If you've begun exercising to get fit or lose weight, you may be doing it for all the wrong reasons, says Robert Thayer, Ph.D., and his student Evana Hsiao, both of California State University at Long Beach. Their study of the motivations behind working out suggests that people who stick with their exercise routine value its effects on their minds as much as its benefits for their bodies.
Thayer and Hsiao surveyed 172 health club members on their exercise history and reasons for working out. Beginners, they found, are typically goal-oriented: they want to lose 10 pounds, tone their upper arms, climb the stairs without having to catch their breath. Experienced exercisers, on the other hand, value highly the intangibles of exercise: the lift in mood they get, the chance to see old friends and meet new people.
Newcomers to the fitness scene, Hsiao speculates, may be unaware of exercise's ability to improve mood, and may not yet enjoy the camaraderie that comes from belonging to a network of fellow fitness buffs. Once these benefits are felt, however, they can provide a powerful incentive to persevere. "No matter how disciplined you are, it's human nature to only do something that's pleasurable," she says. "If you find exercise to be fun and enjoyable, you're more likely to keep going."
