Sex differences in time perception during self-paced running

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(4): 514-523, 2016. Time perception during exercise may be affected by chosen intensity, and may also affect enjoyment of exercise and subsequent long-term adherence. However, little is known about how individuals perceive the passage of time during exercise, or if factors such as sex are influential. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are sex related differences in perception of time during a bout of exercise in experienced runners. Twenty-two recreational runners (11 men, 11 women) participated in a bout of treadmill running where they were allowed to select their intensity. Sixty second prospective time estimations were taken before, during (at 33%, 66% and 90% of the completed distance), and after the run. Heart rate (HR) was also recorded throughout. The women (M = 91.9, SD = 3.3) ran at a significantly higher percentage of their maximum HR than the men (M = 86.5, SD = 6.4; p = 0.022), choosing to run at a higher relative intensity than the men when given the opportunity to self-pace. The women had relatively lower time estimations overall, showing that they perceived time to be passing by more slowly compared to the men. These results may help to explain sex related differences in exercise adherence

Cognitive Behavior Modification and Exercise + Group Counseling for Patients After Bariatric Surgery

The growing obesity epidemic is paralleled by an increasing number of bariatric surgeries. Patients lose significant weight within the first 12-18 months post-surgery with corresponding resolution of many co-morbidities. However, weight loss stabilizes after 18-24 months and 50% or more of patients eventually regain weight (Bond, Phelan, Leahey, Hill, & Wing, 2009; Magro, et al., 2008). Weight regain after loss is associated with return of co-morbidities and deteriorations in health-related quality of life and mood (Karlsson, Taft, Ryden, Sjostrom, & Sullivan, 2007). The purpose of this pilot study was to analyze the effects of a post-surgical behavioral plus counseling intervention on bariatric surgery patients who are struggling to maintain their weight loss ≥ 2 years after surgery. Methods: Project REACH (Relearn how to Eat, increase Activity and Create better Habits) was a 12-week intervention designed to change psychosocial mediators of health behaviors and fitness variables. Patients met for 1 hr each week for cognitive behavior modification and exercise instruction and practice followed by 1 hr of a closed counseling session. Psychosocial variables and fitness were measured before and after the intervention. Descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, and Cohen’s d were applied to the data. Results: Eight women aged 39-68 yr (M = 54.37, SD = 9.62), BMI range 24.4-50.5 kg/m2 (M = 38.16, SD = 7.61) self-selected into the program. At the pre-test, BMI was correlated with diet/lifestyle self-efficacy (r = -.913, p = .002), social support for exercise-friends (r = -.800, p = .017), and exercise planning (r = -.730, p = .040). Distance walked in 6 min (6MWT) increased for the 4 women who completed the post-test (p = .040, d = 1.68). Changes in some fitness (e.g., BMI: d = -0.77) and psychosocial variables (e.g., exercise planning: d = 1.02; dietary cognitive restraint: d = 0.73) had medium and large effects. Conclusions: Targeting exercise, nutrition, and psychological issues together in an intervention can have positive effects on fitness and psychosocial factors that may help patients more than 2 yr post-surgery manage their weight

Physical Activity, Exercise, and Sedentary Behavior in College Students

The authors examined the relationship between physical activity, exercise, and sedentary behaviors in 493 college students who were enrolled in 10 conditioning activity classes and had completed questionnaires at the beginning of the course. They analyzed sedentary activities and indicators of participation in exercise and physical activity by demographic variables. Surveyed men reported greater participation in physical activity and exercise than did women, and they also spent more time watching television/videos and using the computer. Older students were more likely to report more computer use, whereas younger students scored higher on several physical activity indicators. Of the sedentary behaviors, only computer use for men and television watching for women were negatively correlated with exercise and physical activity. In addition to accessibility and reinforcing properties of sedentary activities, the gender-related relationships between sedentary and active behaviors should be considered in designing interventions to promote exercise in this population

Perceived exertion during incremental cycling is not influenced by the type A behavior pattern

Recherche d'une relation entre la perception de la fatigue, le seuil de tolérance à l'effort et le psychisme des sujets : incidence du comportement de type A

Aerobic exercise improves cardiorespiratory fitness but does not reduce blood pressure in prehypertensive African American women.

Ten weeks of 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, three times a week at 70% VO2 peak, is a sufficient stimulus to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and workload achieved. However, this exercise regimen was not adequate in eliciting a simultaneous reduction in systolic, diastolic, or mean arterial blood pressure in this cohort of prehypertensive African American women. Additional studies are needed to determine specific exercise protocols that would be effective in lowering blood pressure in various populations. These exercise protocols may vary across ethnicity, sex, and disease status