title: The role of habit in different phases of exercise.
abstract: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate how habit strength in a preparatory and performance phase predicts exercise while accounting for intention. The secondary purpose was to determine the strength of potential habit antecedents (affective judgement, perceived behavioural control, consistency, and cues) in both exercise phases.
  
  
  
  This was a prospective study with measures collected at baseline and week 6.
  
  
  
  Participants (n = 181) were a sample of adults (18-65) recruited across nine gyms and recreation centres who completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires after 6 weeks.
  
  
  
  Intention (β = .28, p = .00) and habit preparation (β = .20, p = .03), predicted exercise, and change of exercise with coefficients of β = .25, (p = .00) and β = .18, (p = .04), respectively, across 6 weeks but not habit performance (p>.05).
  
  
  
  This study highlighted the distinction between the two phases of exercise and the importance of preparatory habit in predicting behaviour. Focusing on a consistent preparatory routine could be helpful in establishing an exercise habit. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? A recent meta-analysis found habit to correlate r = .43 with behaviour (Gardner, de Bruijn, & Lally, ). Verplanken and Melkevik () propose that habit in exercise should be measured in separate components. Phillips and Gardner () interpreted this as habitual instigation (thought) to exercise and execution. What does this study add? Extended pervious work and identified two distinct behavioural phases (preparation and performance) for exercise. Habit model revealed that temporal consistency was the strongest predictor in both phases of exercise. Intention and habit of preparatory behaviour predicted exercise fluctuations in gym members.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute, University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Navin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kaushal
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Medicine Laboratory, Faculty of Education, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Ryan E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.affiliation: University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Meldrum
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Spence
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003463:Cues; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013995:Time
keywords: 
  MVPA
  ; automaticity; exercise; habit; performance; phases; preparation