Study reveals the “hidden reason” behind quitting exercise
A recent study revealed that following the common way of thinking about exercise, known as “all or nothing” thinking, often ends up giving up on exercise.
The study, published in the journal “BMC Public Health,” explained that understanding the relationship between thinking and exercise may help people understand why they neglect exercise.
The study, led by Michelle Segar, a behavioral scientist at the University of Michigan, indicated that the “all or nothing” strategy followed by most people affects their commitment to exercising , offering alternative ways to build lasting exercise habits, according to the American newspaper “The Washington Post”.
The “all or nothing” mindset is based on setting a specific goal with no margin for error or shortcomings, and in case of failure to reach it, the program is completely cancelled.
To arrive at these results, the researchers gathered 27 participants of different ages and asked them to talk about their history with exercise, their expectations and fears, and how they feel when they stop exercising.
The researchers analyzed the discussions carefully and noted that the “all or nothing” thinking pattern was frequently observed among the participants.
The researchers observed that participants tended to set very rigid standards for exercise; they had heard from friends, coaches, influencers, or the media that exercise should last at least 30 minutes or an hour, or be very intense or uncomfortable. Anything less, such as walking, a few minutes of light exercise, or a gentle swim, was not considered exercise and therefore not worth the effort.
After listening to the participants’ complaints about their relationship with exercise, Segar and her study colleagues decided to suggest strategies that could be followed to overcome this pattern.
Choosing good instead of perfect
Segar explained that a lot of sports research proves that even a few minutes of exercise a day, such as climbing stairs or walking, can improve health, and it does not require running or exercising for hours.
Segar advised adjusting personal notions about exercise, such as walking around the office during phone calls or doing some wall push-ups .
“These findings represent first steps toward addressing the psychological barriers to regular physical activity among those with an all-or-nothing mindset,” said Len Kravitz, an exercise science professor at the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque, who was not involved in the study.
References
Study reveals the “hidden reason” behind quitting exercise, sky news arabia, www.skynewsarabia.com/technology/1855185-دراسة-تكشف-السبب-الخفي-وراء-ترك-التمارين-الرياضية
