Exercise: The Cup of Coffee We Need

People can use the benefits of exercise to improve their lives and can work from different regimes as they choose. When a person selects an intensity to work out in they must understand what they will be working with so they don’t find themselves wanting to drop out of it. It’s important to consider your recovery after your workouts and implement this in your decision. Finding motivation should also come within a person and listening to outside factors can be negative and harmful to a person. As individuals we must understand what it takes to improve our lives and working for goals of self improvement will promote good overall health.

People can become motivated to start exercising for a number of reasons. When a person chooses to go to the gym, they must acknowledge the factors that will affect them in the long run. The level of workout intensity is one of the first things a person should consider. This is the level at which a person will train with and will be the first step in a potential outcome chain which is intensity-effect-adherence. The effect in this chain is the result of your workout and how your body feels and results in after. The chain concludes with the person either continuing the path they are on or dropping out of it. 

The level of intensity will be the first decision a person will make when beginning their exercise. By not considering what intensity will benefit an individual the best, they will want to leave the exercise. To begin a low intensity leveled workout should be something that is below a moderate paced workout. Researchers Kate Stych and G. Parfitt studied effects of different workout intensities on adolescents and they used light aerobic activity to stimulate low intensity movement. The second intensity is a moderate intensity workout that would be considered your average workout. In the Stych and Parfitt study, the individuals were tested on a self-selected intensity, and it states, “Select an intensity that you would be able to do for fifteen minutes and that you would consider doing regularly.” The final intensity, high or above, would be considered pushing yourself to the limits in any physical activity. The individuals in the Stych and Parfitt study experienced a challenging resistance, with the level of resistance being above what the adolescents could regularly due. Choosing the correct intensity will enable a person to want to continue working out and not dropping out of any regime. 

Different intensity will affect your body’s ability to recover after your workout. Author, Liam McAuliffe, who wrote the article, “Low Intensity Exercise: Health Benefits” explains how your body should feel post exercise. McAuliffe explains, “On a physiological level low-intensity exercises increase your aerobic capacity.” With a light workout not only will your body recover faster, but your respiration endurance as well. When we look at the recovery of a moderately intense workout we might see a slower post recovery. This intensity is slightly challenging towards your body and with it being a little harder than a lower intensity there may be some muscle soreness and fatigue. Finally, a high intensity workout will probably leave you with some sort of soreness and fatigue in your muscles. It is important for all levels of exercisers to make sure they fully rest and take post recovery seriously with higher intensity workouts to prevent injuries. When deciding your workout intensity it is very important to know how different ones will affect your body as you recover after exercise.

 Adherence to working out is the final outcome that is determined by the intensity of an exercise. When an individual feels comfortable and is willing to return to working out, they are experiencing a positive adherence to exercise. Mental and physical barriers can affect one’s adherence and motivation to repeat a cycle of daily exercise. Looking back on the intensities, if it’s your first time going to a gym or athletic facility, beginning with a higher intensity instead of slowly advancing is not a good idea. Not only will you be at risk of injury, but it may give a negative mindset to not continue. By starting off with a light intensity workout a person may have a better mindset and understanding so they will be able to repeat a possible workout schedule. Having a good adherence to exercise by forming a proper schedule is the only way you will have the mindset to be committed to self improvement.

A chain is created when a person decides on what intensity will be persistent in their workout. Choosing the correct intensity will determine how long your body needs to recover after a workout. The adherence to exercise will come to a person once they feel comfort with it and want to continue this lifestyle. This is especially important for first timers so they can have the best gym experience possible and what to further their self-improvement. The outcomes of the chains will determine whether or not a person will continue the regime they are on or drop it entirely.

Exercise adherence is the capacity to consistently partake in physical exercise over time. It requires dedication to consistent workout schedules and while also managing a busy lifestyle. An aspect to helping maintain adherence is self motivation and what exactly makes a person maintain their drive to continue and not drop. Motivating yourself to exercise can be a challenge that some people may be experiencing. When confronted with busy schedules, physical discomfort, or other obstacles to exercise, it can be challenging to maintain motivation. In a study conducted by researchers, Kylie Wilson and Darren Brookefield they took a group of individuals with a basic fitness background and tested to see if motivation really affects your workout. Wilson and Darren’s reports explains, “Participants in the process goal group scored significantly higher interest/enjoyment and perceived choice, significantly lower pressure/tension, and had significantly greater adherence compared to the outcome goal and control groups.” Setting specific, measurable objectives is a proven method for keeping motivation high. Realistic, achievable, and customized to each person’s preferences and capabilities are the three aspects of an effective goal. For instance, a regular exerciser might aim to walk for thirty minutes three times per week, whereas a more accomplished athlete might make the goal of finishing a half marathon. Persons can monitor their development and maintain exercise motivation by setting specific goals relevant to their own personal health.

Another aspect that will help adherence is a social support system which is a great way to have a trusted outside source make sure you stay true to your goals. This outside support could come from a friend or family member who cares about your health and wants to see you achieve your greatest desires. Group exercise is also a great approach to a social support system because yourself and the other individuals you are working out with may share the same end goals which will drive everyone to wanting to be successful. Social support is another critical element to exercise adherence. The encouragement, accountability, and motivation that social support can offer to keep up with your exercise routine can come from peers, family, or your exercise partners. According to studies, individuals who work out in groups have a higher likelihood of sticking to their exercise plans than those who work out alone. In a study conducted by Sage Journals, researchers found evidence that shows group activity not only will make individuals adhere to their workout, but also improve balance and functional status. Subjects in the study all contained multiple sclerosis and after the study was conducted the subjects reported that symptoms did not worsen which may lead to those individuals wanting to continue physical activity. It’s critical to find physical activities that you enjoy and can maintain, in addition to establishing goals and looking for social support. Exercise should feel rewarding and enjoyable rather than like a job or a punishment. People are more likely to stick with their exercise routines over time if they can discover activities they enjoy doing and set achievable goals that will benefit their health.

Implementing basic fitness in daily routines will set little challenges for you that will in the long run benefit you as an individual. An example of basic fitness that you can add to your daily routines could be going for a walk or finding time throughout the day to do a mini workout circuit. An individual’s personal health will be the deciding factor for their consistency with fitness. A person’s weight, age and overall bodily health will affect consistency and it is a great idea to consult with a healthcare professional to figure out what plan of action is the best for you. As a result, maintaining a physical activity regimen is crucial for achieving long-term health benefits.  Lastly, it’s crucial to include exercise in everyday routines. This could entail coming up with creative approaches to stay active throughout the day, like using the stairs rather than the elevator or going for a walk during lunch. An active lifestyle can be maintained and healthy habits can be formed by incorporating exercise into daily activities.

 Even though consistent exercise is crucial for long-term health benefits, it’s essential to remember that consistency can vary depending on various factors. Age, gender, bodily health, and personal preferences, for instance, can all affect exercise adherence. It can be challenging to keep regular exercise routines due to obstacles like time restraints, access to exercise facilities, and physical limitations. Working with a healthcare professional or exercise specialist who can offer personalized guidance and support is essential to overcoming these obstacles. Health care professionals can offer advice on how to remove obstacles to exercise, create safe and effective exercise routines with them, and track their development over time. There are a number of other methods that people can use to get past obstacles to exercising consistently, in addition to getting professional advice. For instance, adding mindfulness and relaxation exercises to your exercise regimens can help you feel better and work out more effectively. In conclusion, concentrating on the advantages of exercise, such as enhanced health and wellbeing, can support people in maintaining their motivation and dedication to their exercise regimens.

To conclude, here are a number of other strategies that can assist people in overcoming obstacles to exercise adherence in addition to obtaining professional advice. For instance, creating a source of self-motivation will allow you to get to the goals you want to achieve. A social support system is an outside person who will help you get your goals, and this can come from friends, family members, or the people you work out with. Implementing fitness in your daily routines will allow you to set larger goals throughout the day by achieving the small ones first. Finally, considering your own personal bodily factors and talking with a healthcare professional will allow you to create your health-based fitness goals. Furthermore, concentrating on the advantages of exercise, such as enhanced health and wellbeing, can support people in maintaining their motivation and dedication to their exercise regimens.

A person can find an outlet in their personal life that motivates them to try new things or better themselves as individuals. Their personalities can reflect the goals a person wants to achieve and their willingness to achieve these goals. In a person’s life they may face social challenges and external pressures and it’s important for an individual to not use these aspects in life as your motivation. Motivation should come from within and shouldn’t be affected by negative outside factors such as comments made to put down others or social norms that someone may not be able to meet. You are yourself and you should focus on what you want for yourself and not let other people’s words affect your motivation.To effectively use motivation an individual must understand themselves and personality to find an outlet of motivation rather than using external factors instead.

It is obvious that as humans we are all different in many ways from physical characteristics, to different ideologies and beliefs. Author Phillip J. Core wrote the article, “Motivation and Personality: A Neuropsychological Perspective.” In this article when discussing people’s personalities the author states, “People differ from one another, and this fact is obvious to everyone. It is common to talk about people’s personalities using lexical terms to describe their characteristic ways of thinking, feeling and behaving.” It is important for an individual to reflect upon their personal self and not to be jealous or listen to harmful words from others that may make you want to change who you are. When you change your values to make others agree with them you are not being true to yourself which is something you shouldn’t be motivated to do. Motivation should come from within and reflect your personal values rather than follow other peoples and societies ideas of what you should be.

What opposes a person’s intrinsic motivation, motivation that comes from within a person, is extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is motivation that is affected by external factors. Author Natalie Regoli wrote an article listing the advantages and disadvantages of using extrinsic motivation in a person’s life. In the article some advantages she listed were individual benefits, creating a desire to chase dreams or goals, and it can increase productivity within people. When we look at the advantages they may seem justifiable and ideal points to consider such as a person struggling to find motivation to get employed. A person who is experiencing this struggle in life may be affected by the desire to want to own a home or car, so they will continue to search for employment so one day they will achieve their goal. External factors can put pressure on individuals to make them have the feeling of not being good enough for society or not meeting expectations that people want you to uphold.

 Regoli lists disadvantages for extrinsic motivation that involve the value of external rewards, repressing intrinsic motivation, following a course of diminishing returns, lack of passion, and creating unrealistic expectations. When being presented with the opportunity to achieve something or be rewarded outside of your values there are some questions you must ask yourself before pursuing. 

You must look into the value of the reward and how it made you feel as an individual after. Regoli best describes this when she states, “If you are striving for things that involve money or possessions, then these items are fleeting. It is the memories that you make with your families and friends that become the most-prized elements of life as the years go.” Memories and experiences are what make you as an individual and by focusing on assets outside of these experiences you may miss out on key moments in your life. 

Another disadvantage of extrinsic motivation is the repression of intrinsic motivation that extrinsic creates. If an individual is driven to pursue a career where they are just earning a paycheck and have no real care about the career, they may feel as if the career’s current rewards are worth the sacrifice. By not caring about your own thoughts and just doing something for the money, wouldn’t this be an example of going against your intrinsic values? Sure everyone is their own person so their personalities may make them want to chase careers for money rather than passionate value, but by pursuing something like this may cause your intrinsic motivation to decline. This can also create diminishing returns and unrealistic expectations you may have. By repeating a cycle and gaining the same reward every time, overtime you may find yourself with an outcome lower than your expectations this how extrinsic motivation creates diminishing returns. Instead of this you should look for something that will change in a way that suits your values and what you want as an individual. 

Extrinsic motivation can also present opportunities with outcomes that may seem rewarding, but in fact end with unrealistic outcomes. You must see the value in what you’re motivated to do and see what the path has to offer and if it is worth giving time and energy. When a person becomes motivated to achieve a goal it is important that they do not fall for any external forces pressuring them into doing something and instead look within and use intrinsic motivation to complete goals.

To effectively use motivation an individual must understand themselves and personality to find an outlet of motivation rather than using external factors instead. By using their core values, a person can create a mentality to change themselves by working to achieve greatness. A person shouldn’t be controlled by outside factors such as other people’s judgment on themselves. External factors can affect your mindset and hide what you truly desire with false outcomes that will lead you to nothing. It may be harder for an individual who only listens to what other people have to say rather than an individual who uses self-motivation to become successful in their dreams. Individuals must see value in what they are working for and if it reflects their  personality and beliefs.

As individuals we must understand what it takes to improve our lives and working for goals of self improvement will promote good overall health. We must understand what different intensities will do to our bodies and how they will affect us on an adherence stand point. A person may not see the benefit of working out due to a poor experience which will make them want to drop out of the physical activity they are participating in. Motivation to promote self improvement should come from within and persist to your values and not be influenced by outside voices. A path for self improvement is not always clear and there will be many challenges that an individual will face, but by following values and understanding the basis of your exercise you will improve your life as a overall whole.

References

15 Advantages and Disadvantages of Extrinsic Motivation – ConnectUS. (2019, May 30). ConnectUS. Retrieved April 17, 2023, from https://connectusfund.org/6-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-extrinsic-motivation.

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McAuliffe, L. (2022, May 6). Low Intensity Exercises: Health Benefits and Types – Dr. Robert Kiltz. Doctor Kiltz. Retrieved March 8, 2023, from https://www.doctorkiltz.com/low-intensity-exercises/.

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