Topic	Message Excerpt
Benefits of exercise	As we mentioned last week, we spoke with other cardiac rehabilitation participants. Here is what one person had to say about the benefits of exercise for her. “I just have a lot more energy. I didn’t have much energy before. But I do have energy now. It was just gone and I couldn’t do anything really. But after being here [in cardiac rehabilitation], you know … now I can walk without huffing and puffing. And I can clean the house. I like to think that’s a good thing.”
Transition from a structured cardiac rehabilitation program	Can you believe it has been about a month since you finished cardiac rehabilitation? Have you stuck with your transition plan so far upon finishing or have you had to modify the plan to make it work for you? One cardiac rehabilitation participant we spoke with had this to say about the topic as she was preparing to finish. “I think perhaps, making sure that somebody has a transition plan, like, what are you going to do, how are you going to do it, where are you going to do it. Some people just say, “Oh I’ll walk.” I’m trying to come up with a plan, but it’s unpredictable. I’m planning to join a gym, but if something in the house needs repairs, there goes the gym membership.”
Encouragement to continue comprehensive changes	When we interviewed cardiac rehabilitation participants who had finished the program, we asked them what encouragement they might have for others. Here is what one gentleman wanted to say to you. “Try to instill to them that the most important thing is them. Don’t try to do this because of my girlfriend, because of my wife… it needs to be pounded in their head that it is about them. It starts with you first. That’s made a mentally way of try to instill to them that, than trying to say it’s for your grandkids, for your wife. Just let them know that if your heart ain’t kicking, then you ain’t going to be around to do that. You ain’t going to around to be with your grandkids or with your wife. So, that’s why it’s so important for you to know that this is for you. In order for you to do the things that you want to do, you’ve got to do the right things for yourself.”
Usefulness of activity tracker	Here is what one person had to say who started using the Fitbit activity tracker during cardiac rehabilitation and continued afterwards. “Because of the functionality of the Fitbit, you’re able to . . . do workouts and you could tell by the timing of the day, the intensity, duration, the heart rate, and it was very easy do distinguish between the [exercise sessions] that were done in rehab versus the ones in addition to rehab, and mostly after rehab.”