Oct 22, 2020 19:00:00

Why do you lose your motivation to exercise? How to regain the energy to exercise

The epidemic of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) has brought us to an unprecedented era of 'I can't do it even if I want to exercise.' In these times, there have been a series of reports that 'motivation for exercise suddenly increased and then decreased.' Ian Taylor, a psychology professor at

Loughborough University in the United Kingdom, explains the causes of these changes in motivation for exercise and explains 'how to keep motivation'.

Lost your motivation to work out? Here's why – and how to get back on track
https://theconversation.com/lost-your-motivation-to-work-out-heres-why-and-how-to-get-back-on-track-148402

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic that occurred in 2020, the United Kingdom implemented measures such as outing restrictions (lockdown) and decided to temporarily close sports gyms, pubs, movie theaters, etc. And it is reported that people's motivation to exercise has temporarily increased so as to be linked with lockdown.

A survey of 2000 adults in the UK conducted by Sport England, a public agency that promotes sports in the UK, to measure the impact of COVID-19 shows that people spend more time exercising during lockdown. I know I kept doing it. This increase in exercise time peaked in mid-May 2020, just before the lockdown was released, but the exercise time gradually decreased after the lockdown was released. Social media was flooded with posts saying 'I lost the energy to exercise.'

According to Taylor, 'leisure time' is the cause of the confirmed change in motivation for exercise in the United Kingdom. Exercise is a type of leisure activity that competes with other activities such as 'going to a pub' or 'going to the cinema'. However, lockdowns closed pubs and cinemas, eliminating activity options. Taylor explained that this situation prompted many to move.

In addition, the anniversary 'turning point' of locking down also motivated the movement, Taylor said. Seasonal events such as the New Year, the new semester, and birthdays

have been found to inspire and motivate new things. In addition, the fact that April and May, when the lockdown took place in the UK, was the most exercise-friendly climate of the year also facilitated this change in motivation.

However, lockdown was gradually eased from June 2020, and pubs and movie theaters reopened. People's motivation has declined as their leisure activity options have been revived. Taylor describes the series of motivational changes as 'temporary, like New Year's aspirations,' and 'only the temporary increase has returned to normal.'

Regarding these changes in motivation, Taylor explains 'how to prevent the motivation once increased from decreasing'. According to Taylor, in order to prevent a decline in motivation, it is important to find strong motivation while continuing to exercise comfortably. In order to find strong motivation, we encourage people who exercise to think 'become' rather than 'do'. People who think 'I'm not the type to exercise, but want to exercise' need a lot of mental effort and willpower to leave the house, but those who think 'I'm the type to exercise' Seems to be able to easily leave home and start exercising.

However, it is important to continue daily exercise in order to feel that you are the type of exercise. What is needed to continue these daily exercises is to 'continue comfortably.' Taylor cites four ways to minimize the effort required to exercise:

◆ 1: Immediately execute when you come up with it
Exercise before you come up with excuses or temptations that hinder your exercise.

◆ 2: Make advance preparations
Make advance preparations such as taking out sportswear from the drawer. Also, avoid exercise that requires movement to facilities.

◆ 3: Divide the process into small pieces
Divide the process of exercise into small pieces. For example, actions such as 'wearing sportswear' and 'going out' require little effort. By subdividing the process, you can easily feel the exercise.

◆ 4: Do exercises that you find fun
Continuing an exercise that feels fun and comfortable is easier than continuing an exercise that feels painful and painful. Even if you think you should do weightlifting and jogging, if you prefer skipping rope and dancing, you should do your favorite exercise.

'We hope that more social restrictions will be enforced,' said Taylor, noting that the number of new infections has surged in the United Kingdom since around September 29, 2020, and lockdowns have been re-implemented in each region. I don't think there are many people, but these situations are also an opportunity to develop a healthy lifestyle. Becoming an exercise type and minimizing the mental effort to get into exercise is a long-term motivation. You can control the decline. '