New Study: Exercise May Thwart Happiness (and Participation) among Inactive Women
How does physical activity support or work against women’s daily experience of happiness and success? This past month saw publication of a unique study of that question, which I was privileged to conduct through collaboration with the National Cancer Institute and my co-investigators, doctors Jennifer. Taber, Heather Patrick, Chan Thai, and April Oh.
Rather than focus on physical activity, we first aimed to understand people’s daily goals, roles, and desires, specifically within the context of what leads to daily happiness and success. We then spoke to participants about their beliefs and experiences with physical activity. Using focus groups, we talked to ethnically diverse women who were classed as either “high” or “low” active.
The insights generated by this new study are exciting:
- They show that our traditional promotion of physical activity/exercise as medical prescription or health obligation actually undermines motivation to move among inactive women.
- They explain how we can more effectively frame physical movement as aligning with happiness and success, thus better encouraging women to want to move.
This pragmatic, easy-to-apply research has garnered some great media interest, including the Wall Street Journal, TIME, and the Huffington Post.
Want to learn more about our findings? The published paper is open access and free to read here: “Rethinking physical activity communication: using focus groups to understand women’s goals, values, and beliefs to improve public health”
Why Walking Outside Gives More Perks Than Walking Inside
You know by now that I am a big fan of walking. But given the choice, I always opt for a walk outside rather than on the treadmill. The sky overhead and the sights and smells and sounds of nature give me an extra boost of positivity that I don’t get under artificial light. And now, according to New York Times fitness writer Gretchen Reyonlds, an intriguing new study suggests that my gut feeling is correct. Read more about it here.
Research to Real Life
In June I was privileged to deliver a President’s Lecture at the American College of Sports Medicine’s annual conference in Denver – one of the highest professional honors I have ever received.
This speaking opportunity inspired many exciting new ideas to bubble up. Among them:
- A brand new metaphor to cultivate the Right Whys and Ways, the Island of Distant Goals. Keep your eye out for my video featuring this exciting new concept.
- A story featuring the latest science on how we can help people leverage their immediate affective response (that is, their feelings) while doing a self-care behavior like exercise to better motivate consistent choices for that positive behavior.
In the next issue of SUSTAINABLE CHANGE I’ll write more about how this works, especially how we can ally this science with tracking apps. For now, consider the foundational idea that we need to move from the “quantified self” to the “feeling self” if we aim to create sustainable behavior change in the fitness, wellness, and health care arenas.
Shout-Out!
This issue’s shout-out goes to the University of Michigan’s wellness team. First, for their willingness to pause and learn how easy it is for science to help them achieve their greater goals of participation, engagement, and sustainability; and then to make the very intentional decision to start framing self-care behaviors as a personal choice – a “want” instead of a “should” – reframing it in ways that cultivate positive affect, autonomy, and well-being. I was honored to be a part of this this strategic pivot.
Check out their effective translation of this essential research into real life:
- What’s your choice to enjoy life more? (a great example of organizational leadership modeling self-care)
- A gift I can give myself
Please continue to share your stories and experiences with these ideas! I enjoy learning how people and organizations are translating and using these ideas in their own personal and professional lives (and I might even feature your story in a future newsletter, if you are open to that).
My Bookshelf
How to Raise a Mindful Eater, by Maryanne Jacobsen. Maryann’s writing about how to motivate kids to internalize the value of healthy choices is really fantastic. I have been following her for years.
Peak Performance: Evaluate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success, by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness. This book, based on a novel integration of the latest science, offers new insights that we can all use in our pursuit of being the best we can be.
Feel free to share this post with others who share your interest in the science-based how-to’s of creating lasting changes that can survive in the real world.
Copyright © Segar, Michelle.