MAKING FITNESS RESOLUTIONS THAT LAST - Part 2

Continued from 1/18/14 post . . .

Here are some more tactics based on current research:

Proactive Pessimism - The "resolution high" leads people to underestimate and omit planning for difficulties.  The stronger the intention, the more we fail to seek support and tend to increase our optimistic predictions regarding our success rather than the actual desired behaviors.  Instead of getting "psyched up", it's more effective to recognize obstacles and create a specific plan of action to overcome them on an ongoing basis. (Koehler & Poon 2006; Koehler, White & John 2011; Stadler, Oettingen, & Gollwitzer 2009)

The Power of Remorse -   Anticipating how much they'll later regret skipping a workout motivates people above and beyond imagining the positive outcomes of exercising.  Play out the consequences of the decision to exercise or skip it by asking "how will I feel tomorrow about the decision I made today?"  (Abraham & Sheeran 2004)
Source: IDEA Fitness Journal


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