Objective: The efficacy of effort appraisal exercise action plans was tested among underactive and inactive university students (N = 221). Methods: Students were randomized across three conditions (information, action planning, or realistic effort action planning (REAP)) and participated in psychoeducational small-group sessions. Students returned after a three-week pedometer tracking period and at two and six months to assess self-reported exercise. Results: Greater three-week step averages were observed for the action planning and REAP conditions compared to the information condition. The information condition showed small-sized exercise increases at two and six months (d = 0.26, d = 0.35, ps < 0.05); the action planning condition showed a small-sized increase at six months (d = 0.36, p < 05); and the REAP condition showed medium-sized increases at two and six months (d = 0.40, d = 0.46, ps < .05). Conclusions: The findings provide initial evidence showing exercise action plans for college students might be improved with explicit appraisals of prior effort and persistence.