May 03, 2022 11:00:00

10 Science-Backed 'How to Increase Motivation When You Don't Want to Exercise'

Even if you hear a phrase such as 'The important thing in exercise is the accumulation of daily life', there are days when you feel like 'I don't like it today ...'. Carol Maher and others working on how to improve health using wearable devices at the University of South Australia explain 10 ways to motivate you on such a day.

How do I improve my motivation to exercise when I really hate it? 10 science-backed tips

https://theconversation.com/how-do-i-improve-my-motivation-to-exercise-when-i-really-hate-it-10-science-backed-tips-179761

Before going into concrete ways to increase motivation, Maher and colleagues explain that the first thing to consider when thinking about exercise motivation is that 'humanity has not evolved to exercise.' According to Maher et al., It is no exaggeration to say that the history of humankind is the history of food shortages, and for thousands of years we humans have been 'moving to look for food and getting the next food after eating.' I have continued the act of 'resting until I understand and save energy.' For humans, 'acting for the purpose of exercise itself' is an option that first appeared in modern times, so even if you think 'I want to see it on Netflix rather than going to the gym', my body is very natural. Maher and his colleagues say that you should be relieved first because you are just following your desires.

However, with the development of transportation such as cars and the spread of technology, the chances of exercising in daily life have continued to decrease. 30%, the risk of type 2 diabetes is 20-60%, and the risk of premature death is

30-50 % higher. ' .. Regarding the amount of exercise required to maintain good health, Maher et al. Said, 'For moderate-intensity aerobic exercise such as fast walking and cycling, a total of 150 to 300 minutes per week, and for high-intensity aerobic exercise such as jogging. A total of 75-150 minutes each week. In addition to this, you should also do weightlifting and push-up muscle training. '

However, the above-mentioned amount of exercise is a little difficult for modern people who are living a difficult life both physically and temporally. For such modern people, Maher et al. Explain 'how to motivate exercise' based on science. That is below.

◆ 1: Think about what you are exercising for
Research has shown that clarifying what you are exercising for, such as 'exercising for your health' and 'exercising for your children,' will increase your motivation and motivate you to take action.

◆ 2: Invite friends
If you set a time and promise to exercise like '○○ time gathering', you will be more likely to go out to exercise so as not to disappoint your friends. In addition to the benefits of exercising with others, research results have reported that 'exercising with friends and family takes longer than exercising alone.'

◆ 3: Set a reward for yourself
A 2016

study showed that financial incentives improve exercise motivation, so the reward is 'buy the sportswear and shoes you want if you can achieve a certain amount of exercise.' It is recommended to do it.

◆ 4: Buy a fitness tracker
Fitness trackers are equipped with many motivational features such as self-monitoring and goal setting, and many studies have shown that fitness trackers actually increase physical activity.

◆ 5: Exercise at the same time every day to make it a habit
Humans are creatures that tend to move with habits, so it is important to develop habits if you want to exercise. According to Maher et al., Studies have shown that morning exercise is more habitual than night exercise.

◆ 6: Focus on fun events
It is difficult to acquire new exercise habits, so it is better to concentrate on the events that you find fun without doing unpleasant things. Regarding the concern that exercise intensity will not increase if the same exercise is continued, 'the exercise intensity may increase as you continue,' Maher et al. Answered.

◆ 7: Moderate at first
Even if you exercise thinking 'I will exercise properly from now on!', You may lose your motivation to exercise or get injured in a day. According to Maher et al., It is better to keep the level of 'I want to exercise more' at first, so that I can maintain motivation and be less likely to get injured .

◆ 8: Listen to fast-paced music
Listening to fast-paced music makes it easier to exercise, so you can increase the amount of exercise. The effect of music seems to be especially high in rhythmic and repetitive events such as walking and running.

It turns out that 'exercise feels easier' when exercising while listening to fast-paced music --GIGAZINE

◆ 9: Take a walk with a dog
Compared to those who do not walk dogs, the frequency of walks is high, the walk time itself is long, and the rate of responding that 'I feel a social connection and a sense of security with my neighbors' is high . Will be .

◆ 10: Set financial penalties such as raising funds if not achieved
In the field of behavioral economics, humans have been shown to be particularly prone to act to 'do not lose' rather than 'gain' something. In recent years, an internet service that says, 'If you can't achieve your goal, you will confiscate your money' has appeared, and many research results have been reported that it is effective for exercise , diet , and smoking cessation.

Regarding the above method of increasing motivation, Mr. Maher et al. 'It is said that it takes 3 to 4 months to acquire exercise habits, so that once you have acquired exercise habits, you can continue exercising voluntarily. It will be. '