Motivating People to Be Physically Active

Bess H. Marcus, PhD, is a professor of behavioral and social sciences and dean emerita of the School of Public Health at Brown University. She was a professor and the chair of the department of family medicine and public health at the University of California-San Diego from 2011 through 2017. She is a clinical health psychologist who has spent over 30 years conducting research on physical activity behavior and has published over 300 papers and book chapters as well as three books on this topic. She has developed a series of assessment instruments to measure psychosocial mediators of physical activity behavior and has also developed low-cost interventions to promote physical activity behavior in community, workplace, and primary care settings. Dr. Marcus is actively involved on numerous NIH grants on physical activity behavior and public health. Her work increasingly focuses on promoting physical activity in underserved and vulnerable populations. She has mentored numerous students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Citation Award from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in 2015. She delivered the President’s Lecture at the 2015 ACSM meeting and the Morris/Paffenbarger Exercise Is Medicine Lecture at the 2022 meeting.Dr. Marcus enjoys staying active by walking with family and friends daily. She also enjoys strength training, yoga, and Pilates.Dori Pekmezi, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and professor and vice chair in the department of health behavior in the School of Public Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research and teaching focus on the application of behavioral theory and technology to physical activity promotion in underserved or at-risk populations. She has published over 100 professional articles and book chapters on these topics and served as principal investigator or co-investigator on at least 15 physical activity research grants. Pekmezi is also a fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine and served as cochair for the professional society’s Physical Activity Special Interest Group.Dr. Pekmezi stays physically active by playing tennis with her friends and walking her sons to school.

• Part I. Theoretical Background and Tools for Measuring Motivational ReadinessChapter 1. Describing Physical Activity InterventionsPhysical Activity RecommendationsDefinitions of Physical Activity, Exercise, and Physical FitnessPhysical Activity InterventionsTheoretical ModelsMotivational Readiness for Behavior ChangeConclusionChapter 2. The Stages of Motivational Readiness for Change ModelMotivational Readiness and the Stages of ChangeMatch Treatment Strategies to Stages of ChangeProcesses of Behavior ChangeConclusionChapter 3. Integrating Other Psychological Theories and ModelsLearning TheoryDecision-Making TheoryBehavioral Choice TheorySocial Cognitive TheoryEcological ModelRelapse Prevention ModelConclusionChapter 4. Putting Theories to Work by Looking at Mediators of ChangeConsider Mediators of Physical Activity Behavior ChangeFactors That Enhance Physical ActivityUnlock the “Black Box”ConclusionChapter 5. Using the Stages Model for Successful Physical Activity InterventionsImagine Action: A Community-Based ProgramJump Start to Health: A Workplace-Based StudyJump Start: A Community-Based StudyProject Active: A Community-Based StudyProject STRIDE: A Community-Based StudyStep Into Motion: A Community-Based StudyConclusionPart II. ApplicationsChapter 6. Assessing Physical Activity Patterns and Physical FitnessDiscovering Patterns of Physical Activity BehaviorDetermining Intensity LevelTracking Physical Activity BehaviorAssessing FitnessAssessing Physical Activity and Fitness in Group SettingsConclusionChapter 7. Using the Stages Model in Individual CounselingPhysical ReadinessPhysical Activity HistoryPsychological ReadinessConfidenceSet Short- and Long-Term GoalsMeasure SuccessConclusionChapter 8. Using the Stages Model in Group Counseling ProgramsLeading a Stage-Based GroupLearning From a Sample Stage-Based CurriculumAssessing Your Effectiveness as a LeaderConclusionChapter 9. Using the Stages Model in Work Site ProgramsBuilding Support for Your ProgramAssessing Motivational ReadinessChoosing Your Target AudienceReaching Your Target AudienceDeveloping Stage-Matched MaterialsFocusing on Moderate-Intensity ActivityPlanning EventsAdding Incentives for ParticipationConclusionChapter 10. Using the Stages Model in Community ProgramsAssessing the Community’s Readiness for ChangeReaching Individuals Within a CommunityDeveloping Stage-Matched MessagesUsing a Media-Based Approach to Reach Your Target AudienceWorking With Community Leaders to Reach Your Target AudienceConclusionAppendix A. QuestionnairesAppendix B. Resources