“I like to move it, move it,” the signature tune from the animated Hollywood film Madagascar goes.

And health experts want you to know that it is really just moving your body in some way that counts when you want to start building your fitness level — no matter how short a duration, no matter if your marathon-running friend will scoff at your effort.

Because after a while, when you get into the groove and sustain it, biological functions will take care of the rest.

It has been drilled into us that physical activity is good for us and exercising regularly provides many benefits including better mental and cognitive health.

Research has shown that sitting all day and a sedentary lifestyle can kill us fast or raise cancer risks. And nothing beats some ailments and stress like a good workout, which gives us natural painkillers and mood-boosting chemicals.

Yet, many people are still not moving more or getting enough exercise.

Fitness professional Joel Chia said that sedentarism is a “pandemic”, given that people are moving less. He is a certified personal trainer and senior dietitian at Novi Health, a specialist medical centre that provides personalised solutions to manage chronic health conditions.

The National Population Health Survey 2022 released here late last year showed the same thing about physical activity levels. 

It found that the percentage of Singapore residents engaging in sufficient total physical activity — say, at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity — has gone down from 84.6 per cent in 2019 to 74.9 per cent in 2022.

This was chalked up to reduced commuting from hybrid work arrangements after the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the same time, obesity rates have increased by almost 35 per cent in the past decade — from 8.6 per cent in 2013 to 11.6 per cent for the 2021 to 2022 period.

WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT MOTIVATED TO EXERCISE

So, what is stopping people from mustering the motivation to exercise?

1. LIFESTYLE

Various barriers found in modern life make it hard for people to carve out the time and will to get moving.

Mr Chia gave some examples:

Having jobs that demand a lot of our time

Work-at-home arrangements that limit incidental movement

Family obligations such as caregiving responsibilities

Festivities such as Christmas and Chinese New Year that disrupt routines, making it challenging to get back to some form of exercise

Indulging in rich foods during major seasonal celebrations can lead to feelings of lethargy and guilt, further deterring motivation

“

We may be increasing in lifespan, but more important is our ‘healthspan’ that is the number of years spent living an active lifestyle and doing what we enjoy in old age.

Assistant Professor Ivy Yeh from Nanyang Technological University

”

2. THINKING YOU WILL HAVE TIME LATER

Registered psychologist Gerald Boh said that younger adults, in particular, may have “present bias” — the tendency to prioritise the rewards they can get now over long-term future benefits.

“If you (tell them) that not exercising increases their risk of cardiovascular disease, a young person may say, ‘I’m still young enough that I can wait’.

“Younger people will always have other more urgent priorities that they would want to take care of, like career, setting up a family, their finances.

"It’s not like they think that health is unimportant but rather, they don’t think it’s urgent enough yet.”

Mr Boh is the clinical director and principal psychologist at Okay-to-Chat, a private mental health service that uses a combination of face-to-face and e-counselling platforms.

He is also an exercise psychologist with PsyFit, which uses psychology, counselling and physical activity to improve health.

“

Humans are wired to conserve energy as an adaptive mechanism, from the time we were hunter-gatherers.

Psychologist Gerald Boh

”

3. STONE-AGE INSTINCTS ARE SABOTAGING YOUR FITNESS PLANS

Perhaps the most interesting research on why people find it hard to get started on exercise is that your brain is just not wired that way.

We want to rest more because it is an evolutionary mechanism.

Assistant Professor Ivy Yeh from Nanyang Technological University has research expertise in biological anthropology, which is the study of human biological variation and evolution.

She and Mr Boh have these to say collectively:

In the pre-modern world, having adequate energy was crucial for survival

In the Paleolithic era (also known as the Old Stone Age), humans endured strenuous labour, using their energy primarily in hunting and gathering

They also rested as much as possible to save up energy for the next round of demanding activities

Lifestyles have changed in the past 10,000 years from the late Paleolithic era to the present

In modern times, technological advancements have made life more convenient and we no longer move as much for survival

However, the human body has not adapted at the same pace and still operates according to ancient survival instincts

This tendency to "conserve energy" and rest thus makes it challenging to initiate physical activity

Asst Prof Yeh believes that chronic and lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes will become even more prevalent in the next few decades, considering that the modern diet is richer in sugar compared to that in olden times.

She said: “Our innate tendency is always to seek the easiest path to accomplish tasks, yet the convenience may not always align with what’s best for health.

“We may be increasing in lifespan, but more important is our ‘healthspan’ that is the number of years spent living an active lifestyle and doing what we enjoy in old age.”

HOW TO REWIRE YOUR BRAIN TO OVERCOME INERTIA

Now that we know why exercising — or even just moving more every day — does not come naturally to us, here are some psychological techniques to help increase and sustain motivation. 

1. GIVE YOURSELF RANDOM POST-EXERCISE REWARDS

Instead of rewarding yourself each time you do something good, this method involves delivering reward at irregular intervals

Mr Boh the psychologist pointed out that the intended effect of not knowing what you may get is why some people become addicted to gambling

“They don't get their reward all the time, but it is the thrill of getting a reward, a win, that makes it so addictive.”

To increase motivation for exercise, use the same technique — randomising the chance of a reward

For example, you can tell yourself, ‘After I exercise, I will toss a coin. If it’s heads, I’ll give myself a reward but if it’s tails, then none’

The reward can involve something that you like, such as unwinding with a movie or treating yourself to a small gift

Or mix it up with longer-term weekly or monthly goals, and then aim for a larger reward such as investing in new exercise clothing or going for a massage

Mr Boh advised against setting outcome goals such as “I want to lose weight”.

Instead, set behavioural goals that are achievable and action-oriented such as "I will brisk-walk for 30 minutes, five times a week for 12 weeks".

2. 'TRICK' YOUR BRAIN INTO A WORKOUT AND LET SCIENCE DO THE REST

Engage in some positive self-talk

“The brain has a way of believing something that you say,” Mr Boh said

“With exercise, you don’t have to pretend to like it. But do tell yourself, ‘It’s not easy but I can handle this’."

Mr Boh is referring to simple exercises such as brisk-walking or a slow jog, “not Olympic endeavours such as running a marathon or lifting 100kg”

Engaging in positive self-talk encourages the brain to continue to sustain effort in doing challenging things

With consistency, exercising can become a habit, akin to brushing your teeth

“After exercising consistently for a while, you may notice feeling more energetic, fitter and lighter," Mr Chia said

Exercise provides a dopamine boost, providing an immediate mood boost and sense of accomplishment after a workout

Dopamine is a hormone and neurotransmitter that plays a role in giving feelings of pleasure, motivation and learning

It may feel frustrating and difficult at first, but the amygdala (part of the brain involved in reward learning and motivation) will slowly create arousal and gradually, the brain will perceive it more positively, Mr Boh said

3. VISUALISE GOOD OR BAD OUTCOMES

Before starting an exercise session, visualising a positive outcome can help boost motivation

This may be imagining how good you will feel, eating a healthy meal or getting a deeper post-workout sleep

“Mental savouring can increase dopamine for most people, especially for those who are half-hearted about exercise,” Mr Boh said

This may not work for some people who dislike exercising

For this group, visualise what might happen if you continue to remain sedentary and avoid exercise: Getting a stroke or heart attack or cancer

“The fear will then nudge them a bit because some people may get motivated by fear, though, it’s not always the best (method),” Mr Boh added 

“

Don’t count your exercise minutes; make your exercise count.

Mr Joel Chia, fitness trainer and senior dietitian at Novi Health

”

TYPES OF EXERCISES THAT BOOST MOTIVATION

Certain types of physical activities tend to boost and sustain motivation, making regular exercise more sustainable.

These include exercises:

That generate visible results, usually as part of a structured exercise plan

That the person enjoys such as dancing (cue Madagascar's dance track) or swimming

Here are some tips from Mr Chia the personal trainer:

A good rule of thumb is to include structured exercise 80 per cent of the time and activities or sports that you enjoy 20 per cent of the time

For example, play basketball once a week alongside a routine of running or strength training four times a week

For people who like company or socialising, have a workout buddy or sign up for group exercise classes or join a sports club

A workout buddy can keep you accountable to your goals

For people who find it hard to be more active due to family obligations, exercise together as a family

It can become time spent to bond, to catch up with each other and share a healthy post-workout meal

Prepare to exercise in advance, put it in your diary and choose a convenient location such as a gym or walking route near your home or workplace

Invest in simple equipment such as a yoga mat or a set of dumbbells if needed

Rather than start off with an hour-long session of high-intensity exercise, take small manageable steps with lighter ones first

“A partial workout still counts as exercise. Instead of a full hour of exercise, for example, try doing push-ups first thing in the morning," Mr Chia said.

“Don’t count your exercise minutes; make your exercise count.”

Mr Boh emphasised that in getting people to increase their activity levels, “some exercise is better than none”.

“If you can do more, that’s better. But the main idea is to keep moving because we have to look at physical activity in totality — exercise is just one aspect.

“If you sit in a chair for 10 hours a day and brisk-walked for 30 minutes, you may gain some benefits from the brisk-walking.

"However, certain risks from sitting the whole day may not be remediated.

“So we encourage people to just move more, without consciously (overthinking) it,” Mr Boh said. 

Source:
courtesy of TODAY

by Today Online

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