Why Do We Exercise? A Quest for Answers
When I was a kid I loved to run and play (didn’t we all?). Somewhere along the line in my transition into adulthood my motive for movement became external. Then, when my circumstances changed, it became very difficult to muster up the motivation to exercise. So, I went on a quest to find out how motivation to exercise really works, how to manage my health behaviors, and how to enjoy the change process.
How it started
As a very young child, I loved all things play. Whether it was running in a track meet (that’s me with the pink shorts and ferocious focus), riding my bike, or dancing, my enthusiasm was high.
As I grew, so too did the amount of my sport participation. A major part of my identity was in athletics.
I went on to play soccer in college. Much to the dismay of my professors, I did not go to college to learn. I went to college to play soccer. Taking classes was just a hoop to jump through.
After my college career, I wanted to play soccer professionally. So, I double majored in exercise science and sport psychology so that I could get all the information I could to enhance my soccer performance.
After college, I was invited to try out for some professional teams, but I didn’t make the cut. This may not seem like a big deal, but to me it was very painful. A major part of who I was died with that dream. I was 22 years old and had no clue what to do with my life.
Then it got worse. After I sadly accepted the reality that my soccer career had ended, I found that I couldn’t get myself off the couch to exercise.
As an athlete, I was motivated to a fault. If coach said “touch the line!” You better believe that I touched the line, and if anyone else missed the line, they heard about it from me! … a quality that I’m sure my teammates adored. 🙂
I had just graduated with a degree in exercise science and sport psychology. I knew how important it was to exercise.
However, I still found myself thinking:
Exercise? For what? … health? I’m supposed to get on a treadmill for thirty minutes every day to keep my blood pressure down…. and to prevent disease? How lame and boring!
Reclaiming Exercise for Enjoyment
With zero motivation to exercise, I went on a quest to figure out how to grow that motivation, as exercise had once brought so much joy to my life. After a decade of higher education and a PhD in exercise psychology, I learned how to fuel my exercise motivation tank.
I have made exercise an enjoyable part of my lifestyle and the lifestyle of my family. It adds purpose and meaning to my life, and it helps me live out my values with energy and strength.
Today, I am passionate about helping others make exercise an enjoyable part of their lifestyle in the same way.
I’m currently an exercise psychologist at Iowa State University where I teach classes on a range of topics including exercise, health, fitness, and behavior change. My mission is to translate research from exercise and psychology to practical strategies that enhance health, fitness, and quality of life. I speak to and lead workshops for groups and organizations on exercise and motivation, goal setting, and habit formation.
Where ever you are in your exercise journey– growing your motivation to start, struggling to maintain adherence to a regimen long-term, or enjoying exercise as a regular part of your lifestyle– the research I share at Living the Exercise Circuit is aimed at supporting you in your exercise and health-related goals.
Resources
For more resources, see the following articles and subscribe to my free monthly newsletter.
• The Exercise Paradox: Is it really killing you?
• How to Ignite Behavior Change
• The Power of Purpose in Exercise
• The #1 Barrier to Exercise and How to Beat it
• How to Grow Your Exercise Motivation
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