The relationship between expectations and exercise adherence in women

Abstract

Improving rates of exercise adherence for Canadian women is a critical priority. Recent studies argue that decreasing outcome expectations associated with exercise will improve adherence. This recommendation fails to acknowledge that high outcome expectations are critical for exercise adoption, particularly in women. As failure to meet expectations is more detrimental than expectations themselves, do women adequately gauge the time and effort required to achieve the outcomes they expect? The current study examined exercise adherence and exercise expectations in twenty-six women. While no significant relationships were found between adherence and expectations, significant positive relationships were found between adherence and high intensity exercise and adherence and personal training. As high intensity exercise leads to greater physical and mental adaptations and exercise under the supervision of a personal trainer is arguably more effective, it is possible that certain women exhibited higher levels of exercise adherence because their expectations were being met.