Ah, Jim. You love it or you really hate it. Regardless of your loyalty, when you are in the gym and meet other members, do you think what their personal goals are? Why do they show up every day? Or why are you there? For years, it has been said that the key motivation for exercise is to be healthy: improving lifespan, improving heart function, and reducing the risk of illness.
But a New research at Tel Aviv University When it comes to hitting the gym, we found that vanity could actually be the driving force for many. By analyzing unfiltered Reddit conversations, researchers concluded that people’s true motivations for exercise are often not related to physical or mental health, and not to the desire to look good.
The real reason people go to the gym is more about vanity than wellness.
As for why people start working out, the study found that the biggest reason is improving their physical appearance, with 24% of comments on Reddit focusing on this goal. Many Reddit users discussed six pack abs, tone build, or simply looking good in the mirror.
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Physical and mental health motivations came second and third with 19% and 17% of comments, respectively. These results revealed how vanity beats health as the original motivation for people to operate, despite the many benefits that exercise brings to their overall well-being.
This difference between saying people want and actually prioritizing is important to understand how individuals motivate themselves to engage in fitness. Professor Iftach Gepner was involved in the researchexplained that people might argue that health benefits are the main reason for exercise, but in reality, that’s a lie. It is the physical appearance that drives people towards their goals. Knowing this can be used as a great motivation when trying to encourage more people to exercise regularly and stick in the long term.
When it comes to workouts, consistency is more important than motivation.
Let’s be real. Regardless of the reason, we all experienced motivation to prioritize the movement, but following the thru is the problem. All you have to do is compare how busy the gym is in January compared to February.
While starting a fitness routine can be driven by the desire to look good, this study revealed that sticking to it depends more on consistency and discipline than motivation. According to an analysis of Reddit’s comments, 30% of users emphasized the importance of architectural habits when it comes to maintaining exercise routines. This highlights that motivations that can be fleetingly driven by emotions are less reliable than forming consistent habits.
However, it’s easier than that. Reddit users from the study came together to agree that they should set specific goals by actually sticking to their exercise routines, select fun activities, and find ways to make fitness a part of their daily lives. In fact, many participants noted, as expected, that their motivations fluctuate and that the only way they could continue to exercise was through habits. One Reddit user said, “Motivation depends on unstable emotions. Discipline is the ability to maintain habits even when the motivation is not there.”
Turning your motivation into a healthy exercise habit that sticks it is unique to each individual.
There is plenty of advice on the subject of how to stick to your fitness goals in practice. The advice covers everything From partnering with gym friends to choosing the right playlist. But the reality is that everyone is different and it may not work for everyone. Bama, is that so?
Yes, but there’s no need to do that. Now, for some, gym friends may work. Also, for others, creating a reward system may be key. But one thing that all experts seem to agree on is how you set your goals and where are your true success.
Jody Freeman, trainer for the Bobsiella Family YMCA; Talking to Abcnews Tampa Bay When it comes to fitness success, “I just create one microhabit and then build from there.” Essentially, I set myself up for success, not for failure. What goals do you know you can achieve? If you’re just starting out, commit to two trips to the gym in a week. More importantly, choose activities that you know you love.
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Ultimately, this study confirmed what many fitness experts have known for years. The most successful exercise routines aren’t necessarily scientifically optimal, they are actually stuck. If you like to dance, do it. If throwing heavy weights sounds fun, get a weightlifting class. If it sounds like torture, you don’t want to go back, so if it sounds like torture, don’t unconsciously get on the treadmill.
Erica Ryan is a writer working on a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism. She is based in Florida and covers topics of relationships, psychology, self-help and human interest.
