Table 4.

Select quotes of themes from five breast cancer survivors in study 3

Theme	Exemplary quotes
Subtheme
Motivational elements
Workout atmosphere	I just really enjoyed it. The music was great. They had music on and that. And I find music makes you want to move. There wasn’t a lot of people so it wasn’t congested. (Carina) It’s a half hour, it’s intense, you continue, you don’t stop, you go to another machine…. which is very good. (Marilyn) I could only walk and that was barely so I found the circuit at [the PA program] was good. It wasn’t pushing you to the point of feeling totally unable to do it all and discouraged. But it was also giving you a variety enough that it, it made me come back. (Carina)
Goal achievement	I lost weight going to these classes. Oh, my heavens yes. The pounds kept dropping off. (Florence) Going to [the PA program] kept me normal. (Carina)
Social influence	They [trainers] were all young, and exercise oriented. They were really helpful. They gave me tips. It was them, I became quite good friends. (Florence) Staff is [sic] amazing, she was amazing. She never brought it [breast cancer] up, we never discussed it. So, it was very delicate. It was done delicately, but the caring was still there I wasn’t just another person working out. I had that little extra treatment, but [it was done] so delicately that only I knew. (Carina) And [the PA program] gives you that community feeling. That you belong to them. You know you get used to the people. (Charlotte) She [PA program staff member] called me at home when I didn’t show up for a few weeks. (Carina)
Barriers
Location and scheduling	The problem, it was far. That was the main problem. To go with the, to take the car, to go to, that was the main [problem]. But you know to take a 15 to 20-min drive. It is a pain in the neck. Because you’re thinking you’re going to take [sic] exercise but you’re going to take the car. (Charlotte) During the summer they are closed from 11 to 1:30 or 2:30. And it doesn’t fit in with my working hours actually. (Florence) They close early in the evening. But during the summer, as soon as June 1st arrives, you have to go early in the morning because after that they’re closed till 2:30 p.m. It was just getting there and be able to rush home. (Carina)
Circuit design	It was easy. It was mentally easy, you know, I just want to go, work out and leave…. I like [the PA program] a lot, I would do it again, but I think right now for me it would be not enough. (Therese) I decided not to renew just because I started getting stronger and I started running and working more. So just the time factor you know running you can do whenever you want. In the gym, you can do whatever you want too, but it’s not quite the same, plus I needed more. (Therese) It’s boring that always it’s the same thing you know. (Charlotte)
Lack of cancer-specific support	I think that having a one-on-one with someone and finding out what their goals are and what their past experience with exercising is, is helpful. (Carina) Nobody [at the PA program] had the answers. And the answers that they were giving me I knew were wrong. (Lily) Education. Like [the PA program] bugged me because they didn’t have the knowledge. You know, it’s great to have the program with [the PA program]. Teach the people at [the PA program] the reality of breast cancer patients. You know, like…. anybody who has even one lymph node removed, is more likely to get lymphedema. Well if they’ve [the PA program staff members] never heard of lymphedema…. you know, it was like, you’re supposed to be helping me and I’m the one that knows more than you. (Lily)

Names reported are pseudonyms