By Britta Barrett | Posted March 31 2010
“We’ve made exercise feel like a chore to most people, not like a gift we give ourselves.”
So says psychologist Michelle Segar in a recent New York Times article about the motivations behind exercise. “To Keep Moving, Look Beyond the Physical.” expands on her research, suggesting that “we have misbranded health behaviors such as exercise.”
Dr. Segar is referring to the health benefits we tie to physical activity – stronger muscles, lower blood pressure, decreased risk of heart disease, and so on. These are imperative, of course, but it can be hard to focus on long-term or abstract benefits when the treadmill is staring you down.
In the article, author Jane Brody looked at the tangible benefits of exercise and the emotional connections. One reader enjoyed walking on a treadmill alongside her husband while watching “Animal Planet.” Another found Wii Fit Plus to be addictive. Both had fun while exercising, and they weren’t necessarily thinking about the outcome.
So how can we motivate others to see the fun and camaraderie built into physical fitness? Dr. Segar suggests a motivational approach, an “emotional hook that creates positive, meaningful expectations of how exercise can enhance people’s lives, a way to feel better.”
This hook is entirely personal and can be anything associated to physical fitness. What do you enjoy about exercising or the culture that surrounds it? What motivates you to lace up your sneakers?
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