ISU Study: Preparing to Exercise May be the Key to Sticking With it
As New Year’s resolutions approach, getting in better shape once again tops many to-do lists. An Iowa State University psychology professor says new research shows that simply preparing to exercise can make it easier to stay on track long term.
Dr. Alison Phillips, a social and health psychologist at Iowa State University, studied ways to help people turn exercise into a lasting habit. The study tested several strategies through an online exercise program, including participants who were new to regular physical activity.
“We tested eight different groups using combinations of three strategies, and all of them worked,” Phillips says. “Even the control group received basic goal-setting guidance, which is often considered standard advice. That alone helped participants exercise more often and stick with it longer. We followed them for an entire year.”
Phillips says the most effective strategy focused on exercise preparation habits rather than the workout itself. Participants were encouraged to build routines around getting ready to exercise ahead of time.
“If your goal is to go to the gym after work, your preparation habit might be packing your gym bag the night before,” Phillips says. “You could even put it in your car so it’s ready to go. That way, when it’s time to exercise, there are fewer barriers.”
Organizing gear in advance helped reinforce exercise plans in participants’ daily routines.
“For some people, it might be doing laundry right when you get home so your clothes are clean,” Phillips says. “Others might put their shoes by the door so they see them and they’re ready to go. It really depends on the person, but the focus was on preparing, not the exercise itself.”
Phillips also points to the rise in popularity of activities like pickleball, noting that people often build an identity around sports they enjoy.
“How we see ourselves is a big motivator,” she says. “Pickleball players often identify strongly with the sport. It becomes their social circle and something they’re competitive about. The fact that it’s exercise is probably far down the list of reasons they keep doing it.”
That sense of identity, Phillips says, can be a powerful motivator across many activities, from running to racquet sports.
More information about the full Iowa State University study can be found online HERE.
