The new year is often a time when people often make resolutions to improve their health. However, these resolutions do not last as long as originally planned. To help you stay on track with your resolution, it is important to understand concepts relating to exercise adherence, such as, emotional affect – i.e. the extent to which an activity is experienced as positive or negative.

People may experience positive emotions after a workout, possibly relating to a renewed sense of accomplishment. However, research suggests that experiencing positive emotions during exercise is associated with longer term adherence to an exercise program.

Two important factors that can impact one’s emotional affect include exercise intensity and the experience of low back disorders.

In making a resolution to exercise more, it can be common to start too intensely. Higher intensity exercise tends to create negative feelings for people. It causes higher physical stress on the body, which is likely largely responsible for the negative effect experienced. A person who is new to exercise would be advised to first set a goal of maintaining an exercise routine for a set period of time, rather than a goal relating to improving their physical conditioning. Those who establish exercise routines are more likely to adhere to it long-term and are therefore more likely to reap the benefits associated with it.

One easy way to determining the intensity of an activity would be the talk test.

• If you are able to speak complete sentences during exercise, the activity is likely to result in a positive effect response;
• If you are able to speak 3 to 5 words max, per breath comfortably, then you are training at a moderate intensity. This intensity tends to result in a varied response, positive in some negative in others;
• If it is difficult to speak between breaths, this intensity is likely to result in a negative effect response.

Low Back Disorders (LBDs) impact a significant portion of our population and can potentially be a barrier for participation in exercise. To gain a better understanding of the nature of your LBD, create a list of daily activities (walking, picking-up things from the floor things, etc.) and place these activities in one of three categories, “This movement…”

• increases my pain or discomfort
• does not cause any change
• decreases my pain or discomfort

The answers to these questions will help us better understand which movements and exercises are safe, and which are contraindicated.

Our body is made to move regularly. Exercise intensity and the experience of LBDs are two factors that can significantly impact one’s emotional affect during exercise. Find a kinesiologist to assist you with a tailored exercise regimen to help you achieve your health and fitness goals in a safely and effectively.