May 3, 2024 – There are many reasons to exercise, but some are more motivating than others.
Perhaps the sexiest motivation—and the one people tend to embrace, especially with warmer weather on the horizon—is getting a “beach body.”
Here’s the thing: Setting too high expectations for weight loss can set you up for disaster.more Research Exercise alone has been shown to have a relatively small impact on weight loss, and if you don’t see the results you want, your motivation will wane.
For many people (maybe you), “exercise is only about losing weight,” he says David CreelPh.D., a psychologist, nutritionist and exercise physiologist at the Cleveland Clinic. Because of this, “it’s associated with a lifetime of failure and has a very negative connotation.”
A change in mindset may help: If the number on the scale refuses to change, keep exercising no matter what, Creel says. “I would ask patients, ‘If your eating habits got worse, would you stop showering?’” Of course not, he says: “That’s how we should think about exercise”—as part of your daily health maintenance routine.
We asked Creel and other experts to share the top motivations for exercise and how to track your progress to keep your motivation high.
Reason #1: Give your mind a break
Exercise makes your heart work hard, but the magic of exercise means it does make your heart work less in the long run. Regular physical activity can lower your resting heart rate (resulting in fewer heartbeats per day/week/month/year) and lower blood pressure.
This last item is easy to track and very important.High blood pressure is a major risk factor for premature death, accounting for about half of all heart disease and stroke-related deaths worldwide. one third American adults have high blood pressure, but many don’t even know it.
Exercise makes your heart stronger so you can pump blood more easily, reduce force on your arteries. The exciting part: Whether you lose weight or not, you’ll likely see results quickly.Becoming more active can reduce Diastolic blood pressure decreased by 2.5 to 6.2 mmHg and systolic blood pressure decreased by 1.8 to 10.9 mmHg over 4 weeks. (The reductions tend to be greatest for people who already have high blood pressure or prehypertension.)
If you can lower your diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) by 5 to 6 mm Hg, you can reduce stroke risk About 40%.
Track it: You should have your blood pressure checked regularly (every 2 to 5 years until age 40, and every year thereafter). If you have high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s advice. Home monitors are a smart investment. (Look for verified devices here.) Most have an app to track trends. The Great Goods Bluetooth Blood Pressure Monitor ($68) is Wire cutting machine product inspection site and has high user ratings Amazon.
Always: Check your stress same time every day – The best times are after waking up, before drinking coffee, and after 5 minutes of quiet time. (Although some doctors recommend taking it in the morning and evening.)
Reason #2: Finally Eliminate the Midday Slump
Replenishing energy immediately after exercise is typical and motivating, says Amy BucherPh.D., Chief Behavior Officer lily and author Engagement: Designing for behavior change. This improvement is called a leading indicator: “You can detect this after an exercise,” she says. Weight loss, on the other hand, is a lagging indicator.
Why boost?Exercise increases oxygen circulation and hormone levels, making you feel energetic. Over time, it can also help your heart and blood vessels run better and stimulate the growth of mitochondria, the powerhouses of your cells. Research Regular exercise has been shown to reduce fatigue and increase energy.
This energy may stimulate you to live your life more fully, play with your children or grandchildren, travel more, play a sport or develop an interest. Bucher and Creel say this will reveal the “why” behind your motivation, which is critical to staying committed.
Track it: Similar apps energy level tracker Helps you visualize trends over time and understand the times of day when you feel most productive. Or journal the old-fashioned way: simply write down how you feel after exercising and several times throughout the day. Learn how exercise affects you immediately and as your day progresses. Even taking a daily rating before bed can help you understand how regular exercise affects you.
Visual reminder: Change your smartphone background to an image that represents your “why.” For Bucher, a photo of her and her husband in Puerto Rico reminded her that endurance helps her embrace adventure.
Reason #3: Feeling like you can achieve anything
Psychologists call this “self-efficacy”—your confidence in your ability to achieve your goals. This is one of the main reasons people stay active, and it’s been supported for decades. Research. It’s a virtuous cycle: Experts agree that regular exercise reliably helps you build self-efficacy, and the more you move, the greater your progress. You’ll get faster, stronger, and more skilled—and tracking that progress can be inspiring.
As you progress, your sense of competence increases, which is a key element of the “self-determination” theory. This theory holds that all humans have three basic psychological needs—autonomy, competence, and relatedness (a sense of connection with others).
This applies no matter what level you’re at: lower your average speed when running, or just walk a few more blocks at a time. Even maintaining continuous movement can boost confidence.
Track it: Just about any fitness tracker — Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin — can do this.There is growing evidence that wearable devices can allow people Change and encourage them Move a little too much.If you lift weights, try an app like strongwhich lets you track reps, weight, and duration, and view your progress in a graph.
Ignore this: Don’t let a broken winning streak derail you. “They can have a huge negative, negative impact,” Bucher said. Set achievable goals and be flexible in defining improvements. Bucher likes that Peloton “doesn’t count daily streaks, but instead counts weekly streaks, which is easier to maintain.”
Reason #4: Sleeping like a dead man even though you have more energy than ever
a lot of evidence Linking exercise to improved sleep quality over the past decade Reduced severity of sleep disturbances, such as insomnia, daytime sleepiness and sleep apnea. Your sleep affects every aspect of your health, including mood, brain function, disease risk and appetite.
According to reports, you may notice an improvement in your sleep quality soon after you start exercising. an analysis from Journal of Behavioral Medicine.
Physical activity affects the production of sleep-wake hormones Melatonin, helping you fall asleep faster and sleep better. It helps improve mood and reduce stress – both helping to fall asleep and stay asleep. It helps regulate core body temperature, Make sleep easier.
Track it: Huhu (Annual membership fee $239), Oura Ring ($299), and Fitbit Sense 2 ($249.95) is a wearable device for sleep tracking, Bucher said.You can also invest in a “smart bed,” an adjustable-firmness mattress that uses sensor Collect data about your sleep, e.g. Sleep Number smart bed (Queen $1,099), it monitors your movement, heartbeat, and breathing patterns to gauge sleep quality.
Bedtime Rewards: Better sleep can help prevent weight regain, Creel says. “Poor sleep can cause people to lose healthy eating habits,” he said. People who are well rested are more likely to stick to the plan.
Reason #5: Use the weight in your hands to take the weight off your shoulders
Active people tend to be happier, according to research. A recent comments Nearly 100 analyzes have found that exercise can help improve symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as or slightly better than standard treatments and medications.
how?Exercise triggers the brain to release endorphins, which naturally helps relief the pain and results in the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure.
For motivation, happiness is unparalleled. This brings us back to self-determination theory.
“Motivation is not only high or low, it has a quality, and that quality has to do with whether it is controlled or autonomous,” Buch explains. Being controlled means someone is telling you to do something, or there is a reward or punishment.
Controlled motivation can get you to take action—but it’s not meaningful enough to create lasting change.
In contrast, autonomous motivation means doing things that are consistent with your values—”the identity you want to have, your larger life goals, and things you enjoy and find pleasure in,” Bucher says. With this adjustment, you’ll be more likely to stick to your exercise plan and get back on track if something goes wrong.
Feeling happy and good about yourself is often a good autonomous motivator.
Track it: Your emotions are hard to track. Try journaling after exercise and at other times throughout the day to see if exercise has an impact. Ask yourself how you handle stressful situations; how intense the negative emotions you feel and how you respond to them; if anything you do makes you feel happy or grateful.
Similar apps Daily and mood Lets you track your mental state with emojis that represent what you did and felt that day. You’ll still experience ups and downs, but the goal is to feel better on average over time. Overall, exercise can help relieve anxiety, make you feel better able to handle challenges, and bring a sense of ease into your life.
Take a moment to: Instead of rushing to the next thing after exercising, take 10 seconds to notice how you feel compared to before you exercised. Bucher says this kind of mindfulness can have a motivating effect.
