We’ve all heard people say “running gives you something high” or “exercise is addictive”, but for many of us it’s hard to love exercise. Some people hate it, some are scared, and some are anxious when it comes to going to the gym.
Why do some of us hate exercise? And how can we overcome this and enjoy the benefits of lifesaving by exercising?
Humans did not evolve into “exercise”
Throughout most of human history, food was scarce and active was an option. For thousands of years, humans had to travel to look for food, and when given a meal, they didn’t know where the next meal came from, so they took a break to save energy.
So if you have the urge to sit down and watch Netflix instead of going to the gym, you may be comforted by the knowledge that rest is a natural tendency for humans.
That said, there is too much sitting and resting in our 21st century lifestyle. Technology, cars and other labor-saving devices eliminate the need to move into everyday life.
Still, being physically inactive is terrible for our health.Meta-analysis published in leading medical journals Lancet Lack of exercise increases the risk of colon cancer by 30-40%, the risk of breast cancer by 30%, the risk of type 2 diabetes by 20-60%, and the risk of premature death by 30-50%. Is related to. I’m exercising.
So how much physical activity do you really need?
Adults in Australia (ages 18-65) are advised to perform at least 150 minutes (preferably 300 minutes) of moderate intensity physical activity each week. Moderate intensity exercise can be an active walk, a light cycle, or a lawn mowing.
If you are willing to do active physical activity, you only need half that (75-150 minutes a week). Active activity is so intense that it can be difficult to have a conversation, such as jogging or playing sports such as soccer or tennis.
Different types of activity are recommended because different physical activities have different benefits. To keep your bones and muscles strong, we recommend doing muscle-strengthening exercises such as weightlifting and push-ups twice a week.
If it all starts to sound complicated, rest assured that any exercise is good for you. You do not need to meet physical activity guidelines to benefit from physical activity.
What are the science-backed tips to motivate you?
According to psychologists, there are two main types of motivation. Exogenous and intrinsic motivations. The essential motivation comes from within – personal rewards or doing something to challenge it. External motivation arises from external factors such as trying to earn rewards or avoiding punishment.
You can boost you Unique Motivation by identifying why exercise is important to you.
1.1. Identify your “reason” – do you want to exercise for your health? Is it for your child? Is it because of how your workout makes you feel? Exercise has long-term benefits for health and function, has a spillover effect on children, and has an immediate effect on mood and vitality. Being clear in your mind what you want to gain from exercise can help encourage action.
Exogeny Motivation can also help you start exercising.
2.2. Arrange to meet your friends and exercise together. You’re more likely to follow through because you don’t want to disappoint your friends. Studies have also shown that exercising with family and friends takes longer than exercising alone.
3.3. Reward yourself with new clothes and shoes that enjoy exercising. Try to reward yourself on the condition that you do some exercise. Then you need to get it.
4.4. Get an activity tracker. Fitness trackers have a number of features designed to motivate you, such as prompting, self-monitoring, and goal setting. There are many studies suggesting that activity trackers increase physical activity.
5.5. I exercise at the same time every day, so it becomes a habit. Studies suggest that morning exercise leads to faster habit formation than evening exercise.
6.6. Do the activities you enjoy. It’s hard enough to start a new exercise habit. Increase your chances of sticking to it by doing activities that you find fun. Also, if you are exercising that you are enjoying, you may unknowingly do more intense exercise. If you don’t like running, don’t do it. Let’s go for a long walk in nature.
7. Start small. Don’t overdo it, let’s just want more. It also reduces the chance of pain or injury.
8.8. Listening to bright music improves your mood while exercising, reduces perceived exercise, and increases your workload. These benefits are especially effective for rhythmic and repetitive exercises such as walking and running.
9.9. Take your dog for a walk. People who walk dogs walk more often and longer than those who do not walk dogs. They report that they feel safer and more socially connected in their neighborhood.
10.10. Make a financial promise. Behavioral economic theory recognizes that humans are motivated by loss avoidance. Some commercial websites use this for their health by having people make “commitment contracts” that pay a monetary deposit that is forfeited if their health behavior commitments are not met. This approach has been shown to improve physical activity, medication adherence, and weight loss.
Be patient and keep long games in mind. It takes about 3-4 months to develop an exercise habit. Then the essential motivation takes over to continue your exercise routine.
Who knows, maybe you’re crazy about exercise and will inspire your friends and family in the coming months.
Carol Maher, Emerging Leader, University of South Australia Medical Research Future Fund, Ben Singh, University of South Australia Researcher.
This article has been republished from Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Please read the original article.
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