chlld develops.
As chlldren LranslLlon lnLo Lhe Leen years, use of exerclse for welghL managemenL and sculpLlng
of body shape becomes more lmporLanL, as does Lhe role of soclal neLworks wlLhln sporL Leams.
noneLheless, famlly and peer supporL, parLlclpaLlon, and encouragemenL can help keep your
chlld moLlvaLed Lo conLlnue Lo expand hls or her aeroblc acLlvlLles (see Appendlx for webslLe
resources). ln all of Lhese exerclse promoLlon acLlvlLles, sLarL early and keep lL fun.
FINDIN8 T4E RI84T 'A6ANCE
keep ln mlnd LhaL exerclse, llke anyLhlng else, needs balance. Among young women,
overexerclse can be a sympLom of dlsLorLlons ln body lmage, as well as Lhe rellance on body for
self-lmage. 1hese concerns can sLrlke successful female aLhleLes, where overLralnlng and
undereaLlng (dlsordered eaLlng) can shuL down Lhe mensLrual cycle and place Lhe aLhleLe aL
serlous rlsk for loss of bone denslLy and oLher healLh lssues.
23
1he body mass lndex (8Ml)
Lables presenLed ln Lhe nexL chapLer are useful for ldenLlfylng when welghL ls falllng Loo low.
Llkewlse, lf eaLlng paLLerns seem unhealLhy, Lhen early lnLervenLlon ls ln order.
24
Seeklng balance ln Lhe frequency and lnLenslLy of exerclse ls parL of Lhe overall message of Lhls
chapLer: dlverslfy your exerclse experlence Lo enhance your feellngs of well-belng. 8alance can
lnclude drawlng on your dlfferenL levels of experLlse-dolng Lhlngs you are good aL and maklng
sure Lo also occaslonally lnLroduce new Lhlngs LhaL you are noL good aL. As we sLaLed earller,
[oy can exlsL aL every sLage of compeLence. 1he key ls noL Laklng yourself Loo serlously. And,
when lL comes Lo exerclse, whlle you are seeklng dlverslLy, remember Lo keep your focus on
geLLlng your mood llfL and en[oylng Lhe process of movlng and belng flL.
M==N
EXTENDIN8 YO,R AC4IE9EMENTSB AN ACTI9E AND FIT
6IFE
1he purpose of Lhls book ls Lo gulde you ln developlng and malnLalnlng a regular program of
exerclse LhaL wlll help you overcome sLress, depresslon, anxleLy, or oLher mood challenges.
Along Lhe way, we have also lnLroduced you Lo a number of oLher lmporLanL prlnclples for
managlng behavlor, lncludlng lnformaLlon on Lhe naLure of moLlvaLlon and self-conLrol. We
have parLlcularly focused on Lhe lmporLance of arranglng your envlronmenL, and ln chalnlng
LogeLher behavlors, Lo help you feel more llke dolng Lhe Lhlngs you care abouL. ln many ways,
our maxlm was noL mote effott, buL mote eovltoomeot, bettet tblokloq, ooJ eoslet effott. 1he
goal was Lo help you learn how Lo flnesse your envlronmenL and your hablLs, so LhaL you rely
less on lnLernal self-conLrol efforLs.
now, conslder leveraglng Lhls Lralnlng and your exerclse successes lnLo maklng sure you geL Lo
en[oy your beLLer mood over Lhe long run. 1hls chapLer ls dedlcaLed Lo helplng you use your
currenL skllls Lo enhance some of Lhe physlcal healLh beneflLs of exerclse.
EXERCISE 'ENEFITSB #EI84T 6OSS AND O'ESITY PRE9ENTION
lf you are exerclslng regularly, you may already be sLarLlng Lo noLlce some of Lhe changes ln
vlLallLy LhaL come wlLh a sLronger body. ?ou may flnd lL easler Lo do Lhlngs-play wlLh Lhe klds,
cllmb sLalrs, have endurance aL work-and you may feel Lhe sense of body and sLrengLh LhaL
goes wlLh belng more ln shape. 1hese are expecLed changes. rogrammed exerclse noL only
lmproves mood, buL lncreases feellngs of vlLallLy, lmproves physlcal funcLlon, and enhances
soclal funcLlonlng.
1
lL ls now up Lo you Lo declde wheLher you wanL Lo add welghL loss Lo Lhls
llsL of achlevemenLs. 8ecause you are prlmarlly exerclslng for your mood and well-belng, lf you
wanL Lo lose welghL (for elLher healLh or appearance reasons), deflne LhaL welghL loss as a
separaLe goal.
Cur purpose for Lhls secLlon of Lhe book ls Lo help you use whaL you learned ln prevlous
chapLers Lo beLLer arrange your llfesLyle for addlLlonal healLh goals. And, we wanL you Lo keep
lmprovlng your mood whlle you do so. 8efore we geL Lo Lhose sLraLegles, leL's look aL some of
Lhe oLher advanLages of exerclse, lncludlng Lhe beneflLs of welghL loss lf you are overwelghL or
obese.
As you know, exerclse offers a wlde range of healLh beneflLs, wlLh lncreaslng cardlovascular
flLness, on average you can expecL Lo llve longer, regardless of wheLher you are currenLly
healLhy or wheLher you are recoverlng from a healLh condlLlon.
2
?eL, as beneflclal as exerclse
and cardlovascular flLness may be, lL ls even beLLer when you are aL a healLhy welghL.
3
MalnLalnlng a healLhy welghL ls assoclaLed wlLh speclflc reducLlons ln cardlac rlsk facLors, as
well as wlLh reducLlons ln all of Lhe healLh rlsks llnked Lo dlabeLes. Much of Lhe research on Lhe
llnk beLween welghL and morbldlLy (dlseases) and morLallLy (deaLh) uses accepLed deflnlLlons
of overwelghL sLaLus and obese sLaLus. 1hese caLegorles are based on calculaLlons of boJy
moss, calculaLed from helghL and welghL Lables, such as Lhe one on page 177 (please vlslL our
webslLe hLLp://www.exerclse4mood.com lf you wanL Lo calculaLe your exacL body mass lndex
[8Ml]). 1he 8Ml provldes an esLlmaLe for healLhy body proporLlons based on helghL and welghL,
and lL ls senslLlve Lo Lhe percenL of body faL you carry. 1he 8Ml ls a wldely used lndex for
ldenLlfylng welghL problems.
ln provldlng you wlLh Lhls 8Ml Lable, we expecL a cerLaln amounL of surprlse abouL Lhe welghL
ranges LhaL deflne overwelghL or obese sLaLus. Along wlLh Lhe lncrease ln welghL and obeslLy
among adulLs and chlldren ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes, Lhere appears Lo be a growlng accepLance of
hlgher welghL sLandards. lL appears LhaL Amerlcans are geLLlng used Lo Lhe ldea of belng
overwelghL, and are changlng Lhelr perspecLlves on how people should look. 1haL ls, ldeas
abouL how someone should look depend ln parL on whaL people are used Lo seelng. WhaL you
see, ln Lurn, depends on where you llve, because obeslLy ls noL dlsLrlbuLed evenly across Lhe
unlLed SLaLes. lor example, 16.4 of chlldren across Lhe unlLed SLaLes were classlfled as obese
as of 2007. Powever, raLes dlffered dramaLlcally beLween sLaLes, ranglng from more Lhan 1 ouL
of 3 chlldren ln Mlsslsslppl classlfled as obese Lo a low of 1 ouL of 10 chlldren ln Cregon.
4
Some of Lhe sLaLe-Lo-sLaLe varlaLlon ln obeslLy raLes appears Lo be accounLed for by household
and nelghborhood envlronmenL characLerlsLlcs such as modes of LransporLaLlon (lnfluenclng
walklng raLes, for example), lncome (lnfluenclng Lhe avallablllLy of lelsure Llme and/or food
cholces), safeLy (keeplng klds lndoors), llmlLaLlons on Lhe avallablllLy of recreaLlonal faclllLles
(opporLunlLy for exerclse), or Lhe ready avallablllLy of fasL-food ouLleLs (ease of hlgh-calorle
food cholces). 8uL even when facLors llke Lhese were Laken lnLo accounL, chlldren ln Ceorgla,
kenLucky, 1ennessee, and WesL vlrglnla remalned aL more Lhan Lwlce Lhe raLe of obeslLy as
chlldren ln Cregon. Pow does Lhls happen?
1able 11.1. 8ody mass lndex Lable
1here ls evldence LhaL obeslLy Lravels Lhrough soclal neLworks. lor example, among adulLs, Lhe
llkellhood of belng obese ls llnked Lo wheLher a person's famlly and frlends (Lhelr soclal
neLwork) are obese.
3
Accordlng Lo populaLlon research, Lhe chance of becomlng obese
lncreases by 37 lf a person has a frlend who became obese. ln Lerms of famlly members, an
lndlvldual's chance of becomlng obese ls 37 lf he or she has an obese spouse. 1he chance of
obeslLy was slmllar (40) lf a person had an obese slbllng. As such, lL appears LhaL sLandards for
eaLlng, exerclse, and appearance may be shared beLween lndlvlduals, as well as ln
communlLles, Lhus lnfluenclng Lhe llkellhood of obeslLy.
1hls ls parL of Lhe value of Lhe 8Ml sLandards, Lhey provlde a sLandard for welghL lndependenL
of Lhe people we know and Lhe communlLles ln whlch we llve. 1he sLandards are reprlnLed here
noL Lo lnduce shame (shame rarely resulLs ln useful behavlor), buL Lo ldenLlfy Lhe healLh ranges
where welghL has been assoclaLed wlLh poor healLh ouLcomes. Cur hope ls LhaL, lf you declde
Lo change your welghL-relaLed rlsk facLors, you mlghL also lnfluence your famlly and frlends. lL
follows LhaL lf obeslLy Lravels Lhrough soclal neLworks, expecLaLlons for exerclse mlghL also
spread Lhrough Lhese neLworks. ln oLher words, we hope LhaL exerclse and lLs beneflLs wlll be
conLaglous-LhaL over Llme, your famlly and frlends wlll cotcb Lhese acLlvlLles from you. 8uL
LhaL ls only posslble lf you Lake Lhe lead on exerclse and welghL loss, lf Lhls ls an approprlaLe
goal for you.
FOOD AND MOOD
ln Lerms of aL leasL one cruclal rlsk facLor for welghL galn, you have already Laken some
lmporLanL sLeps. A sad, blue, or depressed mood appears Lo be a powerful moLlvaLor for
overeaLlng.
6
8y geLLlng Lhe mood beneflLs from exerclse, you are reduclng Lhe llkellhood LhaL
you wlll be ln Lhose moods LhaL lnfluence poor eaLlng cholces. Also, chooslng Lo do someLhlng
valuable (exerclse) when faced wlLh a bad mood helps you avold one lmporLanL welghL-galn
paLLern: eaLlng ln response Lo low moods. Such a dramaLlc llnk exlsLs beLween food and mood
LhaL lL pays Lo go Lhrough Lhls lnformaLlon more carefully, parLlcularly as lL relaLes Lo
depresslon.
uepresslon and eaLlng paLLerns are clearly llnked, lncludlng whaL you eaL. lor example, ln a
recenL sLudy ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes, a dleLary paLLern characLerlzed by vegeLables, frulL, meaL,
flsh, and whole gralns was assoclaLed wlLh a lower llkellhood of depresslon and anxleLy
dlsorders. ln conLrasL, a dleL characLerlzed by processed or frled foods, reflned gralns, sugary
producLs, and beer was llnked wlLh hlgher mood dlsLress scores.
7
1hls sLudy was cross-
secLlonal, meanlng LhaL Lhe llnk beLween food and mood was examlned aL one polnL ln Llme.
1he Lwo were llnked, buL lL lsn'L clear lf poor moods led people Lo eaL less-healLhy food, or
wheLher less-healLhy food led people Lo experlence poor moods. When oLher sLudles are
examlned, lL appears llkely LhaL boLh effecLs occur-Lhere ls a poLenLlal for a feed-forward cycle
beLween low mood, poor food cholces, and a worsenlng mood.
Concernlng Lhe llnk beLween mood and food cholces, lL ls clear LhaL Lhe ablllLy Lo reslsL
comforLlng snacks decreases wlLh a negaLlve mood. When ln a bad mood, people seek
lmmedlaLe graLlflcaLlon (acLlng on Lhe momenLary lmpulse Lo make Lhemselves feel beLLer).
8
lood ls parL of Lhls wlsh for lmmedlaLe graLlflcaLlon. eople wanL Lo feel beLLer, and Lhe nexL
bag of chlps offers some promlse of dlsLracLlon and rellef. lnLeresLlngly, lf people are led Lo
belleve LhaL Lhelr mood wlll noL change readlly, Lhen Lhey don'L Lend Lo use such problemaLlc
sLraLegles.
9
1here ls also evldence LhaL food selecLlon has an lmpacL on subsequenL mood. ln a large-scale
sLudy ln Spaln, for example, raLes of depresslon ln over 10,000 adulLs were examlned over a
more Lhan 4-year perlod. ln Lhese people, 480 cases of new depresslon were documenLed, and
a llnk beLween Lhese new cases of depresslon and dleL was evldenL. ln general, greaLer
adherence Lo a MedlLerranean uleL (see below) was helpful for mood. Cf speclflc foods, Lhe
consumpLlon of more frulL and nuLs was llnked Lo lower raLes of depresslon, and greaLer
consumpLlon of meaLs and whole-faL dalry producLs was llnked Lo hlgher raLes of depresslon.
Slmllar supporLlng evldence comes from a large-scale sLudy ln Lngland.
10
1here, researchers
examlned Lhe llnk beLween dleL and depressed mood across 3 years ln 3,486 adulLs. A hlgh
consumpLlon of processed foods-characLerlzed by processed meaL, frled food, reflned gralns,
hlgh-faL dalry producLs, sweeLened desserLs, chocolaLes, and condlmenLs-was llnked Lo hlgher
depresslon scores. Cn Lhe oLher hand, a MedlLerranean-Lype dleL-ln Lhls case deflned by flsh,
frulLs, and vegeLables-was llnked Lo lower depresslon.
lL ls noL clear whaL lL ls abouL Lhese dleLary paLLerns, and lndeed wheLher lL ls Lhe dleL or some
oLher assoclaLed facLor, LhaL lnfluences depresslon. Powever, a MedlLerranean dleL LasLes
good, provldlng one sLrlklng reason for adopLlng lL before all Lhe mood evldence ls ln. ln
addlLlon Lo good LasLe and good mood, Lhere's anoLher compelllng reason Lo adopL a
MedlLerranean-Lype dleL: physlcal healLh!
FOOD AND P4YSICA6 4EA6T4
lollowlng a MedlLerranean-Lype dleL has clear healLh beneflLs. 8y dleL, we mean whaL you eaL,
noL how much you eaL, we are noL commenLlng on dleLlng ln Lhls book-loLs of oLher books are
avallable for LhaL. 1he MedlLerranean-Lype dleL refers Lo Lhe regular consumpLlon of whole
gralns, nuLs, flsh, chlcken, ollve oll, and red wlne (beer may be ouL, buL wlne ls ln). Consldered
LogeLher, an lmpresslve amounL of evldence shows LhaL Lhls paLLern of eaLlng ls llnked Lo
reducLlons ln overall deaLh raLes, raLes of cardlovascular dlsease and deaLhs, raLes of cancers
and cancer-relaLed deaLhs, and raLes of neurodegeneraLlve dlseases llke Alzhelmer's dlsease or
arklnson's dlsease.
11
1he exacL characLerlzaLlon of Lhe MedlLerranean-Lype dleL dlffers
somewhaL beLween sLudles, buL our besL summary of Lhls dleL ls capLured ln 1able 11.2. lor
reasons of good LasLe, good mood, and good healLh, we see no reason noL Lo Lry Lo selecL meals
uslng Lhese lLems whenever posslble. use Lhe followlng llsL Lo generaLe replacemenL meals and
snacks for some of Lhe processed foods, frled foods, meaL, and hlgh-faL dalry producLs ln your
dleL.
EATIN8PATTERNSB 8ETTIN8 T4E MOST O,T OF EXERCISE
WlLh regular exerclse for mood, you have already Laken a cruclal sLep Loward welghL loss. WlLh
regular exerclse, you are burnlng more calorles whlle you exerclse and bulldlng more muscles
LhaL can keep burnlng calorles ouLslde Lhe exerclse sesslon. As you bulld more muscle wlLh
exerclse, Lhose muscles burn more calorles, even when you are noL worklng ouL. ln addlLlon,
wlLh a shlfL Loward a MedlLerranean-Lype dleL, you wlll be eaLlng foods LhaL should malnLaln
your pleasure ln eaLlng whlle offerlng you healLh and mood beneflLs. 1he nexL sLep for healLh ls
Lo make sure LhaL you don'L undo Lhe welghL loss beneflLs of exerclse and Lhe healLh promoLlon
of Lhe MedlLerranean dleL by eaLlng more. As we dlscussed ln ChapLer 9, compensaLory eaLlng
can undo some of your galns from exerclse. 1he alLernaLlve ls Lo focus on a healLhy dleL, wlLh
no eaLlng rewards on days of exerclse. 8uL, whaL should you do abouL hunger?
1able 11.2. Culdellnes for adopLlng a medlLerranean dleL
Increase foo!s from $ant so.rces) refera/$- minima$$- rocesse!B
- CeL mosL of your food from planL sources, lncludlng frulLs and vegeLables, poLaLoes, breads
and gralns, beans, nuLs, and seeds.
- Alm for 7-10 servlngs per day.
- SwlLch Lo whole-graln bread, cereals, and pasLas, and brown rlce.
- Choose a varleLy of mlnlmally processed and seasonally fresh and locally grown foods,
whlch maxlmlzes Lhelr mlcronuLrlenL and anLloxldanL conLenL.
Increase cons.mtion of n.tsB
- LaL a handful of nuLs dally, such as almonds, cashews, or walnuLs.
- Avold candled, honey-roasLed, and heavlly salLed nuLs.
Ma1e o$ive oi$ -o.r main so.rce of fatB
- use ollve oll for your prlnclpal faL (or oLher olls rlch ln monounsaLuraLed faLs, such as canola
or peanuL oll) lnsLead of buLLer, margarlne, and oLher olls.
- LaL a hlgh raLlo of monounsaLuraLed Lo saLuraLed faL.
C"oose fis" an! o.$tr- over re! meatB
- LaL faLLy flsh (such as mackerel, lake LrouL, herrlng, sardlnes, albacore Luna, and salmon)
and poulLry aL leasL Lwlce per week.
- LlmlL red meaL consumpLlon Lo a few Llmes per monLh, when eaLen, choose lean meaL ln
small porLlons (slze of a deck of cards).
Eat a $imite! amo.nt of $o0&fat !air-B
- ually consumpLlon of low Lo moderaLe amounLs of cheese and yogurL.
- Choose low-faL and non-faL verslons.
Ma1e fr.it -o.r s0eet snac1 of c"oiceB
- LaL fresh frulL dally lnsLead of hlgh-sugar sweeLs.
Season foo! 0it" sicesB
- use herbs and splces lnsLead of salL Lo flavor meals.
#ine in mo!eration Fotiona$GB
- Consume moderaLe amounLs of wlne (abouL one Lo Lwo glasses per day for men and one
glass per day for women).
- urple grape [ulce can be an alLernaLlve Lo wlne.
4.nger
Lxerclse wlll leave you feellng hungry. Lxerclse wlll also help you become beLLer aL noL belng
pushed around by momenLary feellngs of hunger. ln ChapLer 8, we dlscussed mlndfulness, Lhe
process of belng aware of feellngs of exerLlon ln your body (feellng sweaLy, breaLhless, and
queasy) whlle noL belng overly lnfluenced by Lhese feellngs. !usL because you feel Lhese
sensaLlons, you don'L have Lo sLop your run, blke, swlm, eLc. As we dlscussed ln LhaL chapLer,
mlndfulness helps you Lo be aware of Lhe range of evenLs ln your mlnd-sensaLlons, feellngs,
LhoughLs-whlle noL havlng Lo be Loo lnvolved wlLh any one of Lhem. ?ou choose whaL ls besL
for you agalnsL a backdrop of boLh useful and less Lhan useful LhoughLs or pleasanL and
unpleasanL sensaLlons. Apply Lhls sklll Lo Lemporary sensaLlons of hunger and urges Lo snack.
Lvery urge Lo eaL or every pang of hunger does noL need Lo be meL wlLh eaLlng. lndeed,
dlscomforL wlLh bodlly sensaLlons ls llnked Lo dysregulaLed eaLlng. As you become comforLable
wlLh Lhe range of bodlly sensaLlons LhaL occur wlLh exerclse, Lransfer Lhls ablllLy Lo how you
evaluaLe feellngs ln your guL (!usL as l became more comforLable wlLh feellngs of exerLlon, l
can geL comforLable wlLh Lhls subLle feellng ln my sLomach"). 1he key ls decldlng whaL Lhe
healLhful level of eaLlng ls for your body, and Lhen pursulng LhaL level wlLh a healLhful cholce of
foods ln llne wlLh a MedlLerranean-Lype dleL. lf you are unsure of whaL you should eaL (or lf you
have goLLen feedback LhaL you are under- or overeaLlng), check wlLh a nuLrlLlonlsL Lo geL a
sense of whaL your body requlres for healLh. Cnce you seL LhaL level as a goal, en[oy your eaLlng
as much as posslble, wlLh dlverse foods eaLen across Lhree or more healLhy meals a day.
T"irst
1hlrsL deserves your aLLenLlon. ?ou do need Lo rehydraLe your body afLer exerclse. uo Lhls wlLh
waLer. Plgh-calorle drlnks are an excellenL way to oolllfy Lhe calorles burned durlng exerclse.
Lven one large sweeLened soda or sporL drlnk can accounL for approxlmaLely 10 of dally
recommended calorles (check Lhe label: some of Lhese drlnks are amazlng sugar fesLs). More
expllclLly, we recommend an ellmlnaLlon of all ulLra-sweeLened drlnks ln favor of sLlll or
sparkllng waLer. lf you have been drlnklng sugary sodas, lL wlll Lake you some Llme Lo flnd
unsweeLened sparkllng waLer LasLy, buL lL wlll happen wlLh pracLlce.
ln successful change, people are creaLures of loctemeotollsm, changes LhaL lasL ofLen occur ln a
sLepwlse fashlon. lor example, glvlng up sweeLened drlnks can sLarL wlLh a shlfL from a sugared
cola Lo a dleL cola (flrsL flllng Lhe cup 30/30 wlLh dleL cola, and Lhen progresslng Lo 100 dleL
soda across a week or Lwo). 8uL don'L sLop Lhere. Also Lry Lo replace Lhese drlnks wlLh pure
waLer. 1hls may Lake lncremenLal acLlon as well. Sparkllng waLer wlLh a LwlsL of llme can be a
fully saLlsfylng drlnk on lLs own. 8uL Lo be able Lo en[oy Lhls drlnk, you need Lo lose Lhe LasLe for
super sweeL. 1o work yourself Lo Lhls polnL, Lry addlng a sweeLened [ulce Lo Lhe sparkllng waLer
(cranberry [ulce cockLall, for example). 1hen, over Llme, reduce Lhe [ulce conLenL, waLchlng your
drlnk go from red Lo llghL plnk as you use less and less [ulce and develop a greaLer LasLe for
sparkllng waLer alone. ?ou don'L have Lo plck sparkllng waLer. We chose lL as an example
because we llke lL, and lL nlcely lllusLraLes Lhe lncremenLal change LhaL helps people change
hablLs. And don'L forgeL Lhe Lall glass, lce, and sLraw-lL's ofLen Lhe llLLle Lhlngs LhaL make a cold
drlnk fun. PydraLe yourself well.
ARRAN8IN8 YO,R FOOD EN9IRONMENT
A clear Lheme of Lhls book ls how Lo arrange your envlronmenL so LhaL you don'L have Lo come
up wlLh your own moLlvaLlon from deep wlLhln. We wanL you Lo puL yourself ln Lhe poslLlon of
havlng your envlronmenL moLlvaLe you. 1here ls Lerrlflc evldence LhaL Lhls works well for
healLhy food cholces.
12
Lven subLle dlfferences ln efforL appear Lo make a huge dlfference for
food cholces. lor example, placlng a bowl of candles one desk (6 feeL) away, raLher Lhan on
your desk, can lead Lo a 63 reducLlon ln pleces of candy eaLen.
13
ln oLher words, use Lhe
cholce archlLecLure prlnclples we revlewed ln ChapLer 4 Lo help yourself make healLhy cholces.
LxcellenL research shows LhaL efforL and servlng ware can make a large dlfference ln eaLlng
hablLs. llrsL, don'L make eaLlng unhealLhy food easy. ?our efforLs aL promoLlng healLhy eaLlng
sLarL aL Lhe food sLore. lf you don'L buy hlgh-faL foods, you can'L eaL Lhem ln a momenL of
weakness. Co Lo Lhe food sLore afLer you have eaLen, and when you are ln a good mood, so
LhaL hunger and/or Lhe deslre for hlgh-calorle comforL food cannoL lead you asLray. lf you do
have more unhealLhy food aL home, place Lhese foods hlgh up ln Lhe cablneL or panLry, and puL
Lhe healLhy food cholces (e.g., frulLs and nuLs) wlLhln easy reach, such as ln a bowl on Lhe
counLer. And, when you serve food, conslder Lhe servlng dlsh. lor example, placlng snack food
ln a slngle large bowl lnsLead of Lwo smaller bowls (same amounL of food, [usL dlfferenL bowls)
leads people Lo serve Lhemselves over 30 more. And once Lhey serve Lhemselves 30 more,
Lhey Lend Lo eaL Lhls addlLlonal amounL as well.
14
1hls leads us Lo anoLher conslderaLlon: eople Lend Lo load up Lhelr plaLe and eaL whaL ls on
Lhelr plaLe. WlLh larger plaLe slzes, people Lake and eaL more food. lf you wanL Lo eaL less, Lhen
glve yourself Lhe free glfL of calorle conLrol LhaL comes from havlng smaller plaLes. Smaller
plaLes mean less consumpLlon, and accordlng Lo research, equal feellngs of saLleLy.
13
We geL
used Lo eaLlng and feellng full based on whaL ls on Lhe plaLe or ln our bowls, so LhaL, ln many
cases, we are more conLrolled by Lhe look of a full plaLe Lhan by Lhe acLual amounL of calorles.
Ch, and Lhe same goes for glassware. eople percelve Lall Lhln glasses as conLalnlng more
llquld, whlch means LhaL lf you serve your guesLs ln glassware LhaL ls shorL and wlde, Lhey wlll
drlnk more llquld Lhan Lhey oLherwlse mlghL.
1hese prlnclples and whaL you can do Lo make Lhem work for you are summarlzed ln 1able
11.3. 1he value of Lhese sLraLegles ls LhaL Lhe efforL does noL have Lo come from you. 8y
followlng Lhese guldellnes, you can use your envlronmenL Lo make healLhful eaLlng cholces
easler and more auLomaLlc.
1able 11.3. AlLerlng one's personal envlronmenL Lo help reduce consumpLlon
Conslderlng Lhese prlnclples, Lake a walk Lhrough your home and look where your aLLenLlon ls
dlrecLed. Pow does your home envlronmenL encourage you ln Lerms of acLlvlLy, eaLlng, and
slLLlng? lf you LhoughL serlously abouL your dally goals, and whaL sorL of acLlvlLles and eaLlng
hablLs you wanLed Lo encourage, how would you change your rooms? WhaL would be on
dlsplay? Where would Lhe Lelevlslon be? 1hen devoLe an hour or Lwo Lo reorganlzlng a few key
rooms Lo see lf Lhey can beLLer supporL your goals. 1he followlng secLlons conLlnue Lhls Lheme:
Pow can you Lake lessons learned from your exerclse program and exLend Lhem for a more
acLlve and happler llfe?
4A9IN8AN ACTI9E 6IFESTY6E
ln Lhls chapLer, we have so far focused on some of Lhe ttees-provldlng lnformaLlon on ways Lo
feed your body food LhaL really susLalns lL, ways Lo use your body on a dally basls Lhrough
movemenL LhaL has proLecLlve effecLs over Llme, and ways Lo arrange your envlronmenL so LhaL
lL supporLs your goals for healLhy eaLlng and movlng. now, lL ls Llme Lo vlew Lhe fotest. We
belleve LhaL exerclslng for mood ls Lhe flrsL sLep ln a llfesLyle LransformaLlon Loward healLhy
acLlvlLy. We wanL you Lo caplLallze on Lhe changlng feellngs of vlLallLy ln your body, so LhaL you
wlll acL vlLally on a dally basls. Lxamlne your envlronmenL and your hablLs Lo see where you can
lncrease your movemenL and your lnvolvemenL. 8elow are elghL small ways Lo sLarL Lhe
LransformaLlon Loward a flLLer and happler you.
=( Stairs) #a$1ing) an! P$a-
AcLlve vlLallLy-LhaL ls our goal for your dally funcLlonlng. Cne pracLlcal aspecL of acLlve vlLallLy
ls Lhe adapLlve use of your body on a dally and hourly basls. Pere, we ask Lhe quesLlon, Pow
can you feel your body and your muscles every day?" 1he use of sLalrs and walklng provldes Lhe
easlesL soluLlons for mosL people. AL home, ls Lhere a local sLore Lo whlch you can walk lnsLead
of drlve? Pow abouL uslng Lhe sLalrs aL home or aL work? When you sLand Lo walk lnLo anoLher
room, do you Lake a momenL Lo sLreLch llghLly or do a few leg llfLs? uo you Lake a momenL Lo
do some llghL sLandlng pushups agalnsL Lhe wall (where you place your feeL 2 Lo 3 feeL from Lhe
wall, your hands on Lhe wall aL shoulder level, lean ln, Lhen press yourself back ouL)? A few
sLandlng push-ups are noL a workouL (Lhey lasL under 30 seconds), buL Lhey glve you a chance
Lo feel your muscles, Lo feel your vlLallLy, and Lo be aware of your body as someLhlng LhaL
needs aLLenLlon and care.
arL of Lhe phllosophy for helplng yourself lncrease dally acLlvlLy ls Lo work agalnsL exerclse and
movemenL apaLhy. Walklng, sLandlng push-ups, and Laklng sLalrs all help keep you ln a frame of
mlnd of dally self-care and regular exerclse. ln facL, conslder sLarLlng a dally rouLlne of mlnl
exerclses-someLhlng llghL, on Lhe order of dally slL-ups and push-ups. Cne way Lo do Lhls ls Lo
schedule dally slL-ups and push-ups wlLhln 10 mlnuLes of geLLlng up. 1hls ls Lo become a hablL,
Lo happen every slngle day of your llfe. lck a nlce spoL on your floor, and before your mornlng
shower (and before you leave Lhe bedroom), do Lhe slL-ups and Lhe push-ups. 1hls could be as
few as flve of each (dolng push-ups on your knees lf needed). 1hese are done Lo wake up your
body and Lo remlnd you LhaL Laklng care of your body ls lmporLanL. ?our auLhors do Lhls, and lL
ls a Lerrlflc way Lo wake up, sLreLch ouL, and ln Lhe case of Lhe slL-ups, avold lower back paln.
Cver Llme, lncrease Lhe number of repeLlLlons, we can LesLlfy LhaL 40 slL-ups can provlde as
much back paln rellef as Lhree lbuprofen per day. And lL ls relaLlvely easy Lo do a slL-ups or
push-ups every 1 Lo 2 seconds. 1hlnk how brlef Lhls ls: under 2 mlnuLes for 30 slL-ups and 30
push-ups. We know you have Llme for LhaL, no maLLer whaL your mornlng rouLlne. And havlng
done Lhe rouLlne, lL means LhaL you sLep lnLo your shower, sLep ouLslde your door, and sLep
lnLo your worklng llfe wlLh a sense of belng llnked Lo your body and already belng more . well,
aLhleLlc.
Also, Lhe goal of dally low-level exerclse ls LhaL lL makes lL easler Lo move on Lo a full exerclse
sesslon. 1haL ls, by havlng a dally momenL of feellng your body and lLs movemenL early ln Lhe
mornlng, lL makes lL so much more naLural Lo have a fuller workouL laLer ln Lhe day (or Lo use
Lhe dally slL-ups and push-ups as a warm-up for golng ouL on a run, headlng Lo Lhe cllmblng
wall, eLc.). Cn Lhe days on whlch you don'L have a fuller workouL, you sLlll have Lhe beneflL of
feellng your body and lLs movemenL.
And, do you play? arL of feellng vlLallLy ls ln belng able Lo use your body for more play. ln
ChapLer 9, we provlded you wlLh a llsL of pleasanL evenLs. Many of Lhose pleasanL evenLs can
geL easler and more [oyful when you are ln beLLer shape. lf you have chlldren, Lhlnk how you
can boLh geL more exerclse and make use of your lncreaslng flLness for beLLer play. lnsLead of
[usL llsLenlng Lo or waLchlng Lhe nerf gun baLLle, be parL of Lhe nerf gun baLLle. Pow well can
you duck and crawl, bend and sLreLch, and dodge and run now LhaL you have been exerclslng?
Cn Lhe beach and ln Lhe park, whaL does lL feel llke Lo be fully lnvolved ln a game of chase-Lo
feel your hearL pound from efforL, as well as from Lhe exhllaraLlon of belng parL of Lhe fun?
;( TeamB Fin!ing Yo.r Comm.nit-
ls Lhere a Leam sporL LhaL would be fun? Would lL be valuable aL Lhls polnL ln your llfe Lo be parL
of a Leam? Soclal evenLs are noL [usL for fun: 1hey appear Lo have a cruclal llnk Lo healLh. ln facL,
one of Lhe more surprlslng publlc healLh flndlngs ls Lhe degree Lo whlch belng parL of a soclal
group ls llnked Lo llfe. 1haL's rlghL: 8elng parL of a group predlcLs a lower deaLh raLe.
Speclflcally, havlng aL leasL one soclal group acLlvlLy a monLh, as compared Lo havlng none, ls
assoclaLed wlLh a 30 reducLlon ln deaLh raLe over Lhe nexL year.
16
lL ls noL exacLly clear why
Lhls ls Lhe case. 8elng parL of a group may be llnked Lo oLher demographlc, economlc, and soclal
facLors, buL even when some of Lhese facLors are accounLed for, a llnk sLlll exlsLs beLween
soclablllLy and lower deaLh raLes.
lL may be LhaL belng parL of a larger group may provlde an exLra buffer agalnsL sLress. Aslde
from all of Lhe personal sLress, famlly sLress, or work sLress LhaL may assall us monLhly, wlLh
occaslonal group acLlvlLles, we experlence a llnk Lo someLhlng larger and more lndependenL
from our own llves. lL may provlde a cruclal change ln focus from everyday lssues. We don'L
know lf Lhls ls Lhe source of Lhe effecL, buL we don'L Lhlnk you should walL Lo flnd ouL. !oln a
group. lL's fun, lL breaks up Lhe weekly rouLlne, lL provldes a larger frame of reference, and lL
llnks us wlLh oLhers. A monLhly danclng lesson, a sofLball Leam, a readlng club, a church group, a
volunLeer organlzaLlon, or [usL regular dlnner parLles wlLh frlends-Lhese are all lmporLanL. And,
ln Lerms of furLherlng your vlLallLy, do Lhlnk abouL how a weekly or monLhly group can furLher
your movemenL and acLlvlLy goals: Many yoga, dance, and exerclse classes, and well as all Lhe
Leam sporLs, provlde you wlLh a way of geLLlng more soclal conLacL whlle also galnlng Lhe
beneflLs of exerclse. See how you can spread your exerclse lnvolvemenL and Lhe mood
bufferlng effecLs of exerclse by expandlng your sense of Leam.
H( Resi$ienceB 5no0ing #"at Yo. Can Do
Lxerclse can be a powerful way of exLendlng your sense of reslllence ln llfe. 8y tesllleoce, we
mean Lhe ablllLy Lo perslsL desplLe adverslLy. We don'L mean Lhe ablllLy Lo keep your head
down and plow ahead desplLe Lhe consequences. We would call Lhls sLolclsm. lnsLead, we mean
Lhe ablllLy Lo keep your head up, look around, and choose Lhe besL opLlon, all desplLe Lhe
presence of adverslLy. 1hls ablllLy, as compared Lo head-down sLolclsm, can help you make
good declslons ln llfe.
Lxerclse has already glven you good Lralnlng for reslllence. 1hroughouL Lhls book, we have
descrlbed Lhe process of awareness and perslsLence ln exerclse desplLe Lhe feellngs of exerLlon.
1he ablllLy Lo sLarL exerclse even Lhough you may noL feel llke lL, and Lhe ablllLy Lo conLlnue
wlLh exerclse even Lhough you have Lhe urge Lo sLop, helps bulld your ablllLy Lo perslsL. ln
ChapLer 8, we descrlbed Lhls as Lhe bulldlng of your efforL muscle. We dlscussed savlng up Lhls
muscle sLrengLh for when you really need lL (uslng envlronmenL-drlven moLlvaLlon lnsLead of
Lhe efforL muscle whenever posslble). We also dlscussed bulldlng sLrengLh ln Lhe efforL muscle
as you geL beLLer aL perslsLlng wlLh exerclse. ln LhaL same chapLer, we also dlscussed
mlndfulness as a sklll Lo help wlLh perslsLence and Lo lncrease [oy durlng exerclse. Mlndfulness
ls Lhe head-up" parL of reslllence. Mlndfulness ls Lhe ablllLy Lo conslder all your needs, goals,
and prlnclples, desplLe Lhe presence of dlsLracLlng LhoughLs or feellngs. Mlndfulness ls useful
durlng exerclse, and lL ls useful durlng momenLs of sLress, Lo help you LoleraLe emoLlon whlle
you choose Lhe mosL useful response.
Marvellng was lnLroduced Lo you ln ChapLer 3, and lnvolves havlng a curlous lnLeresL ln your
emoLlonal conLenL. ln Lerms of your self-coachlng, lL sounds llke Lhe followlng: Pmmm, look
how upseL l am geLLlng, l wonder why?" or Wow, l really have an urge Lo geL angry. ls LhaL
really golng Lo serve me here?" Mlndfully LoleraLlng feellngs of anger, for example, whlle you
selecL a useful response ls noL much dlfferenL from LoleraLlng Lhe feellngs of breaLhlessness
durlng exerclse. 1he experlences share ln common a devoLlon Lo your goals and Lhe ablllLy Lo
LoleraLe lnLernal sensaLlons. 1hls ls a glfL of exerclse Lralnlng, buL lL Lakes acLlve appllcaLlon.
racLlce lL.
I( Smi$ingB Aroac"ing 6ife) Rea!- for P$eas.re
ln ChapLer 8, we dlscussed Lhe beneflLs of belng aware of Lhe expresslons on your face, and ln
seLLlng ouL a half smlle on your face as parL of pursulng more pleasure durlng exerclse. now,
use Lhe half smlle as parL of pursulng more pleasure ln llfe. When you place a half smlle on your
face, lL ls as lf you are orlenLlng yourself Loward flndlng Lhe pleasurable aspecLs of Lhe nexL few
momenLs. And vlgllance Lo Lhe poslLlve, raLher Lhan vlgllance Lo Lhe negaLlve, has powerful
effecLs on how sLressful subsequenL negaLlve evenLs feel, and how much Lhey lmpacL your
emoLlons.
17
8elng prepared Lo smlle ls a way of flndlng and embraclng Lhe good momenLs of
your day.
Also, don'L underesLlmaLe Lhe power of a smlle on your soclal world. lL ls sLrlklng Lhe degree Lo
whlch a smlle can puL oLhers aL ease. We recommend LhaL you Lry Lhe followlng. Cn a dally
basls, Lry Lo greeL aL leasL flve oLher people wlLh eye conLacL and a smlle. 1hls number ls Lo
lnclude Lhose who you know well, as well as Lhose you don'L know. AL leasL one LargeL should
be someone you don'L know aL all-say a clerk ln a sLore. When geLLlng your change, for
example, don'L [usL look aL your hand, buL look aL Lhe clerk's eyes, walL for her or hlm Lo meeL
your gaze, and Lhen smlle and say 1hank you." uo Lhls expecLlng LhaL lL wlll be a poslLlve
experlence for Lhe clerk, and make sure Lo observe Lhe clerk's eyes and faclal expresslon for Lhe
lmpacL of your smlle. See whaL you geL back. WlLh [usL a brlef smlle, you may have changed
how Lhe day feels, for boLh of you.
K( Ma1ing Time
Lxerclse Lakes Llme. ln ChapLer 6, we had you Lhlnk abouL wheLher you geL Lhls Llme back, wlLh
lncreased energy, clarlLy of LhoughL, and vlLallLy broughL by Lhe exerclse lLself. ?ou also geL Lhe
Llme back by sLaylng allve longer due Lo Lhe expecLed physlcal healLh beneflLs of exerclse. More
fun, more clarlLy, more llfe-lL seems llke a good lnvesLmenL of Llme. 8uL, as we Lalk abouL
exLendlng Lhe galns from exerclse, for havlng a more acLlve and lnvolved llfe, we have Lo agaln
face Lhe quesLlon: Pow Lo flnd Lhe Llme? Cne answer ls Lo cuL Lelevlslon and lnLerneL Llme.
1elevlslon Llme alone accounLs for almosL 20 hours each week for Lhe average Amerlcan (over
half of LoLal lelsure Llme), and Lhere's a proven llnk LhaL Lhe more Llme spenL ln fronL of Lhe 1v,
Lhe more llkely you are Lo be overwelghL.
18
AlLhough Lhere are a few exLraordlnary shows on Lelevlslon (your auLhors can LesLlfy Lo Lhe
pleasurable dlverslons broughL by lost, 5lx leet uoJet, 5ctobs, or koblcoo), lL ls a maLLer of
keeplng balance. 1elevlslon waLchlng ls Lhe plnnacle of passlve acLlvlLy: an ldeal flL for when we
are emoLlonally Llred. lnsLead of reachlng ouL Lo Lhe world, Lhe world comes Lo us. We do
noLhlng, no demands and no efforL. 8uL how many hours per week do we really need such
passlve Llme? lf you waLch Lelevlslon for several hours a day, conslder devoLlng [usL one of
Lhese hours Lo someLhlng else-soclal Llme, acLlvlLy Llme, Lalklng Llme. We only wanL you Lo do
lL lf lL brlngs you more [oy. 8uL Lo know lf lL brlngs you more [oy, you wlll have Lo Lry lL for
several weeks. Look agaln aL Lhe AcLlvlLy LlsL provlded ln ChapLer 9, and Lhlnk abouL whaL you
have noL done for some Llme. lf your llfe seems balanced and fun, make no changes. lf noL, Lake
away an hour from Lelevlslon and see wheLher you geL a beLLer llfe ln reLurn. ?ou don'L have Lo
know ln advance whaL you are golng Lo do wlLh LhaL dally hour, lf noLhlng else, see whaL
advenLure you can flnd lf you leave Lhe hour open for new experlences.
A( E+an!ing E+eriences
lf you were Lo llsL Lhe Lop Len memorable momenLs ln your llfe, how many of Lhem would be
Lled Lo ma[or evenLs ln llfe, and how many Lo sponLaneous momenLs? We wanL Lo make sure
you keep Lhls balance, Lo reallze LhaL many happy experlences are Lhe producLs of small and
sponLaneous cholces ln llfe. 8uL we are creaLures of hablL. We learn Lo geL Lhrough llfe, and we
conLlnue Lo do Lhose Lhlngs LhaL helped us geL by, regardless of wheLher Lhese Lhlngs are sLlll
meanlngful or Lhe besL opLlon. 8uL whaL lf we push ourselves ouL of Lhese hablLs and Lhe self-
lmposed llmlLaLlons of dolng only whaL we know how Lo do?
As we dlscussed earller, Lo really Lry someLhlng new, lL helps Lo be open Lo belng bad aL lL. 1o
sLep away from personal perfecLlonlsm ls almosL always a sLep Loward rlcher experlences.
1rylng ouL new sporLs and acLlvlLles (say, dance lessons", and mosL men wlll scaLLer Lo Lhe
edges of Lhe room, or even beLLer, run lnLo anoLher room) demands a wllllngness Lo sLruggle
wlLh someLhlng aL Lhe beglnnlng. As you look Lo expand your acLlvlLy goals, lower your guard
and learn, noL Lhrough your expecLaLlons (l know whaL l llke"), buL Lhrough your experlences
(l was surprlsed by how much l llked.."). ?ou wlll need Llme for such exploraLlon (oh yeah,
LhaL ls why we wroLe 3 above), and you wlll need Lo remlnd yourself LhaL you don'L have Lo be
good aL someLhlng Lo en[oy lL. ln Lrylng new Lhlngs, noLlce whaL works for your llfe,
lndependenL of whaL you LhoughL would work for your llfe.
D( Ref$ecting on *o-
ChapLer 9 broughL up Lhe ldea of ecboloq, of maklng sure LhaL you reflecL upon and rellve
momenLs of [oy and well-belng durlng Lhe day. We asked you Lo do Lhls wlLh exerclse (Lhlnklng
back abouL Lhe beneflLs and poslLlve feellngs felL durlng and afLer exerclse), and we are now
asklng you Lo do Lhls more generally. Speclflcally, pracLlce glvlng exLra aLLenLlon Lo Lhose
momenLs when your llfe ls worklng well. 1o do Lhls, keep a record of Lhese momenLs, uslng a
well belng uloty. We regularly ask paLlenLs ln LreaLmenL Lo keep a well belng ulary. We flnd
LhaL, no maLLer Lhe level of anxleLy or depresslon an lndlvldual ls faclng, he or she ls able Lo flnd
perlods of relaLlve well-belng. 1hese perlods deserve focus. A well belng ulary provldes Lhls
focus. ln Lhe dlary, you monlLor Lhe LhoughLs and evenLs surroundlng perlods of well-belng.
Lach evenlng, you are Lo record Lhe Llme ln Lhe lasL 24 hours when you experlenced Lhe mosL
well-belng, descrlblng whaL happened, whaL you LhoughL, and how you felL.
1he acLlve recordlng of Lhese momenLs of well-belng has four purposes. llrsL, lL helps you
become adepL aL noL [usL rememberlng Lhe problems of dally llfe, buL ln searchlng ouL Lhe good
momenLs. 1hls ls lmporLanL, as good momenLs deserve your aLLenLlon. Second, Lhe dlary helps
you rellve Lhese momenLs. lf anyLhlng deserves exLra revlew ln Lhe evenlngs, lL ls whaL wenL
well durlng Lhe day. We wanL you Lo echo Lhese good momenLs, Lo feel Lhe pleasure agaln ln
Lhe evenlng. 1hlrd, use Lhls recordlng Llme Lo conslder how Lo have slmllar momenLs agaln Lhe
nexL day. lourLh, over Llme, Lhe dlary provldes you wlLh valuable record of perlods of
en[oymenL LhaL can be revlewed and used for plannlng of fuLure evenLs.
@( Srea!ing *o-
!oy appears Lo be conLaglous. When researchers examlne paLLerns of well-belng ln soclal
neLworks, knowlng happy people ls a predlcLor of belng happy yourself.
19
ln facL, frlends who
become happy (and who llve wlLhln a mlle of one anoLher) lncrease your probablllLy of belng
happy by 23. 1here ls slmllar evldence for happlness effecLs from nexL-door nelghbors.
Spousal relaLlonshlps are more complex, wlLh evldence for less-dlrecL effecLs, buL sLlll an 8
probablllLy of happlness when he or she becomes happy. WlLh Lhe use of exerclse Lo decrease
your depresslon (depresslon appears Lo Lravel Lhrough soclal neLworks as well
20
) and lncrease
your well-belng, we hope Lo see an lncrease ln happlness ln Lhose who care abouL you. ?our
happlness serves your neLwork, and lL ulLlmaLely serves us. ?our smlles, mlndfulness, reslllence,
happlness, and flLness evenLually have a chance Lo go Lhrough your soclal neLwork, Lo frlends of
frlends, Lo our frlends, and Lo us. So, for our sake and yours, be happy and spread [oy.
Reso.rces
Pere, you wlll flnd a number of resources Lo help wlLh Lhe malnLenance of your exerclse
program and Lo ald ln Lhe LreaLmenL of depresslon and anxleLy and lmprove well-belng. lor
exerclse and mood logs, as well as for calculaLors and oLher lnformaLlon relaLed Lo Lhe book, we
dlrecL you Lo hLLp://www.exerclse4mood.com. CLher resources are caLegorlzed below by
common quesLlons we have recelved over Lhe years.
=( #"ere Can I 6earn More A/o.t T"e Nat.re An! Treatment Of
Deression An! An+iet-O
Nationa$ Instit.te of Menta$ 4ea$t" FNIM4G
6001 LxecuLlve 8oulevard 8oom 8184, MSC 9663
8eLhesda, Mu 20892-9663
1elephone: 301-443-4313
lax: 301-443-4279
L-mall: nlmhlnfonlh.gov
WebslLe: hLLp://www.nlmh.nlh.gov
1he nlMP ls a dlvlslon of Lhe naLlonal lnsLlLuLes of PealLh (nlP) devoLed Lo menLal healLh. 1he
nlMP alms Lo dlmlnlsh Lhe burden of menLal lllness Lhrough research.
T"e Internationa$ Fo.n!ation for Researc" an! E!.cation on Deression FiFre!G
C 8ox 17398
8alLlmore, Mu 21297-1398
lax: 443-782-0739
L-mall: lnfolfred.org
WebslLe: hLLp://www.lfred.org/
llred ls an organlzaLlon dedlcaLed Lo helplng research Lhe causes of depresslon, Lo supporL
Lhose deallng wlLh depresslon, and Lo combaL Lhe sLlgma assoclaLed wlLh depresslon.
An+iet- Disor!ers Association of America FADAAG
8730 Ceorgla Avenue
Sllver Sprlng, Mu 20910
1elephone: 240-483-1001
lax: 240-483-1033
WebslLe: hLLp:/www.adaa.org
1he mlsslon of Lhe AuAA ls Lo promoLe Lhe prevenLlon, LreaLmenL, and cure of anxleLy and
sLress-relaLed dlsorders Lhrough advocacy, educaLlon, Lralnlng, and research.
Nationa$ A$$iance for t"e Menta$$- I$$ FNAMIG
200 norLh Clebe 8oad, SulLe 1013
ArllngLon, vA 22203-3734
1elephone: 703-324-7600
WebslLe: hLLp://www.naml.org
1he nAMl ls a supporL and advocacy organlzaLlon of consumers, famllles, and frlends of people
wlLh severe menLal lllness and has more Lhan 1,200 sLaLe and local afflllaLes. Local afflllaLes
ofLen glve guldance Lo flndlng LreaLmenL.
Nationa$ Menta$ 4ea$t" Association FNM4AG
1021 rlnce SLreeL
Alexandrla, vA 22314-2971
1elephone: 703-684-7722, 1-800-969-6642
lax: 703-684-3968
WebslLe: hLLp://www.nmha.org
1he nMPA ls an assoclaLlon LhaL works wlLh 340 afflllaLes Lo promoLe menLal healLh Lhrough
advocacy, educaLlon, research, and servlces.
American Ps-c"iatric Association FAPAG
1400 k SLreeL n.W.
WashlngLon, uC 20003
1elephone: 888-337-7924
lax: 202-682-6830
L-mall: apapsych.org
WebslLe: hLLp://www.psych.org/
1he Amerlcan sychlaLrlc AssoclaLlon ls a medlcal socleLy of physlclans speclallzlng ln Lhe
dlagnosls and LreaLmenL of menLal and emoLlonal lllnesses and subsLance use dlsorders.
American Ps-c"o$ogica$ Association FAPAG
730 llrsL SLreeL n.L.
WashlngLon, uC 20002
hone: 202-336-3300
WebslLe: hLLp://www.apa.org/
1he AA ls Lhe largesL sclenLlflc and professlonal organlzaLlon represenLlng psychology ln Lhe
unlLed SLaLes. lL seeks Lo advance psychology as a sclence, a professlon, and a means of
promoLlng human welfare.
Association for 'e"aviora$ an! Cognitive T"eraies FA'CTG
303 7Lh Avenue, 16Lh lloor
new ?ork, n? 10001
1elephone: 212-647-1890
lax: 212-647-1863
WebslLe: hLLp://www.abcL.org
1he A8C1 ls an lnLerdlsclpllnary organlzaLlon commlLLed Lo Lhe advancemenL of a sclenLlflc
approach Lo Lhe undersLandlng and amelloraLlon of problems of Lhe human condlLlon. 1hese
alms are achleved Lhrough Lhe lnvesLlgaLlon and appllcaLlon of behavloral, cognlLlve, and oLher
evldence-based prlnclples Lo assessmenL, prevenLlon, and LreaLmenL.
;( #"ere Can I Fin! A T"eraistO
We recommend vlslLlng Lhe flnd a LheraplsL" webslLes of Lhe followlng organlzaLlons:
An+iet- Disor!ers Association of America
hLLp://www.adaa.org/flndaLheraplsL
Association for 'e"aviora$ an! Cognitive T"eraies
hLLp://www.abcL.org/Members/?mllnd1heraplsL&fal1_lorm&nolm1
Aca!em- of Cognitive T"era-
hLLp://www.academyofcL.org/Llbrary/CerLlfledMembers/lndex.asp?lolderlu1137
American Ps-c"o$ogica$ Association
hLLp://locaLor.apa.org/
H( #"ere Can I Fin! T"e P./$ic 4ea$t" Recommen!ations For E+erciseO
1he physlcal acLlvlLy guldellnes for Amerlcans were publlshed ln 2008 and can be found on Lhe
u.S. ueparLmenL of PealLh and Puman Servlces webslLe aL
hLLp://www.healLh.gov/paguldellnes/
CLher relaLed lnformaLlon ls made avallable by:
T"e American Co$$ege of Sorts Me!icine
401 WesL Mlchlgan SLreeL
lndlanapolls, ln 46202-3233
1elephone: 317-637-9200
lax: 317-634-7817
WebslLe: hLLp://www.acsm.org/
1he Amerlcan College of SporLs Medlclne promoLes and lnLegraLes sclenLlflc research,
educaLlon, and pracLlcal appllcaLlons of sporLs medlclne and exerclse sclence Lo malnLaln and
enhance physlcal performance, flLness, healLh, and quallLy of llfe.
I( #"at Are Some #e/sites T"at Can 4e$ Me As I Tr- To Esta/$is" An
E+ercise Ro.tineO
8elow ls a selecLlon of webslLes LhaL Lhe auLhors have found Lo be helpful for Lhelr own
exerclse, as well as ln asslsLlng Lhelr paLlenLs.
1. hLLp://www.mapmyrun.com
Mapymyrun.com allows you Lo log on and flnd a local paLh Lo walk, run, blcycle, eLc. lL also
lncludes lnformaLlon such as dlsLances, maps, and oLher's revlews, raLlngs, and commenLary of
Lhe paLh as well as oLher exerclse evenLs ln Lhe area. 8equlres log ln.
2. hLLp://www.dleLdocLor.com
uleLdocLor.com glves you lnformaLlon on exerclse, dleL myLhs, and healLh, as well as on a wlde
array of llnks and lnformaLlon on dlfferenL dleL reglmes. 1he maln focus of Lhls webslLe ls ln facL
on dleLs and Lhe LruLh abouL whlch ones work and don'L work, alLhough lL lncludes llnks Lo
exerclse and workouL programs as well.
3. hLLp://www.flLcllck.com
llLcllck.com provldes a forum Lo dlscuss dleL and exerclse sLraLegles and lssues. AlLhough lL ls
seL up slmllar Lo a soclal neLwork slLe (l.e., lacebook) wlLh a proflle page, frlends, eLc., lL ls
essenLlally a supporL sysLem LhaL provldes useful llnks and a personallzed flLness plan.
8equlres log ln.
4. hLLp://www.exerclse.com
Lxerclse.com provldes llnks Lo exerclse, equlpmenL, dleL and nuLrlLlon, and news and research
arLlcles. lL even lncludes a local secLlon where you can look up evenLs ln your area LhaL you can
[oln. lL ls slmllar Lo flLcllck.com, buL provldes more llnks and resources Lhan flLLlng Lo your
personal needs Lhrough a proflle page. 8equlres log ln.
3. hLLp://www.webmd.com/flLness-exerclse/defaulL.hLm
1he PealLh and llLness secLlon of WebMu provldes a vasL array of arLlcles boLh from research
and Lhe medlcal fleld along wlLh lndlvldual revlews and commenLary. lL also offers Lhousands of
valuable facLs, llnks, and free connecLlons Lo experLs from accredlLed sources ln Lhe medlcal
and healLh flelds.
6. hLLp://www.nhesa.org
nhesa.org ls Lhe naLlonal PealLh & Lxerclse Sclence AssoclaLlon webslLe LhaL promoLes healLhy
llfesLyle cholces, as well as research and lnslghLs lnLo dleL and exerclse. 1hls also provldes
connecLlons Lo oLher naLlonal healLh assoclaLlons evenLs LhaL are free Lo aLLend. 8equlres log
ln.
7. hLLp://www.flLness.gov
llLness.gov ls Lhe resldenL's Councll on llLness, SporLs, & nuLrlLlon maln webpage LhaL
connecLs you Lo oLher resources for flLness. Along wlLh adverLlslng for lLs own cause, lL llsLs
llnks for oLher resources Lhrough Lhe governmenL for flLness, sporLs, nuLrlLlon, and general
healLh, such as llLness lundamenLals: Culdellnes for ersonal Lxerclse rograms" and unlLed
We Serve/LeL's 8ead. LeL's Move. lnlLlaLlve."
8. hLLp://www.crossflL.com
CrossflL ls a program [LhaL] dellvers a flLness LhaL ls, by deslgn, broad, general, and lncluslve"
yeL ls deslgned for unlversal scalablllLy maklng lL Lhe perfecL appllcaLlon for any commlLLed
lndlvldual regardless of experlence." 8esldes belng a worldwlde program, you are able Lo Lraln
on your own wlLh Lhelr lnsLrucLlons onllne, or flnd a group ln a clLy near you and [oln Lhe group
for a fee.
9. hLLp://www.campgladlaLor.com
Camp CladlaLor ls found malnly ln 1exas and Cklahoma, buL qulckly spreadlng. lL provldes group
Lralnlng as well as games. AlLhough you have Lo pay Lo [oln, lL ls a fun group alLernaLlve Lo Lhe
usual gym scene.
10. hLLp://www.usaflL.com/
ln Lhe uSA ll1 program, parLlclpanLs challenge Lhemselves, Lhrough runnlng or walklng, ln small
buL ever-lncreaslng doses. 1hen, afLer 6 monLhs, many Lake and pass Lhe flnal Lrlal: 26.2 mlles
of a maraLhon. And you know whaL? AlmosL anyone can do lL.
K( 4o0 Can I 6earn More A/o.t Sort Promotion In C"i$!renO
1. hLLp://www.worldflL.org/
World llL ls an lnlLlaLlve of Lhe uS Clymplans AssoclaLlon. lL ls a walklng program for mlddle
school sLudenLs, wlLh Lhe mlsslon of curblng chlldhood obeslLy and lmprovlng overall healLh
and aLLlLudes Loward flLness.
2. hLLp://www.womenssporLsfoundaLlon.org
Women's SporLs loundaLlon has Lhe mlsslon of advanclng Lhe llves of glrls and women Lhrough
sporL and physlcal acLlvlLy. 1he program was founded by 8lllle !ean klng ln 1974. 1he webslLe
provldes a wealLh of lnformaLlon for aLhleLes, parenLs, coaches, schools, and oLher
organlzaLlons.
A( #"ere Can I 6earn A/o.t E+ercise An! Ma3or Me!ica$ Con!itionsO
Lxerclse ls ofLen recommended as a sLraLegy Lo ald boLh Lhe mood challenges and rlsk facLors
assoclaLed wlLh ma[or medlcal lllnesses such as cancer, hearL dlsease, and dlabeLes. Powever,
flndlng Lhe approprlaLe sLage for and level of exerclse may be challenglng. ln addlLlon Lo dlrecL
consulLaLlon wlLh your physlclan, Lhe followlng webslLes may provlde valuable lnformaLlon on
exerclse ln Lhe conLexL of lllness recovery.
American Dia/etes Association
hLLp://www.dlabeLes.org/
Dia/etes Societ-
www.dlabeLessocleLy.org
*.veni$e Dia/etes Researc" Fo.n!ation Internationa$
hLLp://www.[drf.org/
American Cancer Societ-
hLLp://www.cancer.org/
6ance Armstrong Fo.n!ation
hLLp://www.llvesLrong.org/
S.san 8( 5omen for t"e C.re
hLLp://ww3.komen.org/
T"e 6e.1emia Z 6-m"oma Societ-
www.leukemla-lymphoma.org
6.ng Cancer Fo.n!ation of America
www.lcfamerlca.org
Nationa$ C"i$!"oo! Cancer Fo.n!ation
www.curesearch.org
American 4eart Association
www.hearL.org
#omen2s 4eart Fo.n!ation
www.womenshearL.org
D( #"at Are Some Too$s For Trac1ing M- ProgressO
lor logglng your exerclse, as well as for logglng your mood changes, Lhe followlng forms can be
of value.
1. Lxerclse lannlng
2. Lxerclse for Mood Log
3. Culck lnvenLory of uepresslve SympLomaLology
4. Lxerclse racLlce Log for anlc-relaLed Concerns
8esources Log 1. My exerclse schedule
8esources Log 2. Lxerclse for mood log
1hls log ls Lo help me keep Lrack of my exerclse goals for mood by focuslng on Lhe lmporLance
of exerclse several days a week.
Week number ________
8esources Log 3. 1he CluS
Scorlng: 1he LoLal score for Lhe CluS ls Lhe sum of Lhe followlng: Lhe hlghesL score of lLems 1-4,
lLem 3, Lhe hlghesL score of lLems 6-9, lLem 10, lLem 11, lLem 12, lLem 13, lLem 14, and Lhe
hlghesL score of lLems 13 and 16. 1oLal scores range beLween 0 and 27, wlLh hlgher scores
lndlcaLlng greaLer sympLoms of depresslon. 1rack Lhese scores over Llme. 1oLal Score for Lhls
week ______.
8esources Log 4. Lxerclse pracLlce log for panlc-relaLed concerns
uaLe of Lxerclse:_______
WhaL sensaLlons dld you experlence durlng your exerclse?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Pow lnLense were Lhe sensaLlons durlng your workouL (0-100)?
8eqlooloq.
nolf-woy.
1owotJ tbe eoJ.
WhaL was your anxleLy level LhroughouL Lhe sesslon (0-100)?
8eqlooloq.
nolf-woy.
1owotJ tbe eoJ.
WhaL were Lhe acLual consequences of Lhe sensaLlons LhaL you experlenced, parLlcularly when
you Lrled a mlndful perspecLlve on Lhese sensaLlons?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
Pow dld Lhese consequences dlffer from any speclflc fears you had abouL Lhese sensaLlons, or
urges you had Lo conLrol Lhe sensaLlons?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
WhaL do you wanL Lo Lell yourself abouL Lhese sensaLlons now?
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
APPENDIX
P"-sica$ Activit- Rea!iness X.estionnaire FPAR&XG
lf you are beLween Lhe ages of 13 and 69, Lhe A8-C wlll Lell you lf you should check wlLh your
docLor before engaglng ln physlcal acLlvlLy. Common sense ls your besL gulde when you answer
Lhese quesLlons. lease read Lhem carefully and answer each one honesLly by checklng ?es or
no.
lf you answered ?es Lo one or more quesLlons, Lalk Lo your docLor /efore beglnnlng a physlcal
acLlvlLy program.
lf you answered no Lo all quesLlons, you can be reasonably sure LhaL you can sLarL becomlng
more physlcally acLlve.
REFERENCES
C"ater ;
1. SLephens, 1. (1988). hyslcal acLlvlLy and menLal healLh ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes and Canada:
Lvldence from four popular surveys. lteveotlve MeJlcloe, 17, 33-47.
2. Passmen, ., kolvula, n., & uuLela, A. (2000). hyslcal exerclse and psychologlcal well-belng:
A populaLlon sLudy ln llnland. lteveotlve MeJlcloe, J0, 17-23.
3. Coodwln, 8. u. (2003). AssoclaLlon beLween physlcal acLlvlLy and menLal dlsorders among
adulLs ln Lhe unlLed SLaLes. lteveotlve MeJlcloe, J6, 698-703.
4a. kessler, 8. C., 8erglund, ., uemler, C., !ln, 8., Merlkangas, k. 8., & WalLers, L. L. (2003).
LlfeLlme prevalence and age-of-onseL dlsLrlbuLlons of uSM-lv dlsorders ln Lhe naLlonal
comorbldlLy survey repllcaLlon. Atcblves of Ceoetol lsycblotty, 62, 393-602.
4b. larmer, M. L., Locke, 8. Z., Mosclkl, L. k., uannenberg, A. L., Larson, u. 8., & 8adloff, L. S.
(1998). hyslcal acLlvlLy and depresslve sympLoms: 1he nPAnLS l Lpldemlologlc lollow-up
SLudy. Ametlcoo Iootool of plJemloloqy, 128, 1340-1331.
4c. Camacho, 1. C., 8oberLs, 8. L., Lazarus, n. 8., kaplan, C. A., & Cohen, 8. u. (1991). hyslcal
acLlvlLy and depresslon: Lvldence from Lhe Alameda CounLy SLudy. Ametlcoo Iootool of
plJemloloqy, 1J4, 220-231.
4d. affenbarger, 8. S., !r., Lee, l. M., & Leung, 8. (1994). hyslcal acLlvlLy and personal
characLerlsLlcs assoclaLed wlLh depresslon and sulclde ln Amerlcan college men. Acto
lsycblottlco 5cooJooovlo, 89 (Suppl. 377), 16-22.
3. affenbarger, 8. S., !r., Lee, l. M., & Leung, 8. (1994). hyslcal acLlvlLy and personal
characLerlsLlcs assoclaLed wlLh depresslon and sulclde ln Amerlcan college men. Acto
lsycblottlco 5cooJooovlo, 89 (Suppl. 377), 16-22.
6. SLrohle, A., Pofler, M., flsLer, P., Muller, A. C., Poyer, !., WlLLchen, P. u., & Lleb, 8. (2007).
hyslcal acLlvlLy and prevalence and lncldence of menLal dlsorders ln adolescenLs and young
adulLs. lsycboloqlcol MeJlcloe, J7, 1637-1666.
7. Conn, v. S. (2010). uepresslve sympLom ouLcomes of physlcal acLlvlLy lnLervenLlons: MeLa-
analysls flndlngs. Aoools of 8ebovlotol MeJlcloe, J9, 128-138.
8. LaLon, W. W., Shao, P., nesLadL, C., Lee, P. 8., 8lenvenu, C. !., & Zandl, . (2008). opulaLlon-
based sLudy of flrsL onseL and chronlclLy ln ma[or depresslve dlsorder. Atcblves of Ceoetol
lsycblotty, 65, 313-320.
9. kessler, 8. C., 8erglund, ., uemler, C., !ln, 8., Merlkangas, k. 8., & WalLers, L. L. (2003).
LlfeLlme prevalence and age-of-onseL dlsLrlbuLlons of uSM-lv dlsorders ln Lhe naLlonal
comorbldlLy survey repllcaLlon. Atcblves of Ceoetol lsycblotty, 62, 393-602.
10. 8ruce, S. L., ?onkers, k. A., CLLo, M. W., Llsen, !. L., Welsberg, 8. 8., agano, M., eL al.
(2003). lnfluence of psychlaLrlc comorbldlLy on recovery and recurrence ln generallzed anxleLy
dlsorder, soclal phobla, and panlc dlsorder: A 12-year prospecLlve sLudy. Ametlcoo Iootool of
lsycblotty, 162, 1179-1187.
11. SoLhmann, M. S., 8uckworLh, !., ClayLor, 8. ., Cox, 8. P., WhlLe-Welkley, !. L., & ulshman, 8.
k. (1996). Lxerclse Lralnlng and Lhe cross-sLressor adapLaLlon hypoLhesls. xetclse ooJ 5pott
5cleoces kevlews, 24, 267-287.
12a. 1hrone, L. C., 8arLholomew, !. 8., Cralg, !., & larrar, 8. . (2000). SLress reacLlvlLy ln flre
flghLers: An exerclse lnLervenLlon. lotetootloool Iootool of 5ttess Moooqemeot, 7, 233-246.
12b. SoLhmann, M. S., 8uckworLh, !., ClayLor, 8. ., Cox, 8. P., WhlLe-Welkley, !. L., & ulshman,
8. k. (1996). Lxerclse Lralnlng and Lhe cross-sLressor adapLaLlon hypoLhesls. xetclse ooJ 5pott
5cleoces kevlews, 24, 267-287.
13a. Pammen, C. (2003). SLress and depresslon. Aooool kevlew of cllolcol lsycboloqy, 1,
293-319.
13b. Pelm, C., & nemeroff, C. 8. (1999). 1he lmpacL of early adverse experlences on braln
sysLems lnvolved ln Lhe paLhophyslology of anxleLy and affecLlve dlsorders. 8loloqlcol
lsycblotty, 46, 1309-1322.
14. Mazure, C. M. (1998). Llfe sLressors as rlsk facLors ln depresslon. cllolcol lsycboloqy.
5cleoce & ltoctlce 5, 291-313.
13a. Coppen, A. (1967). 1he blochemlsLry of affecLlve dlsorders. 8tltlsb Iootool of lsycblotty,
11J, 1237-1264.
13b. MelLzer, P. (1989). SeroLonerglc dysfuncLlon ln depresslon. 8tltlsb Iootool of lsycblotty
(5opplemeot), 8, 23-31.
16. Coodnlck, . !., & ColdsLeln, 8. !. (1998). SelecLlve seroLonln reupLake lnhlblLors ln affecLlve
dlsorders-ll. Lfflcacy and quallLy of llfe. Iootool of lsycbopbotmocoloqy, 12, 21-34.
17a. uey, S., Slngh, 8. P., & uey, . k. (1992). Lxerclse Lralnlng: Slgnlflcance of reglonal
alLeraLlons ln seroLonln meLabollsm of raL braln ln relaLlon Lo anLldepressanL effecL of exerclse.
lbysloloqy ooJ 8ebovlot, 52, 1093-1099.
17b. Wllson, W., & Marsden, C. (1996). ln vlvo measuremenL of exLracellular seroLonln ln Lhe
venLral hlppocampus durlng Lreadmlll runnlng. 8ebovlootol lbotmocoloqy, 7, 101-104.
17c. Meeusen, 8., 1horr, k., Chaouloff, l., Sarre, S., ue Melrlelr, k., Lblnger, C., eL al. (1996).
LffecLs of LrypLophan and/or acuLe runnlng on exLracellular 3-P1 and 3-PlAA levels ln Lhe
hlppocampus of food-deprlved raLs. 8tolo keseotcb, 740, 243-232.
18. Wllson, W., & Marsden, C. (1996). ln vlvo measuremenL of exLracellular seroLonln ln Lhe
venLral hlppocampus durlng Lreadmlll runnlng. 8ebovlootol lbotmocoloqy, 7, 101-104.
19a. Meeusen, 8., & ue Melrlelr, k. (1993). Lxerclse and braln neuroLransmlsslon. 5potts
MeJlcloe, 20, 160-188.
19b. uunn, A. L., & ulshman, 8. k. (1991). Lxerclse and Lhe neuroblology of depresslon. xetclse
ooJ 5pott 5cleoces kevlews, 19, 41-98.
20. 8roocks, A., Schwelger, u., & lrke, k. M. (1991). 1he lnfluence of semlsLarvaLlon-lnduced
hyperacLlvlLy on hypoLhalamlc seroLonln meLabollsm. lbysloloqy & 8ebovlot, 50, 383-388.
21a. 8roocks, A., Meyer, 1., Ceorge, A., Plllmer-vogel, u., Meyer, u., 8andelow, 8., eL al. (1999).
uecreased neuroendocrlne responses Lo meLa-chlorophenylplperazlne (m-C) buL normal
responses Lo lpsaplrone ln maraLhon runners. Neotopsycbopbotmocoloqy, 20, 130-161.
21b. 8roocks, A., Meyer, 1., ClelLer, C. P., Plllmer-vogel, u., Ceorge, A., 8arLmann, u., &
8andelow, 8. (2001). LffecL of aeroblc exerclse on behavloral and neuroendocrlne responses Lo
meLa-chlorophenylplperazlne and Lo lpsaplrone ln unLralned healLhy sub[ecLs.
lsycbopbotmocoloqy (8etl), 155, 234-141.
21c. 8roocks, A., Meyer, 1., CplLz, M., 8arLmann, u., Plllmer-vogel, u., Ceorge, A., eL al. (2003).
3-P11A responslvlLy ln paLlenLs wlLh panlc dlsorder before and afLer LreaLmenL wlLh aeroblc
exerclse, clomlpramlne or placebo. otopeoo Neotopsycbopbotmocoloqy, 1J, 133-164.
22. 8lumenLhal, !. A., 8abyak, M. A., uoralswamy, M., WaLklns, L., Poffman, 8. M., 8arbour, k.
A., eL al. (2007). Lxerclse and pharmacoLherapy ln Lhe LreaLmenL of ma[or depresslve dlsorder.
lsycbosomotlc MeJlcloe, 69, 387-396.
23a. Popko, u. 8., Le[uez, C. W., 8ugglero, k. !., & LlferL, C. P. (2003). ConLemporary behavloral
acLlvaLlon LreaLmenLs for depresslon: rocedures prlnclples and progress. cllolcol lsycboloqy
kevlew, 2J, 699-717.
23b. !acobson, n. S., MarLell, C. 8., & ulmld[lan, S. (2001). 8ehavloral acLlvaLlon LreaLmenL for
depresslon: 8eLurnlng Lo conLexLual rooLs. cllolcol lsycboloqy. 5cleoce ooJ ltoctlce, 8,
233-270.
24a. 8roman-lulks, !. !., 8erman, M. L., 8ablan, 8., & WebsLer, M. !. (2004). LffecLs of aeroblc
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117-128.
24c. SmlLs, !. A., 8erry, A. C., 8osenfleld, u., owers, M. 8., 8ehar, L., & CLLo, M. W. (2008).
8educlng anxleLy senslLlvlLy wlLh exerclse. ueptessloo & Aoxlety, 25, 689-699.
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frequency, and Lhe predlcLlon of fearfulness. 8ebovloot keseotcb ooJ 1betopy, 24, 1-8.
26a. Cox, 8. !., Lnns, M. W., lreeman, ., & Walker, !. 8. (2001). AnxleLy senslLlvlLy and ma[or
depresslon: LxamlnaLlon of affecLlve sLaLe dependence. 8ebovloot keseotcb ooJ 1betopy, J9,
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26b. SchmldL, n. 8., Zvolensky, M. Z., & Maner, !. k. (2006). AnxleLy senslLlvlLy: rospecLlve
predlcLlon of panlc aLLacks and Axls l paLhology. Iootool of lsycblottlc keseotcb, 40, 691-699.
26c. 1aylor, S., koch, W. !., & Mcnally, 8. !. (1992). Pow does anxleLy senslLlvlLy vary across Lhe
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lnLervenLlons for menLal healLh: A quanLlLaLlve and quallLaLlve revlew. cllolcol lsycboloqy.
5cleoce & ltoctlce, 1J, 179-193.
28a. Csslp-kleln, u. !., 8owman, L. u., Csborn, k. M., Mcuougall-Wlllson, l. 8., & nelmeyer, 8. A.
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29. uunn, A. L., 1rlvedl, M. P., kamperL, !. 8., Clark, C. C., & Chambllss, P. C. (2003). Lxerclse
LreaLmenL for depresslon: Lfflcacy and dose response. Ametlcoo Iootool of lteveotlve
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30. Lkkekakls, . (2003). leasure and dlspleasure from Lhe body: erspecLlves from exerclse.
coqoltloo ooJ motloo, 17(2), 213-239.
31a. Long, 8. C., & van SLavel, 8. (1993). LffecLs of exerclse Lralnlng on anxleLy: A meLa-analysls.
Iootool of ApplleJ 5pott lsycboloqy, 7, 167-189.
31b. eLruzzello, S. !., Landers, u. M., PaLfleld, 8. u., kublLz, k. A., & Salazar, W. (1991). A meLa-
analysls on Lhe anxleLy-reduclng effecLs of acuLe and chronlc exerclse. CuLcomes and
mechanlsms. 5potts MeJlcloe, 11, 143-182.
C"ater H
1a. Lee, l. M., & affenbarger, 8. S. (2001). uo physlcal acLlvlLy and physlcal flLness averL
premaLure morLallLy? xetclse ooJ 5pott 5cleoce kevlews, 24, 133-171.
1b. Lee, l. M., Psleh, C. C., & affenbarger, 8. S. (1993). Lxerclse lnLenslLy and longevlLy ln men.
1he Parvard alumnl healLh sLudy. Iootool of tbe Ametlcoo MeJlcol Assoclotloo, 274,
1132-1133.
1c. Paennel, 8. C., & Lemlre, l. (2002). hyslcal acLlvlLy Lo prevenL cardlovascular dlsease. Pow
much ls enough? coooJloo lomlly lbyslcloo, 48, 63-71.
1d. 8erlln, !. A., & ColdlLz, C. A. (1990). A meLa-analysls of physlcal acLlvlLy ln Lhe prevenLlon of
coronary hearL dlsease. Ametlcoo Iootool of plJemloloqy, 1J4, 232-234.
2. ?our governmenL ls worklng for you. lor examples of publlc lnlLlaLlves for reduclng rlsk
facLors for deaLh among Amerlcans see hLLp://www.cancer.gov/, hLLp://www2.nlddk.nlh.gov/,
and hLLp://www.cdc.gov/leaLures/PalLlngCbeslLy/
3. CuC. (n.d.) lbyslcol octlvlty stotlstlcs. 8eLrleved from
hLLp://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physlcal/sLaLs/lelsure_Llme.hLm
4. CeLLlngen, C., & Mayer, u. (2002). 1he moLlvaLlng funcLlon of Lhlnklng abouL Lhe fuLure:
LxpecLaLlons versus fanLasles. Iootool of letsooollty ooJ 5oclol lsycboloqy, 8J, 1198-1212.
3. Madden, C. !., & 8lckel, W. k. (2010). lmpolslvlty. 1be bebovlotol ooJ oeotoloqlcol scleoce of
Jlscoootloq. WashlngLon, uC: Amerlcan sychologlcal AssoclaLlon.
6. vlLal slgns: CurrenL clgareLLe smoklng among adulLs aged or 18 years-unlLed SLaLes,
2009. (2010). MMwk. MotblJlty ooJ Mottollty weekly kepott, 59, 1133-1140.
7a. Carver, C. S., & Scheler, M. l. (2008). leedback processes ln Lhe slmulLaneous regulaLlon of
acLlon and affecL. ln !. ?. Shah, & W. L. Cardner (Lds.), nooJbook of Motlvotloool 5cleoce (pp.
308-324). new ?ork: Cullford.
7b. 1lce, u. M., 8aLslavsky, L., & 8aumelser, 8. l. (2001). LmoLlonal dlsLress regulaLlon Lakes
precedence over lmpulse conLrol. lf you feel bad, do lL! Iootool of letsooollty ooJ 5oclol
lsycboloqy, 8, 33-67.
8. Lkkekakls, . (2003). leasure and dlspleasure from Lhe body: erspecLlves from exerclse.
coqoltloo ooJ motloo, 17, 213-239.
9. Lkkekakls, . (2003). leasure and dlspleasure from Lhe body: erspecLlves from exerclse.
coqoltloo ooJ motloo, 17, 213-239.
10. Wllllams, u. M., uunslger, S., Clccolo, !. 1., Lewls, 8. A., AlbrechL, A. L., & Marcus, 8. P.
(2008). AcuLe affecLlve response Lo a moderaLe-lnLenslLy exerclse sLlmulus predlcLs physlcal
acLlvlLy parLlclpaLlon 6 and 12 monLhs laLer. lsycboloqy of 5pott ooJ xetclse, 9, 231-243.
11a. Acevedo, L. C., 8lnehardL, k. l., & kraemer, 8. 8. (1994). ercelved exerLlon and affecL aL
varylng lnLenslLles of runnlng. keseotcb Ooottetly fot xetclse ooJ 5pott, 65, 372-376.
11b. Pardy, C. !., & 8e[eskl, W. !. (1989). noL whaL, buL how one feels: 1he measuremenL of
affecL durlng exerclse. Iootool of 5pott & xetclse lsycboloqy, 11, 304-317.
12a. Lkkekakls, ., Pall, L. L., & eLruzzello, S. !. (1999). CognlLlve and physlologlcal correlaLes of
affecL durlng a maxlmal exerclse LesL. Iootool of 5pott & xetclse lsycboloqy, 21, S40.
12b. Lkkekakls, ., & eLruzzello, S. !. (2002). Analysls of Lhe affecL measuremenL conundrum ln
exerclse psychology: lv. A concepLual case for Lhe affecL clrcumplex. lsycboloqy of 5pott &
xetclse, J, 33-63.
13. ParL, L. A., Leary, M. 8., & 8e[eskl, W. !. (1989). 1he measuremenL of soclal physlque
anxleLy. Iootool of 5pott & xetclse lsycboloqy, 11, 94-104.
14a. lochL, 8. C., & Pausenblas, P. A. (2003). SLaLe anxleLy responses Lo acuLe exerclse ln
women wlLh hlgh soclal physlque anxleLy. Iootool of 5pott ooJ xetclse lsycboloqy, 25,
123-144.
14b. lochL, 8. C., & Pausenblas, P. A. (2004). ercelved evaluaLlve LhreaL and sLaLe anxleLy
durlng exerclse ln women wlLh soclal physlque anxleLy. Iootool of ApplleJ 5pott lsycboloqy, 16,
361-368.
14c. kaLula, !. A., McAuley, L., Mlhalko, S. L., & 8ane, S. M. (1998). Mlrror, mlrror on Lhe wall.
Lxerclse envlronmenL lnfluences on self-efflcacy. Iootool of 5oclol 8ebovlot ooJ letsooollty, 1J,
319-332.
14d. MarLln-Clnls, k. A., !ung, M. L., & Cauvln, L. (2003). 1o see or noL Lo see: LffecLs of
exerclslng ln mlrrored envlronmenLs on sedenLary women's feellng sLaLes and self-efflcacy.
neoltb lsycboloqy, 22, 334-361.
13. SmlLs, !. A. !., 1arL, C. u., resnell, k., 8osenfleld, u., & CLLo, M. W. (2010). ldenLlfylng
poLenLlal barrlers Lo physlcal acLlvlLy adherence: AnxleLy senslLlvlLy and body mass as predlcLors
of fear durlng exerclse. coqoltlve 8ebovloot 1betopy, J9, 28-36.
C"ater I
1. Carver, C. S., & Scheler, M. l. (2008). leedback processes ln Lhe slmulLaneous regulaLlon of
acLlon and affecL. ln !. ?. Shah, & W. L. Cardner (Lds.), nooJbook of Motlvotloool 5cleoce (pp.
308-324). new ?ork: Cullford.
2. AarLs, !., ul[ksLerhuls, A., & ulk, C. (2008). Coal conLaglon, lnferrlng goals from oLhers'
acLlons-and whaL lL leads Lo. ln !. ?. Shah, & W. L. Cardner (Lds.), nooJbook of Motlvotloool
5cleoce (pp. 263-280). new ?ork: Cullford.
3. klng, A. C., 1ooberL, u., Ahn, u., 8esnlcow, k., Coday, M., 8lebe, u., eL al. (2006). ercelved
envlronmenLs as physlcal acLlvlLy correlaLes and moderaLors of lnLervenLlon ln flve sLudles.
Ametlcoo Iootool of neoltb ltomotloo, 21, 24-33.
4a. Carver, C. S., & Scheler, M. l. (2008). leedback processes ln Lhe slmulLaneous regulaLlon of
acLlon and affecL. ln !. ?. Shah, & W. L. Cardner (Lds.), nooJbook of Motlvotloool 5cleoce (pp.
308-324). new ?ork: Cullford.
4b. Slmon, P. A. (1967). MoLlvaLlonal and emoLlonal conLrols of cognlLlon. lsycboloqlcol
kevlew, 74, 29-39.
3. Crell, S., Podgklns, S., & Sheeran, . (1997). lmplemenLaLlon lnLenLlons and Lhe Lheory of
planned behavlor. letsooollty ooJ 5oclol lsycboloqy 8olletlo, 2J, 943-934.
6. 1haler, 8. P., & SusLeln, C. 8. (2008). NoJqe. lmptovloq Jeclsloos oboot beoltb, weoltb, ooJ
bopploess. new ?ork: enguln 8ooks.
7. Lxample dlscussed by 1haler & SusLeln (2008), wlLh producL lnformaLlon aL
hLLp://www.urlnalfly.com/
8. Muraven, M., & 8aumelsLer, 8. l. (2000). Self-regulaLlon and depleLlon of llmlLed resources:
uoes self-conLrol resemble a muscle? lsycboloqlcol 8olletlo, 126, 147-239.
9. 1homas, u. L., & ulener, L. (1990). Memory accuracy ln Lhe recall of emoLlons. Iootool of
letsooollty ooJ 5oclol lsycboloqy, 59, 291-297.
10. kahneman, u., lredrlckson, 8. L., Schrelber, C. A., & 8edelmeler, u. A. (1993). When more
paln ls preferred Lo less: Addlng a beLLer end. lsycboloqlcol 5cleoce, 4, 401-403.
11. kwan, 8. M., & 8ryan, A. (2010). ln-Lask and posL-Lask affecLlve response Lo exerclse:
1ranslaLlng exerclse lnLenLlons lnLo behavlour. 8tltlsb Iootool of neoltb lsycboloqy, 15,
113-131.
12. Sklnner, 8. l. (1981). Pow Lo dlscover whaL you have Lo say-A Lalk Lo sLudenLs. 1be
8ebovlot Aoolyst, 4, 1-7.
13a. Annesl, !. !. (2004). 8elaLlonshlp of soclal cognlLlve Lheory facLors Lo exerclse malnLenance
ln adulLs. letceptool ooJ Motot 5kllls, 99, 142-114.
13b. Moore, S. M., uolansky, M. A., 8uland, C. M., ashkow, l. !., & 8lackburn, C. C. (2003).
redlcLors of women's exerclse malnLenance afLer cardlac rehablllLaLlon. Iootool of
cotJlopolmoooty kebobllltotloo, 2J, 40-49.
14a. Claldlnl, 8. 8. (1984). lofloeoce. 1be psycboloqy of petsoosloo (8ev. ed.). new ?ork:
Wllllam Morrow and Co., lnc.
14b. CLLo, M.W., 8ellly-ParrlngLon, n. A., kogan, !. n., & WlneLL, C. A. (2003). 1reaLmenL
conLracLlng ln cognlLlve-behavlor Lherapy. coqoltlve ooJ 8ebovlotol ltoctlce, 10, 199-203.
C"ater K
1. LofL us, L. l., & almer, !. C. (1974). 8econsLrucLlon of auLomoblle desLrucLlon: An example of
Lhe lnLeracLlon beLween language and memory. Iootool of vetbol leotoloq ooJ 8ebovlot, 1J,
383-389.
2. eckham, A. u., McPugh, 8. k., & CLLo, M. W. (2010). A meLaanalysls of Lhe magnlLude of
blased aLLenLlon ln depresslon. ueptessloo ooJ Aoxlety. 27, 1133-1142.
3a. lrewen, . A., uozols, u. !., !oanlsse, M. l., & neufeld, 8. W. (2008). SelecLlve aLLenLlon Lo
LhreaL versus reward: MeLa-analysls and neural-neLwork modellng of Lhe doL-probe Lask.
cllolcol lsycboloqy kevlew, 28, 307-337.
3b. Clark, u. A., 8eck, A. 1., & Alford, 8. A. (1999). 5cleotlflc foooJotloos of coqoltlve tbeoty ooJ
tbetopy of Jeptessloo. hlladelphla: !ohn Wlley & Sons.
4a. lava, M., 8less, L., CLLo, M. W., ava, !. A., & 8osenbaum, !. l. (1994). uysfuncLlonal
aLLlLudes ln ma[or depresslon: Changes wlLh pharmacoLherapy. Iootool of Netvoos ooJ Meotol
ulseose, 182, 43-49.
4b. Clark, u. A., 8eck, A. 1., & Alford, 8. A. (1999). 5cleotlflc foooJotloos of coqoltlve tbeoty ooJ
tbetopy of Jeptessloo. hlladelphla: !ohn Wlley & Sons.
3. CLLo, M. W., lava, M., enava, S. A., 8less, L., Muller, 8. 1., & 8osenbaum, !. l. (1997). Llfe
evenL and cognlLlve predlcLors of percelved sLress before and afLer LreaLmenL for ma[or
depresslon. coqoltlve 1betopy ooJ keseotcb, 21, 409-420.
6. Source: CAC AvlaLlon & laneCrashlnfo.com accldenL daLabase, 1983-2009.
7. Clark, u. A., & 8eck, A. 1. (2010). coqoltlve tbetopy of ooxlety JlsotJets. 5cleoce ooJ ptoctlce.
new ?ork: Cullford ress.
7a. Clark u. A., 8eck, A. 1., & Alford, 8. A. (1999). 5cleotlflc foooJotloos of coqoltlve tbeoty ooJ
tbetopy of Jeptessloo. hlladelphla: !ohn Wlley & Sons. Self-help books LhaL emphaslze a
cognlLlve Lherapy approach lnclude books such as:
7b. 8urns, u. u. (1980). leelloq qooJ. 1be oew mooJ tbetopy (8ev. & updaLed ed.). new ?ork:
Avon 8ooks.
7c. Lllls, A., & Parper, 8. A. (1997). A qolJe to totloool llvloq. ChaLsworLh, CA: Wllshlre 8ook
Company.
7d. Leahy, 8. L. (2003). 1be wotty cote. 5eveo steps to stop wotty ftom stopploq yoo. new ?ork:
1hree 8lvers ress.
8. SLory ls adapLed from CLLo, M. W. (2000). SLorles and meLaphors ln cognlLlve-behavlor
Lherapy. coqoltlve ooJ 8ebovlotol ltoctlce, 7, 166-172.
9. 1lce, u. M., & 8aumelsLer, 8. l. (1997). LonglLudlnal sLudy of procrasLlnaLlon, performance,
sLress, and healLh: 1he cosLs and beneflLs of dawdllng. lsycboloqlcol 5cleoce, 8, 434-438.
10. Welner, 8. (1983). An aLLrlbuLlonal Lheory of achlevemenL moLlvaLlon and emoLlon.
lsycboloqlcol kevlew, 92, 348-373.
11. SmlLh, . !., 8lumenLhal, !. A., Poffman, 8. M., Cooper, P., SLrauman, 1. A., Welsh-8ohmer
k., eL al. (2010). Aeroblc exerclse and neurocognlLlve performance: A meLa-analyLlc revlew of
randomlzed conLrolled Lrlals. lsycbosomotlc MeJlcloe, 72, 239-232.
C"ater A
1. Ldwards, 8. !., Ldwards, W., WaLerhouse, !., ALklnson, C., & 8ellly, 1. (2003). Can cycllng
performance ln an early mornlng, laboraLory-based cycle Llme-Lrlal be lmproved by mornlng
exerclse Lhe day before? lotetootloool Iootool of 5potts MeJlcloe, 26, 631-636.
2. ALklnson, C., & 8ellly, 1. (1996). Clrcadlan varlaLlon ln sporLs performance. 5potts MeJlcloe,
21, 292-312.
3. 1hls concepL has been emphaslzed ln LreaLmenLs for lnsomnla, where good plannlng can be
compromlsed by a wlshful sleepy mlnd: see erlls, M. L., !ungqulsL, C., SmlLh, M. 1., & osner,
u. (2003). coqoltlve-bebovlotol tteotmeot of losomolo. A step by step qolJe. new ?ork:
Sprlnger.
4. ALklnson, C., & 8ellly, 1. (1996). Clrcadlan varlaLlon ln sporLs performance. 5potts MeJlcloe,
21, 292-312.
3. SmlLh, . !., 8lumenLhal, !. A., Poffman, 8. M., Cooper, P., SLrauman, 1. A., Welsh-8ohmer, k.,
eL al. (2010). Aeroblc exerclse and neurocognlLlve performance: A meLa-analyLlc revlew of
randomlzed conLrolled Lrlals. lsycbosomotlc MeJlcloe, 72, 239-232.
6. MlddleLon, L. L., 8arnes, u. L., Lul, L. ?., & ?affe, k. (2010). hyslcal acLlvlLy over Lhe llfe
course and lLs assoclaLlon wlLh cognlLlve performance and lmpalrmenL ln old age. Iootool of
Ametlcoo Cetlottlc 5oclety, 58, 1322-1326.
7a. Sofl, l., Capalbo, A., Marcuccl, 8., Corl, A. M., ledl, S., Macchl, C., eL al. (2007). Lelsure Llme
buL noL occupaLlonal physlcal acLlvlLy slgnlflcanLly affecLs cardlovascular rlsk facLors ln an adulL
populaLlon. otopeoo Iootool of cllolcol lovestlqotloo, J7, 947-933.
7b. CpperL, !. M., 1homas, l., Charles, M. A., 8eneLos, A., 8asdevanL, A., & Slmon, C. (2006).
Lelsure-Llme and occupaLlonal physlcal acLlvlLy ln relaLlon Lo cardlovascular rlsk facLors and
eaLlng hablLs ln lrench adulLs. lobllc neoltb Nottltloo, 9, 746-734.
7c. ols, M. A., eeLers, . P. M., 1wlsk, !. W. 8., kemper, P. C. C., & Crobbee, u. L. (1997).
hyslcal acLlvlLy and cardlovascular dlsease rlsk proflle ln women. Ametlcoo Iootool of
plJemloloqy, 146, 322-328.
8. SmlLh, . !., 8lumenLhal, !. A., Poffman, 8. M., Cooper, P., SLrauman, 1. A., Welsh-8ohmer, k.,
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affecL and cue-lnduced overeaLlng ln non-eaLlng dlsordered obeslLy. Appetlte, 51, 336-362.
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INDEX
AcLlve and flL llfe, exerclse and, 174
acLlve llfesLyle, 191
spreadlng [oy, 134-137, 199-200
uslng sLalrs, walklng, play, 191-93
arranglng your food envlronmenL, 183-87
eaLlng paLLerns, 181-83
food, mood and physlcal healLh, 178-81
welghL loss and obeslLy prevenLlon, 173-78
Aeroblc exerclse, 17, 109, 126-27
Anaeroblc exerclse, 17
AnLldepressanLs and exerclse, 11, 22
AnxleLy
naLure and LreaLmenL (resources), 201-3
Lhlnklng paLLerns, 63
AnxleLy senslLlvlLy, 13, 33
8alance ln exerclse, 172-73
8ody mass lndex (8Ml), 176, 177
8oredom rellef plannlng, 139-60
boredom rellef lnLervenLlon, 163-64
CallsLhenlcs, 104, 103
Chlldren, exerclse for
obeslLy, 170
prevenLlng depresslon, 169-70
sporLs promoLlon, 206
sLarLlng exerclse as hablL, 171-72
Clrcadlan rhyLhms, 83
CloLhlng 96-97
Coachlng sLory, 68-71
CognlLlve Lherapy, 66
CompensaLory slLLlng and eaLlng, afLer exerclse, 147, 149, 130-33
uelay ulscounLlng 27-28
uepresslon
beneflLs of exerclse, 8, 9, 12-13, 17, 20, 39
naLure and LreaLmenL (resources), 201-3 self-Lalk, 142-143
uepresslve dlsorders, 11, 13
ulverslfylng your exerclse rouLlne, 138-60
beneflLs of exerclse for youLh, 169-71
boredom, 160-62
expandlng exerclse Leam, famlly, 168-69
focuslng on mood llfL facLor, 138-60, 167-68
lnLerval Lralnlng, 163-66
seasonal changes, 162-64
Lrylng new rouLlnes/lmprovlslng, 162-64
uoor-closlng sLraLegles, for work relaLed worrles, 87
uysLhymla, 20
Lcholng, 3, 140-41, 199
LfforL muscles, 113
Lndorphlns, 137
Ln[oylng, exerclse and
coachlng durlng Lralnlng, 119-21
dlrecLlng our feellngs, 121-22
effecLs of workouL and rewardlng oneself, 119-21
enhanclng pleasure, 134-33
looklng forward Lo mood shlfL, 136-37
mlndful exerclse, 123-23
pracLlclng mlndful LhoughLs, 126-28
Lxerclse
dosage of, 17
and ma[or medlcal condlLlons, 206-7
as non drug equlvalenL of anLldepressanLs, 11
vetsos psychoLherapy for depresslon, 16-17
progress Lracklng Lools for, 207-12
publlc healLh recommendaLlons, 204
role ln body Loughenlng and handllng sLress, 10
and Lolerance Lo boLhersome physlcal sensaLlons, 13-16
lallure-causes, exerclse program, 23
exerclslng for mood, 28-29
feellng good vetsos bad durlng exerclse, 31
dlscomforL wlLh physlcal exerLlon, 33-34
focuslng on negaLlves durlng exerclse, 32-33
lnLenslLy of workouL, 32
lanLasy effecLs 26-27
laLlgue and endlng exerclse sesslon, 48
locallsm 23-26
Cood lnLenLlons vetsos healLhy cholces, 23-23
delay dlscounLlng, 27-28
fanLasy effecLs, 26-27
focallsm, 23-26
CullL, as moLlvaLlonal sLraLegy, 72-73
PablL, exerclse as, 49-30
regular Llme for exerclse, 31
PealLh behavlors, 23-24
PealLh conLaglon," 6
PealLhy eaLlng, mlsconcepLlons, 148
PearL raLe 103-108
lnLerval Lralnlng, 163-66
lnLenslLy, deLermlnlng exerclse, 103-9
deLermlnlng your LargeL hearL raLe, 107
hearL raLe monlLor, 106
and lLs effecLs, exerclse, 32
Labellng" acLlons/Lhlngs, 62-63
Marvellng, 67, 124, 123, 193
MedlLerranean dleL, 182-83
MeLabollc equlvalency Lasks (ML1s), 106, 108
Mlndfulness, 123-24, 193
for aeroblc exerclse, 126-27
looklng forward Lo mood shlfL, 136-37
pracLlclng mlndfulness, 126-28, 136
Lralnlng, 126
MoLlvaLlon, 33-60
negaLlve LhoughLs
cause and orlgln of, 61
exerclse and, 13-13
neuroLransmlLLers, 11
CbeslLy
ln chlldren, 170
exerclse for prevenLlng, 173
anlc dlsorder, 9, 13, 14-13, 130, 133-34
hyslcal AcLlvlLy 8eadlness CuesLlonnalre (A8-C), 101, 213
hyslcal exerLlon, dlscomforL, 13-16, 33-34
lannlng your exerclse rouLlne, 81. 5ee olso 8ouLlne plannlng for exerclse
sklpplng exerclse. 5ee Sklpplng exerclse, excuses for
success expecLaLlons, 99-100
Llmlng, 81-82
evenlng exerclse, 87-89
mldday exerclse, 83-86
mornlng exerclse, 82-83
rescrlpLlon, exerclse, 101
accesslblllLy, 103
example, 103-4
deLermlnlng acLlvlLy/lnLenslLy, 102-9
deLermlnlng readlness for exerclse, 101-2
exerclse schedule, 111-12
lnlLlaLlng/logglng exerclse, 109-10, 110-13
logglng exerclse, 110-13
roblem solvlng
focus on success as well fallures, 140
skllls, enhanclng, 73-76
problem deflnlng, 76-77
summlng up, 77-78
worksheeL, 78-80
rocrasLlnaLlon 44-46, 34-60, 73-74, 82-96
sychoLherapy, exerclse and, 16-17, 22
Culck lnvenLory of uepresslve SympLomaLology (CluS), 146, 210-12
8eslllence, 194-96
8ewardlng yourself afLer exerclse, 139-40
8ouLlne plannlng for exerclse, 96
8umlnaLlve Lhlnklng, 90, 128, 129
8unner's hlgh," 137-38
Self-coachlng, 63-64
Self-conLrol efforL, 43-43
SeroLonln, 11, 12
Sklpplng exerclse, excuses for, 90
Loo bored Lo exerclse, 93-96
Loo depressed Lo exerclse, 91-93
Loo sLressed Lo exerclse, 90-91, 92-93
Soclal physlque anxleLy, 33
SLress, 10-11, 11, 19
Success, dlrecLlng your LhoughLs for exerclse, 61-62
SympLoms Lo be LargeLed by exerclse, 39-60, 129-134
1eam, for exerclse moLlvaLlon, 32-34, 97, 104, 168-169, 193-194
1emporary seLbacks. 5ee Self-coachlng, and lapses
1hlnklng paLLerns, 66, 67, 68-71, 142-143
1lme managemenL 81-84, 83-91, 197-198
vlgorous-lnLenslLy exerclse, 108
WelghL loss 173-184 WebslLes for esLabllshlng exerclse rouLlne, 204-6
Worry paLLerns, chronlc, 128-29
A'O,T T4E A,T4ORS
Mic"ae$ #( Otto, h.u. ls rofessor of sychology aL 8osLon unlverslLy. Pe ls a behavlor-change
experL who has done exLenslve research on sLraLegles Lo lmprove LreaLmenLs for anxleLy,
mood, and subsLance use dlsorders.
lboto cteJlt. Alllsoo voos
*aser A( *( Smits, h.u. ls AssoclaLe rofessor of sychology aL SouLhern MeLhodlsL unlverslLy.
Pls research focuses on Lhe developmenL of lnLervenLlons, lncludlng exerclse, for anxleLy
dlsorders and smoklng.
lboto cteJlt. nlllsmoo Iocksoo