## 1 Introduction
For example, a stressful situation, such as giving a public speech, can be seen not as a potential failure, but as an opportunity to demonstrate one's abilities. The second strategy is response modulation, which involves controlling the expression of emotions and the physiological responses of the body. This may involve, for example, inhibiting anger or hiding sadness [33]. Different emotion regulation strategies have different consequences on well-being, interpersonal relationships, and mental health. Strategies such as reappraisal (cognitive change) tend to be more adaptive than those such as expressive suppression (response modulation) [34; 35; 36]. [PERSON] and [PERSON]'s emotion regulation model connects cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression to exercise and contentment with life by emphasizing their impact on emotional health. Cognitive reappraisal, which involves changing one's perspective on situations to modify emotional effects, works in tandem with physical activity to boost mood, psychological resilience, and positive feelings, ultimately enhancing life satisfaction. On the other hand, expressive suppression, which involves restraining outward displays of emotion, can potentially counteract these advantages by elevating stress levels and diminishing emotional genuineness, although engaging in physical activity may help offset some of its negative consequences. In summary, effective regulation strategies, such as reappraisal, when combined with regular exercise, contribute to optimal well-being and overall life satisfaction [37; 38]. Studies have shown that engaging in physical activity can have positive effects not only on well-being but also on self-regulation [39]. The level of self-control is positively associated with physical activity. People exercise more on days when their self-control is high than on days when their self-control is low [40]. Additionally, people with low self-control benefit from physical activity. Research has indicated that regular physical activity can improve self-control. Three months of martial arts training directly improved self-control in elementary school students [41], and five weeks of aerobic exercise may be an effective intervention to enhance self-control in college students [42]. Other studies have indicated that light-to-moderate physical exercise may be beneficial for executive control functions, which may be linked to higher dispositional self-control [43,44]. Regular physical activity can be beneficial for emotional regulation by promoting adaptive forms [45]. Both endurance and coordinative exercise training have been shown to positively influence certain aspects of emotion regulation and social cognition, including empathy [46]. Similarly, an eight-week intervention focusing on mind-body exercises was found to improve implicit emotion regulation skills [47]. Making progress in training requires a high level of self-regulation, self-motivation, and self-determination [48, 49, 50]. Therefore, self-control and emotional regulation may play important roles in the relationship between physical activity and life satisfaction. The main objective of this study was to examine the potential mediating effects of self-control and two common forms of emotion regulation--cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression--on the relationship between engagement in regular physical activity and life satisfaction. It was hypothesized that regular physical activity would positively influence self-control and the use of cognitive reappraisal as an adaptive form of emotion regulation while reducing reliance on expressive suppression, which is considered a less adaptive strategy. In turn, higher levels of self-control and more effective emotion regulation strategies were expected to contribute to greater life satisfaction. This sequential pathway was intended to capture the indirect mechanisms through which physical activity might enhance overall well-being.