Fear of fitness more than physical

This was published 12 years ago

Fear of fitness more than physical

If your resolution to get in shape always ends in failure, the problem may be in your head, not your work-out. Sam Murphy reports.

Personal training used to be all about whipping your body into shape. No more - hire a personal trainer these days and chances are you'll exercise some mental muscle, too.

"Exercise itself isn't rocket science," says Pete Cohen, a health and wellbeing coach trained in human psychology and behaviour. "It's getting people to enjoy it and stick with it in the long term that's the real challenge."


So can working with a trainer help you lose your bad attitude? Cohen believes many of us set ourselves up to fail when we try to get fit.

"From the very moment you think to yourself, 'I've tried this before and it didn't work - why should this time be any different?' you can bet your bottom dollar it won't be," he says. "To make a difference, you need to reinvent yourself as someone who no longer hates exercise ... A skilled personal trainer can help bring around that shift ... in lots of ways: for example, by making exercise enjoyable and challenging your beliefs."

Behaviour modification techniques such as self-talk, which encourages the belief that you are already living a healthy life rather than being on the way to one, have long been used in other areas of behaviour counselling, including quitting smoking, weight loss and sports performance, but they are only now finding their way into the personal training market.

That doesn't mean trying to terrify people into it. In fact, Sheffield University research found that using scare tactics was the least effective strategy in instigating healthy behaviour changes. What worked was setting goals, using self-talk, behavioural contracts and regular monitoring.

"Many people embark on exercise with no goals at all or just vaguely formulated ideas such as 'tone up' or 'get fitter'," Cohen says. "Helping clients pin down exactly what they want to achieve is crucial." Aberdeen University research found that setting goals resulted in significantly more weight loss than not setting goals. "The same is almost certainly true with exercise," Cohen says.

What makes a good goal? "One that's challenging but achievable," says mental performance and lifestyle coach Midgie Thompson. Once you've determined your ultimate goal, you need to work backwards from there, setting mini goals along the way that will boost morale and keep you on track.

Putting your goals in writing is widely recommended. "It creates accountability, a powerful incentive," Thompson says. But be careful what you write. "The language you use to state your goal is important. I encourage clients to set 'towards', not 'away from' goals. For example, rather than saying, 'I want to lose weight', I'll get them to say, 'I want to reach my ideal weight'. The unconscious mind doesn't like 'losing' anything, so the way you frame your goal needs to be positive."

Unfortunately, most of us feel anything but positive about physical activity. In many ways, exercise is seen as punitive; as soon as you start telling yourself you "have to" lose weight, it's all about negative emotions.

Does it matter, though, if the thing that motivates you to lace up those trainers is shamefully shallow? Research on "intrinsic" and "extrinsic" styles of motivation suggests it does. Studies show that extrinsic factors, such as losing weight for your wedding or holiday, are associated with short-term commitment. Intrinsic factors - say, the sense of accomplishment you feel from getting fitter or the enjoyment of playing a sport - are associated with long-term adherence.

Then again, part of the battle with exercise is making it a habit, so who cares if those first few sessions are motivated by nothing more lofty than attaining a six-pack? "It doesn't matter whether your motivation is deep and meaningful or superficial, as long as it gets you out there," Thompson says.

Cohen says that if you manage to get through those first few weeks, you'll begin to develop the neurological pathways that make exercise feel normal. "Experts estimate that if you can sustain the habit for 21 sessions, it will become routine," he says. And that, of course, has to be the ultimate goal. 

How to find the athlete within ...

- What are your reasons for exercise? Write them down in as much detail as possible.

- Set challenging but achievable goals. Establish your ultimate goal, then work back to the present, putting in short-term goals to achieve along the way. Put your goals into a time-scale and have them in writing.

- Learn to self-talk. Everyone has times when they don't want to exercise but those who do it anyway are those who have learned to counter negative self-talk with positive, persuasive arguments.

- Try to stay "in the moment" during your work-outs rather than thinking about other things. Feel the breeze on your face when you're out running or tune into your breathing rather than focusing on your heart-rate monitor.

- Don't get stuck in a rut. "Have a sense of discovery and fun about exercise," Cohen says. "You've got to enjoy the journey, not just the destination."

- Use visualisation: picture yourself on the treadmill or taking part in a class.

- After your work-out, take a moment to congratulate yourself and reflect on what you've achieved.


Most Viewed in Lifestyle