Thomas Danca

UWRT-1101

Sally Griffin

Second Home: Motivation & Comfort

Fitness Connection is a place where individuals come in and give it their all. Each

person has a different mindset of how training is supposed to be followed by the variety

of goals they are working for. Fitness connection is split up into four main groups which

consist of cardio enthusiasts, weight addicts (meat heads), basketball lovers, and lastly

the people who take part in dance classes such as Zumba, spin classes and Pilates.

This particular setting is made up of different sections. The first area of the gym is the

cardio equipment, there are many pieces such as treadmills, stair climbers, bikes and

ellipticals. This area also contains a movie room where people can zone into a good

show while partaking in their exercises. The next part of the gym is the weight section.

In this area of the gym they have a variety of free weights along with a dumbbell rack

that goes up to 120 pounds. Another interesting part about Fitness Connection is the full

basketball court which is located towards the back of the facility. Lastly there is a dance

room located in the front near the front desk. The people in this room are always

sweating excessively due to the work that is being done.

Motivation can either make or break athletes from reaching a desired goal. Not

everyone has the driving will to get up and sweat. Scott T. Rabideau, from the

Rochester Institute of Technology, states there are two variables that play into a
persons motivational capacity. The first motive that he describes is implicit motivation.

This is made up of spontaneous impulse to act, in simpler terms this means that people

do tasks to reach their goal for the joy and love of it. The other type of motive that

Rabideau describes is extrinsic motivation, this is when there is an incentive at the end

of reaching a certain goal. For example, money, food, clothes, etc. (Effects of

Achievement,2005) Most the of the people that attend Fitness connection have a wide

variety of goals. There are a handful of individuals that compete in bodybuilding

competitions, so their main goal is to add the most amount of muscle possible. A

majority of the people that train at this facility just have one goal and that is to stay in

shape and live a healthy lifestyle.

After interviewing a variety of individuals that come to the gym regularly, the first

question that was asked was what motivated you to come into the gym and train? Ryan,

the first person interviewed, said I simply come to the gym on a daily basis because it's

my passion and something I look forward to on a daily basis. The next person

Interviewed was Tammy Robinson. I come to the gym for one reason and that is to be

healthy, I want to make sure that Im here to see my kids graduate school and get

married, also to hopefully have a role in my grandchildrens life. Her answer is definitely

along the lines of extrinsic motivation, since there is an incentive from working out on a

regular basis.

In the book No Sweat, by Michelle Segar, she describes ways to make the

motivation to exercise easier. She describes briefly how making an exercise a chore will

take the fun out of it and you will soon drift away from exercising, whether it's simply

going on a daily walk or going into a gym like setting and training. Segar then describes
that choosing exercises and routines that an individual truly enjoy will motivate them to

be active and stay healthy. For example, bodyweight training programs, strictly weight

lifting training, and circuit training. (No Sweat, pg.5) Different styles of training might

make a person feel more motivated with a change in their routine. (No Sweat, Pg.8)

Inside of Fitness connection most members use different styles of training throughout

their workout. After analyzing this it seemed they were more focused and determined to

give it their best when they change up the different training styles through the course of

their workout routine. Also, in the article American College of Sports Medicine, it states

when people understand how to work out and understand what they are doing before

going into a gym setting will bring a sense of comfort. (Spagnoletti, pg.1)

One main issue individuals have from going into the gym is being comfortable

with their surroundings. Being insecure about what other people may think of you

restricts many people from starting their journey to being healthy. In the article, The

Mental Trick to Make Exercise More Comfortable, by Caitlin Carson, entails a study that

was done on her clients by simply giving them tricks to help them strive for greatness.

She lists that studying the people inside a particular environment might make it feel

more of a safe ground. Knowing that everyone in the gym is striving for their own goal

will take the pressure off of the individual from giving it their all. (Carson, pg.1) Another

insightful tip in order to feel comfortable while trying to obtain your goals would be to

wear comfortable clothing and play your favorite music. Studies show that training while

listening to music thats enjoyable will activate the individual to have a better experience

in an exercise like setting. From studying this environment, it was easy to tell that most
of the crowd dressed in what was most comfortable and put their headphones on and

shut out the rest of the world while they trained.

After asking the second question, survey answers to what gym members like

about the setting were varied. What do you like about this setting that makes you feel

comfortable to come in and give it your all? Ryan stated, I feel most comfortable in this

gym because of the likeminded individuals that are training around me, it's very easy to

get motivated when seeing the guy next to me giving it his all. This interview response

goes along the lines of what Caitlin Carson states, knowing the people in the gym will

help give you an easier time while training in the gym. (Carson, pg.1) The next person

that was asked this question was Tamara Black. I find comfort in this setting because of

how clean the equipment and environment is, its very easy to come in and workout

when the people are exceptionally nice and friendly as well. Tamara stated. After

reviewing these answers, it was clear that most of the people inside of Fitness

connection like Ryan and Tamara attend this facility on a daily basis due to the

cleanliness of the gym along with the friendly members that also attend

Setting a short term goals that leads to a bigger picture will help participants stay

on track and not lose sight of what they want during your fitness journey. A problem that

many people have is setting a goal that is so high that the steps seem to be unclear. For

example, if your current body weight is around 300 pounds and you set a goal to lose

150 pounds in two years, it is predicted that you will veer away from your goals because

it is too far out of reach at the moment. A better solution to this goal setting attempt will

be to start off with losing 50 pounds in a matter of 6 months. Although you are now

focused on losing a less amount of weight, you still keep that long term goal in mind to
keep you motivated. This is a very long-winded way of saying that the short term goal is

a relative period of the long term goal.

In the article, Goal Setting: A Five-Step Approach to Behavior Change, by Gary P.

Latham, he describes it's important to set superordinate goals. In doing so, a

superordinate goal gives people a cause they can rally around. The purpose of a

superordinate or overarching goal is to capture the imagination, and hence to galvanize

people to take action. A superordinate goal reflects the power of language expressed in

ways that convey to people something they can believe in. (Latham, pg.2) After

analyzing this article, it's critical to set goals that having meaning in them. Setting a goal

that you have no passion or love for will drive you away from taking the steps necessary

to achieve the end goal. For example, a professional football player that is asked to give

baseball a try for a pay increase will result in a poor motivational mindset because this

is not what his passion is for. When a participant understands their body and realizes

what they enjoy will benefit them while trying to make a list of goals.

After the last question was asked, what are your main goals and what steps are

you going to take to reach it? the answers were predicted but still eye opening to see

the mindsets of the individuals in this particular setting. Ian McAdoo stated, My main

goal is to strive to be as healthy as possible, having a gym partner that pushes me to

the limit is extremely beneficial. The steps I plan to continue to take consist of daily

cardio, eating properly, and just having fun with it. After discussing this answer with

him, it was very clear that he has a passion for working out and living a healthy lifestyle.

For him to set the goal of being healthy should be easy to obtain because of his love

and drive for it, according to Gary P. Latham. (Latham, pg.2) Julie Anderson said, My
main goal is to lose 30 pounds in the next two to three months. The steps I plan to take

in order to achieve this goal is working out three to five times a week and also starting a

diet plan. Following this, it was clear that she had a lot of passion behind the words she

stated. Not going all in while setting your goal will only make you drift away and not

follow through with your ideas. Julies main goal, she should focus on is being

consistent. Knowing that losing thirty pounds is going to take a decent amount of time

will help her stay focused. Sticking to a diet plan and workout routine for an extensive

period of time will allow her to lose the weight she has in mind plus more if she stays

consistent and make this a lifestyle. There are many opportunities to have top-notch

trainers that can provide diet plans along with personal training options. The price of

using a trainer is included in the annual price that is paid through Fitness Connection

Later in the article, Goal Setting: A Five-Step Approach to Behavior Change,

Latham explained The purpose of goal setting is to make the superordinate goal

concrete, to move it from emotional rhetoric to concrete action steps. To do this, the

goal must be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and have a time-frame.

(Latham, pg.1) This means that instead of thinking about doing something, go out and

do it. He also tells the audience that participants need to set specific, attainable goals in

a time frame. For example, you can have someone set an attainable goal but does not

care for when it gets done by. The mistake with this is when you don't put a time cap on

a task you will keep pushing it off and it will never get done most of the time.

After analyzing the gym, Fitness Connection, the experience was staggering to

see the mindsets of the individuals that come into this facility. Seeing different types of

individuals ranging from tall, short, muscular, skinny that portray strong mindsets and a
good plan of action are the ones that give off a good presence that allows everyone in

the gym to train as hard as possible. Motivation is and will continue to be the main

problem for individuals to start working out and shred of those unwanted pounds. If

motivation is the main problem, its imperative to try and give yourself small incentives

every time you complete a goal or task. Another issue many people are having is being

comfortable in an exercise setting, whether it's from being sensitive about what people

will think of, not knowing how to exercise, or not having the right equipment such as

shoes, music, clothing, etc. Caitlin Carson says it's important to study the people in

your gym before going. (Carson, pg.1) Another helpful tip in order to be comfortable in

the gym is to find a setting that is clean and a place that fulfils your needs. Lastly,

setting goals will help you stay on track during your fitness journey. It's important to set

short term goals that lead to one main goal in a specific time frame. Experiencing the

satisfaction of short terms goals will help you stay motivated to obtain the goal you

desire.

Obesity will continue to be a huge epidemic around the country if the people are

not willing to exercise and eat a proper diet. One thing that was surprising about these

interviews is that everyone said consistency is the most important thing while trying to

obtain a certain goal. Albert Einstein once said Time is relative; it's only worth depends

upon what we do as it is passing (AZ Quotes, 2017) Knowing that the fitness journey is

a long process will help participants understand that time is on their side. Focus on

short term goals and the rest will come over time.
Annotated Bibliography

Minden, PhD Joel. "Exercise Motivation: Psychological Principles." Joel Minden.

N.p., 24 Apr. 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.
o In this website, it gives clear examples and definitions of how people find excuses to skip
out on workouts along with ways people remind themselves to train and exercise.
o I used this source because it's reliable, this website was created by doctor Joel Minden.
Secondly I used this source because of the viable information that is provided it
corresponds directly with the field I am studying. This source lists examples of the four
types of cognitive events that can impact exercise behavior.
"10 Ways to Boost Your Exercise Motivation." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 22
Mar. 2017.
o In the article 10 Ways To Boost Your Exercise Motivation, by Virginia Anderson, provides
information on how people lose sight with their goals, ways to improve a workout
mindset, etc.
o I chose to use this source because it directly reflects to struggles I personally go through
when trying to train on a day to day basis. This article will help me explain the questions I
will be asking to the people I interview in my essay.
Reynolds, Gretchen. "Why We're Motivated to Exercise. Or Not." The New York
Times. The New York Times, 17 Apr. 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.
o In the article Why We're Motivated to Exercise. Or Not, is a study about why some people
have motivation to workout and how other don't. This article gives an example of how
genes play a role in motivation.
o In this article they list a study that was done with lab rats and how genes have an impact
on exercise and motivation. They took the most active male and female rats and bred
them together to see if the gene role is accurate while exercise.
o This article will help with my argument on how some people just can't find motivation to
workout. Putting the study with the lab rats will help solidify a valid point within my
argument.
Canuto, Karla J., Belinda Spagnoletti, Robyn A. McDermott, and Margaret Cargo.
"Factors influencing attendance in a structured physical activity program for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in an urban setting: a mixed
methods process evaluation." International Journal for Equity in Health. BioMed
Central, 24 Jan. 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.
o The Factors Influencing Gym Attendance provides a study done on overweight and
obese individuals throughout a 12 week program. The program included two sixty-minute
group workouts along with four nutrition workshops. This study also included interviews
throughout the program to see the mindsets of the individuals participating.
o This source is objective due to the fact of the factual study that was taken place. This
source gives a lot of factual information but does not proceed my first two sources that
were used.
 o This study will be beneficial while trying to explain the importance of exercise and how it
can change your life dramatically.
Segar, Michelle. No Sweat How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You
a Lifetime of Fitness. Saranac Lake: AMACOM, 2015. Print.
o In the book No Sweat, Michelle Segar explains what motivates an individual, what that
means for ones health, and, most importantly, how ones relationship to the self is
essential to well-being. She also explains the eccentric motivators people have to work
out such as lifestyles and body images
o This is an objective source because of the input of the clients Michelle has interacted
with. This source will be very beneficial, with that being said, this will be one of my most
important sources.
o This book will help explain what exercise can do to the body along with the
consequences that result in not exercising and not eating properly.
Moya, Bryan. Motivation to Physical Fitness. N.p.: Bryan Moya, 2013. Print.
o In the book Motivation to Physical Fitness, Brian Hoyer gives very useful techniques that
might help an individual find motivation. Brian Hoyer is big on setting reachable goal
instead of outrageous, unobtainable goals that will result in failure. This book is useful but
will not be a main source of mine.
o This is a subjective source due to the fact that Bryan lists his own personal experiences.
o If i was to use this book during my essay I would list the techniques that were provided by
Bryan that will help an individual find motivation.
"10 Ways To Make Exercise More Comfortable When You're Carrying Extra
Weight." Prevention. Prevention, 02 Feb. 2016. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.
o In the article, 10 Ways to Make Exercise More Comfortable is about ideas and steps you
can take while trying to find comfort of the gym. In this article it provides examples of how
to increase your performance in the gym whether its from music choices or ideas on
footwear.
o This is a subjective source due to the fact that its a personal opinion on how to be more
comfortable inside the gym. All though this article provides a great deal of information, it
is not one of my highly rated sources.
o If i was to use this source, I will use it to go along with my question What makes you feel
comfortable in this gym setting?
"The Mental Trick to Make Exercise More Comfortable." Shape Magazine. N.p.,
23 Jan. 2015. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.
o In the article The Mental Trick to make Exercise More Comfortable does a great job of
explaining how working out will be uncomfortable and the realization that your body will
hurt afterwards due to the fact of being sore. The main point in the article is your mind will
play a role with how you take in the pain.
o This is an objective source due to the fact that Caitlin Carson Gives factual examples of
her clients input and results during her study. This will be one of my main sources while
writing this paper.
o I will use this source in the beginning of my paper describing how your mind affects what
you do inside and outside of the gym setting.
Trainer, Molly Galbraith Certified Personal. "How to Feel Less Intimidated in the
Weight Room." SparkPeople. N.p., 31 Dec. 2013. Web. 22 Mar. 2017.
o In the article How to Feel Less Intimidated in the Gym gives a good insight on ways to go
into a gym setting and feel comfortable. He tells us that studying the type of people and
how this gym is set up will make you feel better while training.
o This is a subjective article due to the fact that it is a personal opinion on how to feel
comfortable in the gym. This is a great source but will not be used much while writing my
essay.
o If I were to use this source during my essay I would use it to make a point while
explaining my question What makes you feel comfortable in this gym setting? I will use
 the examples the author gives and try and explain ways to make your experience in the
gym better.
"ACSM | Articles." American College of Sports Medicine. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Mar.
2017.
o In this ACSM article, it describes how intrinsic motivators play a key role in the journey to
being successful inside the gym. If you understand how to workout and what you are
going to do before putting yourself inside a exercise environment while help you stay
focused on your goals.
o This articles is objective because of the factual information that is provided by exercise
science professions and doctors. This will be one of my main sources while writing this
essay.
o While writing this paper, I will use the source to help explain how to stay focused inside of
the gym and do make a point with a question I will be asking people during the
interviews. What motivated you to workout today?

Works Cited
"Engaging Minds: Motivation and Learning in America's Schools." /reviews/single/978-
0-8108-4713-2. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.
"Goal Setting:: A Five-Step Approach to Behavior Change." Goal Setting:: A Five-Step
Approach to Behavior Change. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.
"Goal Setting as a Strategy for Healthy Behavior Change." PTontheNet.com Online
Education for Fitness Professionals. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.

"Albert Einstein." AZQuotes.com. Wind and Fly LTD, 2017. 29 April 2017.
http://www.azquotes.com/quote/855927