Timing | Elements of HAPA | Content of the e-mail message | |
---|---|---|---|
ORIENTATION | |||
Preliminary meeting | Risk perception | · Information on the intervention, benefits of physical activity (PA), PA recommendations and walking | |
· Instructions on monitoring PA with a pedometer and a logbook and assessing the average number of daily steps at baseline | |||
· Presentation of the ultimate goal of adding 4000 moderate-intensity steps to the baseline on 5 days of the week | |||
MOTIVATIONAL PHASE (INTENTION BUILDING) | |||
1st e-mail “Regaining strength by physical activity” | Within 2 weeks from the preliminary meeting | Positive outcome expectations, pre-action self-efficacy, action planning | · Benefits of integrating short bouts of PA into daily routine |
· The 1st goal of adding 2000 steps to the baseline on 2 days of the week | |||
· Simple tips for accumulating 2000 steps | |||
VOLITIONAL PHASE (INTENTION): PLANNING, PREPARING AND INITIATING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY | |||
2nd e-mail “Finding time through experience” | 4 weeks after the 1st e-mail | Positive outcome expectations, risk perception, action planning, coping planning, self-monitoring | · Positive outcomes after even a short bout of PA |
· Examples of finding time and places to be more active | |||
· The 2nd goal of adding 2000 steps to the baseline on 5 days of the week | |||
3rd e-mail “Making physical activity one’s own thing” | 4 weeks after the 2nd e-mail | Positive outcome expectancies, risk perception, coping planning, maintenance self-efficacy, action planning | · Positive outcomes from being physically active |
· Examples of accumulating 4000 steps | |||
· The 3rd goal of adding 4000 steps on 2 days and 2000 steps on 3 days of the week to the baseline | |||
VOLITIONAL PHASE (MAINTENANCE) | |||
4th e-mail “Preparing oneself against barriers” | 4 weeks after the 3rd e-mail | Action planning, coping planning, maintenance planning, maintenance self-efficacy | · The importance of regularity in PA |
· The most critical barriers for PA and the ways to overcome them | |||
· Example of a 30-minute walking session with 4000 steps | |||
· The 4th goal of adding 4000 steps on 4 days and 2000 steps on 1 day of the week to the baseline | |||
5th e-mail “Getting oneself going” | 4 weeks after the 4th e-mail | Action planning, coping planning, maintenance self-efficacy, recovery self-efficacy | · Tips for making it easier to “get oneself going” |
· The 5th goal of adding 4000 steps to the baseline on 5 days of the week | |||
6th e-mail “Establishing a physically active lifestyle” | 4 weeks after the 5th e-mail | Action self-efficacy, maintenance self-efficacy, recovery self-efficacy, action planning | · Learning sustainable ways to be physically active |
· The importance of regularity and the possibility of rewarding oneself | |||
· Maintenance of current PA level and supplementation with muscle strengthening exercises on 2 days of the week | |||
· A printable form for a weekly action plan and monitoring |