Intrinsic motivation and exercise adherence

[SarahNZ]

No longer being a student I don't have access to any full-text journal article I want. Therefore I cannot find the exact article I was thinking of. Anyhow the literature is pretty solid and there are plenty of other articles covering the same thing. This one has the closest fit to the particular article I am thinking of.

Here's the gist of the article from memory:

Students joining a gym were given a survey to measure their motivators; extrinsic such as body image, social pressure etc and intrinsic such as enjoyment.

On joining, extrinsic motivators very abundant among the sample. After 6 months, intrinsic motivators were dominant (among those still going to the gym).

The causal link could go in either direction although probably works both ways:

- Intrinsic motivators grow with time spent exercising

- Those high in intrinsic motivators will stick to it

I forget the particulars of the study (forgive me) but I do remember that the statistical analysis of results left both interpretations plausible.

The crux of this is that you need to be active because you like it. Your motivation has to come from inside. Perhaps it is possible though, if you can grind through a new exercise routine long enough while feeling meh, intrinsic motivation will begin to kick in and this should keep you going.

This all popped into my head after reading Steve's article on giving a **** today. I love Office Space too.

The whole enjoyment, intrinsic motivation thing works pretty well with the play aspect of primal fitness too huh?

By the way, intrinsic motivation beats extrinsic in many settings. Psyc researchers find time and time again that adherence, effort etc will drop when you introduce an extrinsic motivator... like PAYING people. No wonder working for the man is so undesirable

[CraftingFish]

Dan Ariely mentions things like this in his books... the example I remember is that less people give blood when it's charitable rather then when they get paid a small fee.

[SarahNZ]

I just looked him up, his books look interesting. May have to add them to the ever growing list of things to read. Thanks.

[Zima]

What I don't understand is how people *lack* motivation to go to the gym. It's easily my favorite past time and the best time of the day. If I go during lunch at work, I feel totally refreshed afterwards and don't get the headache I would get from work otherwise. Moving, getting your blood flowing, endorphins being released in your brain, testosterone boost from lifting heavy weights, seeing your muscles look all massive and such, all while blasting Amon Amarth in your headphones, and asking yourself "What would a viking do" when you can barely finish that last rep, and then doing it anyway...

THAT is my motivation. I hate rest days :\

PS yes, I know it's sad that lifting is the best part of my day. Then again, my life is not very much fun these days due to other factors. I'm sure most of you have something more fun and exciting going on

[Oogiem]

What I don't understand is how people *lack* motivation to go to the gym.

I might be able to shed light on that one. First off we don't even have a gym within miles of our place. I'm doing bodyweight workouts, some homemade dumbbell weights and that's about it.

Often I dread the thought of trying to do a regular workout just because I think about the other things I have to get done that day that will be physical. I know it's slowing me down but when I know I'll be moving a ton of hay, or sorting sheep or moving the fences for fresh grazing it's darned hard to get motivation to also do a bodyweight workout or any dumbbell lifting at all. Part of it is that I know that if I try to do both in one day I will be totally zonked the next day and on a farm I cannot avoid at least some physical activity every day. Plus animal emergencies mean I need to always have some left in the tank so to speak, you never know what is going to come up that requires immediate lifting or walking (this summers' ram stuck under feeder and horse colic/death come to mind)

Eventually I expect to be able to do the regular workouts 3-4 times a week and still have plenty of energy and ability to do the farm chores too but for now I'm limited that way.

[Natalie]

What I don't understand is how people *lack* motivation to go to the gym. It's easily my favorite past time and the best time of the day.

Plenty of people despise going to the gym. I told my friend that I enjoy going to the gym and she found it incredible. She drags her ass there because "she has to." I have no idea what that means. Not everyone likes working out.

[Zima]

I might be able to shed light on that one. First off we don't even have a gym within miles of our place. I'm doing bodyweight workouts, some homemade dumbbell weights and that's about it.

Often I dread the thought of trying to do a regular workout just because I think about the other things I have to get done that day that will be physical. I know it's slowing me down but when I know I'll be moving a ton of hay, or sorting sheep or moving the fences for fresh grazing it's darned hard to get motivation to also do a bodyweight workout or any dumbbell lifting at all. Part of it is that I know that if I try to do both in one day I will be totally zonked the next day and on a farm I cannot avoid at least some physical activity every day. Plus animal emergencies mean I need to always have some left in the tank so to speak, you never know what is going to come up that requires immediate lifting or walking (this summers' ram stuck under feeder and horse colic/death come to mind)

Eventually I expect to be able to do the regular workouts 3-4 times a week and still have plenty of energy and ability to do the farm chores too but for now I'm limited that way.

Well this is a different(and uncommon) situation. I've worked on a farm in New Zealand for a bit and that stuff gets tiring. But if you eat well, you'll be toned just from that! You may not get big, but you sure as hell can get low bf% and enough muscle to look very attractive by most people's standards.

[SarahNZ]

What I don't understand is how people *lack* motivation to go to the gym. It's easily my favorite past time and the best time of the day. If I go during lunch at work, I feel totally refreshed afterwards and don't get the headache I would get from work otherwise. Moving, getting your blood flowing, endorphins being released in your brain, testosterone boost from lifting heavy weights, seeing your muscles look all massive and such, all while blasting Amon Amarth in your headphones, and asking yourself "What would a viking do" when you can barely finish that last rep, and then doing it anyway...

THAT is my motivation. I hate rest days :\

PS yes, I know it's sad that lifting is the best part of my day. Then again, my life is not very much fun these days due to other factors. I'm sure most of you have something more fun and exciting going on

I agree, rest days feel weird but you know you need them. At least you can still do some stretching and soft tissue work on those days.

[spezzy]

there are also things like this:

http://thenextweb.com/lifehacks/2011/01/25/a-brilliant-idea-to-make-people-visit-the-gym-regularly/

where you have to pay more if you don't go.

[Oogiem]

But if you eat well, you'll be toned just from that! You may not get big, but you sure as hell can get low bf% and enough muscle to look very attractive by most people's standards.

Sadly not. I am eating well but I lack strength and have a very high BF percentage. Even farm work is not enough to get and keep you fit when it's a livestock farm.