To beat laziness and find the motivation to train, just put into practice some tricks suggested by psychologists
March 5
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What if it was above all a matter of habit? Ask yourself what drives us to live up to our good intentions, psychologists and scientists have come to the conclusion that 2 are the things that help us not to neglect physical activity. The first, in fact, is habit. The second, the use of some psychological stratagem that, at the right moment, makes us leave the comfort zone and … Get up from the sofa. But more than the body it is the mind that must be convinced. Here it is 7 scientific tips to find the motivation to train (at home or in the gym).
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1. no long-term goals
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Who wouldn’t like to shed extra pounds or firm arms and legs with a little exercise. But those who set themselves a simpler, more within reach goal, such as completing a number of training sessions per week, are far more likely to stick to the program than those who focus on a generic and distant outcome, such as losing weight. The cognitive scientist explained it (well) Art Markman of the University of Texas and author of Smart Changes: “As human beings, it is difficult for us to make the decision to do something because it is a long-term benefit for us“. Therefore better focus on the next training sessions, without thinking too much about the future.
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2. Find something we like
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Who said that exercise only means sweating in the gym or spending endless time on the treadmill? Even a hike in the mountains or a dance lesson puts the body back in motion. “We have this idea that exercise must necessarily be something strenuousMarkman explained. “We forget that taking a walk in a nice place with a friend is an exercise“. In short: if we choose to do an activity that we really enjoy, research shows that we are much more inclined to find the motivation to train.
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3. Give yourself a (small) reward
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Of course, we are not all the same. And some people may really be motivated by vague goals like “stay healthy” or “weight control”. But if that doesn’t work, Charles Duhigg, author of the essential The power of habits. How they are formed, how much they affect us, how to change them (Tea) recommends making the benefits of training more tangible, such as indulging in a smoothie or episode of a TV series following fatigue. Duhigg talks about “cycle of habits”, Which in order to activate a desired behavior, implies the need for a facilitation (example: preparing the gym bag in advance), a routine (the training sheet) and a reward. “An external reward – writes – it’s so powerful because your brain can attach to it and make a connection that that behavior is helpful. This increases the chances of the routine becoming a habit”.
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Over time, motivation becomes intrinsic, as the brain begins to associate sweat and fatigue with the surge of endorphins, those chemicals released in the brain that are responsible for a feel-good rush, which is achieved after a session in gym. Once we have trained our minds to recognize that the training itself is the reward, there will be no more need for the smoothie (and the TV series).
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4. Understanding what’s holding us back
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Positive thinking fans have long promoted the display of a benefit, as a motivational strategy. For example, when we decide to get out of bed to go for a run in the morning, they think it helps to imagine the beauty of the sun on our face. Or the happiness of seeing your muscles pop out at the costume fitting. But these well-being fantasies are only effective when accompanied by more realistic problem-solving methods, according to Gabriele Oettingen, a psychologist at New York University and author of I don’t think positive. How to really achieve your goals (Tion editions). The “trick” to regain the motivation to train is rather understand what holds us back from practicing a behavior. Identifying the reason that prevents us from realizing our purposes is the only way to overcome it.
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5. Become an early riser
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Scientists have also established that we have a limited amount of daily willpower, which is drained by decisions and activities throughout the day. To counter this, the advice is to plan your workouts in the morning, before our willpower runs out and before any hindrance can occur.
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6. Choose a gym near your home
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One study found that the shorter the distance from the gym, the more likely you are to go there. And there is also research that people living in neighborhoods with sidewalks are 47% more likely to be active for at least 39 minutes a day than residents in areas with no sidewalks. Translation: having a park to run, a gym or even just an exercise bike not too far from us, doubles the chances of training.
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7. Make sport a social activity
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More than the money could the company: a study of National Bureau of Economic Research reveals that rewarding new gym members with exercise gift cards has little or no impact on the motivation to train. While getting paid to sweat may seem like a good deal, what ultimately really inspires people to move is sociability. Laughter, words of encouragement, even weak bonds with other gym patrons work more than money. Second Deborah Feltz professor of kinesiology at Michigan State University, even just training with a partner makes us more responsible. In his research, Feltz found other benefits as well: People who train with someone put in more effort and also spend nearly twice as much time exercising than those who do it alone.
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