Fitness: When it comes to exercise, are you all talk and no action?

If so, an action plan may help you close the gap between the willingness to work out and feeling sweat on your brow.

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We all know someone who seems sincere in their intention to work out, yet never makes it to the gym. Then there’s that friend whose intention is always backed up by activity. As dissimilar as the two may seem, the difference isn’t in their objective to move, but rather the ability to turn intent into action.

The reason why some people are so successful in following through on their promise to exercise while others fail to launch is the subject of much research. Termed the intention-behaviour gap, it’s estimated that almost half of people who express a desire to exercise never get it done. But perhaps the biggest paradox in the relationship between intent and behaviour is that intent is imperative when it comes to working out, but on its own isn’t always enough to spur people into action.

“A strong tendency to approach sedentary behaviour — the environmental and social cues for which are ubiquitous and are proliferating with technological and social changes — may hinder the successful translation of physical activity intentions into behaviours,” said the authors, who hail from Europe, China and North America.

The idea that humans are built to avoid exerting themselves and that those who do are the exception rather than the rule is a hard pill to swallow, especially for health and fitness advocates whose life’s work is to get more people moving. But it’s also just one of the explanations researchers have put forward as to why some people never reach their step goal, try the latest fitness class, hop on a bike or jump in a pool.

There are several factors that inhibit or facilitate the successful transition from intent to action. Identify and self-efficacy lead the pack when it comes to delving into the psyche of those who exercise and those who don’t. Failure to identify with those who are already fit or with an athletic crowd makes it tough to feel welcome in a fitness club filled with people who look at home in that milieu. Add that to a lack of confidence in the ability to sustain effort, especially in the company of others, and it’s easy to understand the hesitancy to make good on a promise to exercise.

Also key in closing the gap between the willingness to exercise and feeling sweat on your brow is how realistic the intention is. It’s not enough that you want to work out. Sometimes you need an action plan to make it happen. Not surprisingly, planning seems to influence whether or not exercise happens. Conscientious planners are usually more conscientious exercisers, which suggests that exercise doesn’t just happen. Planners tend to be more disciplined and achievement oriented, which makes them a good bet to act on their desire to exercise.

Age and sex are another two factors in the mysterious and sometimes vast gap between intent and action. Researchers have noted that men and older exercisers are more likely to follow up on their exercise goals as compared to women and younger exercisers. It’s likely that the overwhelming responsibilities of caring for a family, of which women and younger adults still assume a greater role than men and older adults, has a lot to do in profiling who is more or less likely to make good on their promise to work out.

Given what we know about why some people struggle to make good on their promise to exercise, what’s so different about those who act on their intent? Some people do a better job at ignoring the urge to put their feet up than others. And some embrace, rather than avoid, physical effort. Researchers also suggest that exercisers who face fewer barriers between intent and action are more likely to follow through with being active. In addition to family commitments and lack of proximity to recreation or fitness facilities, bad weather and high costs are other common barriers to establishing an exercise routine.

With more understanding behind the gap between the eagerness to work out and regularly getting in the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity a week, health and fitness professionals can make some changes to their approach in promoting more daily activity. Doing a better job at making novice exercisers feel comfortable sweating alongside those with more workout experience can make gyms less intimidating. So, too, can downplaying effort as a measure of success. There’s nothing wrong with working out in your comfort zone. If we truly are programmed to avoid physical effort, stick to an intensity that boosts your confidence, increases your chances of success and keeps you coming back for more.

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