Do you want to get healthy by exercising but feeling unmotivated? It can be easy at times to find excuses to avoid the gym, but a simple reminder might be all you need to stay on track this year.
A study conducted by Stanford University found that people who were regularly encouraged to exercise by others began to exercise steadily. The researchers divided 218 people into three different groups. After an introduction to the study, everyone established an exercise goal. Later, one group was called by a Stanford Health Educator about once every three weeks for a year. The second group was called by a computer program that asked similar questions to the first group. The third group was not called by anyone.
The first and second groups were asked to recite the exercises they performed. If they did not exercise, they were encouraged to try to start exercising again. According to The Wall Street Journal, after a year, participants receiving calls from a live person were exercising about 178 minutes a week, and exercise levels for the group receiving computerized calls were about 157 minutes a week. Those who received no phone calls exercised 118 minutes a week.
Accountability can make a huge difference when it comes to exercising. Reach out to a loved one and ask them to keep you accountable when it comes to exercising. You can even encourage them as well. Not only will you be able to keep in regular contact with them, you can have regular reminders to make exercise a part of your daily routine.
It’s not too hard to start—simply walking for 20 to 30 minutes is a good way to begin. If you’re interested in beginning an exercise routine, make sure to speak with your health care provider to create an exercise plan that is right for you.