Behavioural psychologist Danielle Boles found that reframing workouts as a welcome relief and focusing on social connection prevents skipped sessions far better than adhering to clinical guidelines. Perceptions of movement also drive measurable physical changes; in a 2023 study by Octavia Hedwig Zahrt, adults given deflated step counts experienced higher blood pressure and poorer diets. Experts recommend reinforcing an active identity by joining peer groups and utilizing environmental cues like pre-set workout gear to turn exercise into an automatic habit.
Key points
Reframing post-work movement as a relaxing transition rather than an exhausting chore hel…: Reframing post-work movement as a relaxing transition rather than an exhausting chore helps build consistent workout habits.
Distorted negative perceptions about personal activity levels can trigger poor dietary ch…: Distorted negative perceptions about personal activity levels can trigger poor dietary choices and adverse physiological changes.
Creating an action-oriented mindset relies on practical environmental cues and peer group…: Creating an action-oriented mindset relies on practical environmental cues and peer groups to transform physical activity into an automatic identity.
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The mindset you bring to exercise really matters. Simply adjusting yours can be an important step towards turning yourself into a consistent exerciser.
If you have a job that makes you sit at a desk most of the time, by the end of the workday you might feel stiff and exhausted.
At that point, “it might seem overwhelming to drum up the energy to then go work out,” said Danielle Boles, a behavioural psychologist who studies the impact of mindset on behaviour. But what if you could flip that state of mind around?
“The other mindset would be, ‘I’ve been sitting all day, I cannot wait to move,’” Boles said. In both cases, she added, the situation is the same – only the framing is different.
The mindset you bring to exercise really matters. Simply adjusting yours can be an important step towards turning yourself into a consistent exerciser.
In a study published in 2021, Boles found that people starting an exercise class who were told to focus on fun, relaxation and social connection were less likely to skip class…
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