Enjoyment is a critical component of exercise
behavior change. Enjoyment can be defined as taking
pleasure in something or doing something one likes.
Those considering exercise behavior change may consider
moving through stages of change model, such as
the Transtheoretical model (Prochaska, Redding, &
Evers, 2002) from precontemplation/contemplation to
preparation and then action/maintenance. Exercise
behavior change may also shift from one or more forms
of exercise to other(s). Enjoyment of an activity may be
the critical factor in determining whether the individual
adheres to the activity. Activity enjoyment should be
considered in working with an individual on exercise
behavior change. Exercise adherence is our primary
goal, to have individuals adhere to a regular exercise/
physical activity program for their lives. Ideally, they
would enjoy their exercise program.
Enjoyment can be seen at work in several areas.
Vallerand (2008) has conducted work on a Dualistic
Model of Passion, encompassing harmonious and
obsessive passion. Harmonious passion “results from an
autonomous internalization of the activity into the person’s
identity. An autonomous internalization occurs
when individuals have feely accepted the activity as
important for them without any contingencies attached
to it” (Vallerand, 2008, p. 2). Additionally, “With this
type of passion, the activity occupies a significant, but
not overpowering, space in the person’s identity and is
in harmony with other aspects of the person’s life”
(p. 2). Obsessive passion controls the individual and is
not seen as desirable. Harmonious passion encompasses
an activity that an individual enjoys and will
continue.
Fun has been explored by Visek and colleagues
(2015). Their focus was on children and adolescents’
sport participation. They noted that children cite ‘fun’
as the most important reason for participating in organized
sport. A lack of fun is the primary reason for
dropping out of a youth sport experience. Visek and
colleagues have developed a concept mapping
approach called FUN MAPS, and found that these
“provide pictorial evidence-based blueprints for the
fun integration theory (FIT), which . . . can be used to
maximize fun . . . to promote and sustain an active
and healthy lifestyle through sport” (p. 424). As children
and adolescents become adults, this experience
of having fun translates into enjoyment with exercise
and physical activity (which may involve sport but
doesn’t have to do so) and may lead to exercise
adherence.
Enjoyment can come from several avenues. There
may be the enjoyment of engaging in exercise in social
settings and with friends. One may enjoy being ‘in
shape’ and able to perform in one’s chosen exercise/
sport at a given level. One may enjoy how one looks—
attractiveness—to others and/or oneself. Ideally, one
would enjoy the feelings of exercising and these intrinsic
feelings are sufficient to reinforce the behavior for
the long-term. These elements will be critical for different
individuals. Considering Self-Determination Theory
(Ryan & Deci, 2017), one can see that autonomous
motivation is most desirable with the highest stage of
intrinsic motivation encompassing participation because
one enjoys the activity. This enjoyable participation is
most likely to result in exercise adherence and reflects
the ultimate in exercise behavior change: lifelong participation
in exercise and physical activity.
