Motivating People to Be Physically Active

Motivating People to Be Physically Active, Second Edition, translates research, theories, and concepts of behavioral science into a useful handbook for health professionals involved in the planning, development, implementation, or evaluation of physical activity promotion programs. The book describes proven methods for helping people overcome sedentary behavior and make physical activity a regular part of their lives.

Based on the five-stage model of motivational readiness for change, this comprehensive reference will help you design intervention programs for individuals and groups in both worksite and community settings. This behavior change method can be used with healthy adults as well as those with chronic physical or psychological conditions. You'll also learn to measure and improve clients' motivation and assess their physical activity patterns and barriers.

The second edition has been fully updated and expanded to include these features:

-An updated chapter that discusses and compares the recent physical activity recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the Institute of Medicine and presents the pros and cons of the recommendations for key populations

-An expanded description of the benefits of a physically active lifestyle

-Information on how technology, including accelerometers, and Web-based intervention strategies can be used in changing physical activity behavior

Motivating People to Be Physically Active, Second Edition, contains many practical tools and ideas to assist you in program implementation. You'll find reproducible questionnaires, worksheets, logs, and more to assist clients in their transition to active living. The book includes case studies of successful community and worksite programs that can serve as a starting point for your own interventions and stage-specific strategies and recommendations for including and motivating all participants. The authors also provide a list of suggested readings that you can use to enhance your programs. Web addresses and phone numbers of physical activity organizations are included, which can provide you with additional information and resources.

With its focus on psychological and behavioral research and accessible reading style, Motivating People to Be Physically Active, Second Edition, is the essential resource for physical activity behavior modification. In addition to allowing you to design effective intervention programs, its many program ideas, tips, and tools spark your motivation to educate and encourage others to lead a more active and healthier lifestyle.

Motivating People to Be Physically Active, Second Edition, is part of the Physical Activity Intervention Series (PAIS). This timely series provides useful educational resources for professionals interested in promoting and implementing physical activity programs to a diverse and often resistant population.

Bess H. Marcus, PhD, is a professor in the departments of community health and psychiatry and human behavior at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University and director of the Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine at the Miriam Hospital. Dr. Marcus is a clinical health psychologist who has spent the past 20 years conducting research on physical activity behavior and has published more than 150 papers and book chapters as well as three books on this topic.

Dr. Marcus 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 has participated in panels for the American Heart Association, American College of Sports Medicine, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Institutes of Health; these panels have created recommendations regarding the quantity and intensity of physical activity necessary for health benefits. Marcus was also a contributing author to the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health. She served as an advisor on the curriculum development for Project Active and is a coauthor of Active Living Every Day (Human Kinetics). Marcus is recognized internationally for her outstanding research in helping people to become more physically active and has spoken on this topic worldwide.

Marcus makes time to be physically active on most days of the week. She enjoys walking, swimming, and cycling with her husband, Dan, her three children, and friends.

LeighAnn Forsyth, PhD, is a clinical health psychologist. She has a private practice specializing in weight management, body image, and women's health. She also is an adjunct professor of psychology at Cleveland State University, where she conducts research on physical activity adoption and lectures on behavior modification.

During a clinical internship and two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the Brown University Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine at the Miriam Hospital, Forsyth participated in several research programs applying the stages of motivational readiness to promote physical activity adoption.

She has published several professional articles and book chapters on physical activity promotion and the stages of motivational readiness and serves as a consultant on physical activity research grants. Forsyth is a member of the Society of Behavioral Medicine and the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Society.

With three young children, Forsyth receives a daily dose of physically active parenting. She also enjoys jogging, hiking, playing tennis, and biking. She and her husband, Paul, and their children reside in Shaker Heights, Ohio.