If you’ve been reading this newsletter for even a short time, you know that I think exercise is the Elixer of Life: physical activity elevates mood, gives us energy, and makes so many things easier and more fun. But, despite popular belief, one thing it does not do is help most people lose weight—and that demotivates people to keep exercising. It’s a lose-lose situation based on false beliefs we’ve been taught to have.
My studies are not the only research supporting this contention. Other researchers across the sciences are also finding that exercising to lose weight is misguided and ineffective for many, if not for most.
You can read more about this other research on my recent U.S. News & World Report blog post Why You Should Stop Exercising to Lose Weight
New Research: Feeling vs. Thinking
I have a strong interest in the role of “affect” (our feelings and emotions,often unconscious) and how it influences our behavioral choices. Very exciting work being done on this topic, and it has crucial implications for creating lasting motivation for self-care behaviors like physical activity. A very interesting study, “Affective Evaluations of Exercising: The Role of Automatic-Reflective Evaluation Discrepancy” by Brand and Antoniewicz, is soon to be published in the Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology.
This study showed that our more “automatic” processing (e.g., outside of awareness, often involving how we feel about exercising) can be different than our “reflective” processing (e.g., slower, involving our thinking about exercise), and that the discrepancy between how we feel vs. how we think about exercising is associated with poor estimation of exercise frequency.
In other words, if our feelings about exercise (e.g., “Yuk, I don’t like to exercise.”) conflict with our thoughts about exercise (e.g., “Exercise is good because it’s good for my health.”) we are likely to overestimate how much we actually exercise, and as a result, might even create exercise plans that set us up to fail. This important research shows that our gut feelings about exercising may beat out what we think about or want from exercise. This study adds to a growing body of science showing that it is important to be physically active in ways that deliver positive feelings while we are doing it if.
Research and Real Life
Since I last checked in with you, I’ve been busy! My academic paper “From a Vital Sign to Vitality: Selling Exercise So People Want to Buy It” was published. It discusses the science behind a second-level communication strategy for health/wellness/fitness professionals who want to be more effective in getting clients and patients interested and engaged in physical activity and exercise. It also features a new “prescription pad” for exercise in a health care setting and is open access — i.e., free! . . .
Recently, I partnered with University of Vermont’s Health Network to create an engaging and popular social media month-long “challenge” for their employees and the surrounding community based on No Sweat. . . . I was honored to participate in NPR’s The Magic Pill, a new show all about physical activity—the benefits, our feelings about it, and the science behind making it relevant to people’s lives.
I’ve spoken a lot about these ideas at some very exciting events during the past year. Highlights included Harvard’s Lifestyle Institute’s Active Living Conference — it was wonderful to meet other like-minded professionals from around the world and share our passion for physical activity. . . . I truly enjoyed delivering a sustainable behavior change training to the group of informed health care clinicians and fitness/wellness professionals at North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, North Carolina Public Heath Department, and North Carolina State University. Southern hospitality is alive and well! . . . And I must report that the annual Anytime Fitness Conference in Lake Placid, New York was infused with purpose and fun in a way I have never seen before.
My Bookshelf
The Power of Meaning: Crafting a Life That Matters by Emily Esfahani Smith. This book has been lovely to read, filled with a cross-section of research and stories that help reminded me about what matters most and how to achieve it.
Awakening Compassion at Work: The Quiet Power That Elevates People and Organizations, by Monica Worline and Jane E. Dutton. In this new book, Worline and Dutton explain the need for and power of bringing compassion into the workplace. Science backed and inspiring!
Please continue to share your stories and experiences with these ideas with me! I enjoy learning how people and organizations are translating and using them in their personal and professional lives.
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.