Changes in body consciousness relate to regularity of exercise training

Previous work has indicated improvement for scores on self-reported measures of body consciousness as aerobic fitness increased. To test whether exercise sufficient to improve aerobic fitness must be sustained on a regular basis to achieve positive changes in body consciousness, two separate periods of exercise training of 2 or 3 weeks duration were completed by nine female volunteers. The two exercise sessions were separated by 10 days of no exercise. Five women, as controls, did not exercise. Despite significant physiological improvement in the exercisers, no changes in self-perceived body self-consciousness were observed. Such changes may depend on the maintenance of a regular exercise regimen or the magnitude of physiological improvement.