What's the number one thing you need in order to exercise? I posed this question to some friends of mine and got a variety of answers: Money (to hire a personal trainer, personal assistant, etc.), motivation, time, energy and, from one person, "A crane to haul me out of bed in the morning."
However, you might be surprised to learn that the most important element in consistent exercise is how much you value yourself.
In fact, one study collected data from a group of women who continued to exercise after completing a structured exercise program. They found that the most important aspect of adherence wasn't the type of exercise they did or how much weight they lost. It was self-worth. As the study authors suggested, "Women must value themselves enough to continue to participate in physical activity once they start."
This study involved women, but this concept applies to all of us. Negative thinking is the biggest barrier to exercise, but you can learn how to change your thinking...if you value yourself enough to try.
What do you think? Is self-worth part of what motivates you to exercise? Is it what keeps you from exercising? Leave a comment and tell us what you think about the relationship between self-worth and exercise.
Interesting. Aren’t humans the curiosity? Here is just such an article I wrote for my patients: http://apchiro.us/?p=434
If you don’t love and value yourself,no one will love you. I work in the nursing field and am sadden by how many young people chose to not value themselve and engage in self destructive behavior that lands them in a nursing home or rehab, basically messed up physically for the rest of their lives. It can be kind of hard to feel sorry for or have compasssion for persons who make these choses. I watch my diet and exercise regulary and never engad in reckless behavior because I value my health and freedom.
I feel like I’m reading what I have preached since 1989!
Lifestyle & Health: They’re ALL about VALUE systems & PRIORITIES. As far as they are concerned, “You reap what you sow”! End of discussion.
I am about 80 pounds overweight,but however until I had my two children, I had always been slim and trim. Now I feel like I have an 80 pound fat suit on, and it is very difficult to do everything activities. My self esteem is so low that I have no motivation to do anything. I just can’t seem to do anything but think about how fat I am and how much I hate myself for it.
I believe that it is directly correlated. If you value your wellbeing and physical health, you will do things to keep it well. One of the best things that you can do to be healthy is to exercise. So, love and value your body enough to take care of it. By the way, it does not have to cost a thing to get a great workout.
Value to oneself is the key not only to keeping up life-long exercise, but to mental and emotional well-being and happiness as well.
This doesn’t mean the values of good health and fitness, these are different. My personal opinion is that individual goals, incentives, and even life-changing events are not enough to effect permanent changes in one’s life-style, if the person doesn’t value him or her self. That is the first fundamental change that is needed; if it happens, other positive changes are more easily achievable.
When I’m off-exercise recovering from an injury for a prolonged period of time, my value to myself is what gets me back to my workouts as soon as I am able.
Thanks, Paige for calling this out.
This really gets to the core of the issue. Much like “values” I know myself that if asked if I had “values” I would respond like most and say “Yes”. But when I got down to it I realized I did not take the time to learn about values and what mine were.
Like this topic of “self worth” I too think “I have self worth”, but why then do I take of exercise time much more often than I should or eat the things I shouldn’t.
I do not know the answer to how or why some people have “self worth” and others not so much. But I know that if keep looking for the answers you are more likely to find the answer than just ignoring it.
Great topic.
I totally agree, I did not have any motivation to lose weight and then my friend brought me an outfit that I couldn’t quite fit in. I didn’t want to waste her money so I began watching my diet and walking so I could lose a few pounds to fit into the outfit. Well what happen was not only did I lose enough weight to fit into that outfile but I began to fit in clothes that I hadn’t worn in a long time. My self confidence began to soar. Now I realize that I was blaming others and using excuses not to exercise. But through the motivation of the “outfit” I found out that if I really value myself that I will do this for me!! I continue to exercise because the results were far reaching in that I found “self value.” And I don’t ever want to lose that again!
This study by Huberty et al., that you wrote about is very important. Another significant finding from this study was that the women who stopped exercising said they exercised to lose weight and improve their appearance. In my own research I have also found that women who exercise for weight and/or appearance do the least amount of exercise.
It’s time for our culture (and health care) to disconnect exercise from losing weight as it’s main purpose (especially for women).
We need to reframe and re-brand exercise as a vehicle for improving our daily well-being. We also need to give individuals permission to be physically active in ways that FEEL GOOD to do instead of following prescriptive recommendations.
Michelle Segar
The Exercise Motivation and Behavior Architect
http://www.michellesegar.com
Now, you said it! That is the question – “Do I value myself enough to exercise?”
I always thought I did, but I see in being candid with myself, I am a slacker who will cut corners on appropriate foods and exercise, if I can get away with it! And getting away with it for me means cheating on food and exercise without gaining weight……NOT GOOD!
Thank you for this eye-opener question. After all I have been through with a successful weight loss and loose skin removal, surely I must value myself enough to at least exercise to take care of my newly healthy body!
I needed this article! Thank you!
I think motivation is a big part of exercise. If I’m not motivated I find it really difficult to do anything. Self worth is a huge part in exercise but how to gain self worth when you don’t have it and exercise is suppose to help you get it?
Perhaps the question should be do I feel like I’m worth the effort?
I read in an earlier post about a nurse who see so many young people damaging their lives that it’s hard to feel sorry for them. For comment for that is sometimes people don’t know how to live. I think in our society these days we concentrate on so many other things and being happy but what is happiness and what does that mean to each individual. I’ve either forgotten to live or never really realised I could.
One thing not mentioned in the article is that, as women, we are often at the bottom of our own priority list. Not because we don’t value ourselves, but our culture expects us to put our spouse/significant other, children, friends, etc., all ahead of ourselves. We are taught from a very young age to think of others first and not be selfish.
It’s really hard to overcome that upbringing without feeling guilty or selfish when we try to do something for ourselves.
You see this happening a lot with caregivers, who can become ill themselves because they don’t ask for, or get, any respite from their caregiver role. Just think how guilty a caregiver would feel leaving their sick loved one to take a walk or go to an exercise class. For some of us, that would be unthinkable.
Ask a parent how often they will refuse their child something just so the parent can go to the gym. It doesn’t happen often.
We have to adjust our thinking and realize that taking care of ourselves DOES help to take care of our loved ones.
If our young people don’t value themselves enough to take care of themselves, or have so little self worth that they engage in destructive behaviors, it is at least in part because we as parents are not teaching them self worth! And helping our children find their self-worth is NOT about giving them all the junk food they want so they can weigh 100 pounds at 10 years old. It’s about teaching them to value themselves enough to make those healthy food choices. You can’t expect people to take care of themselves as adults if they weren’t raised with the mindset that it is important to do so.
I make exercise my priority. If I don’t prioritize it won’t get done. I have osteoporosis and I am trying to strengthen my bones.
When I was young and single I lifted weights and took dance classes. I was incredibly strong. Now 5 children and lots of stress later, I am having a very hard time making the time for me. I have lost weight due to illness, but regained it. It is a very frustrating cycle.
divvytiff get back to me and maybe we can help each other. I need to lose 80 lbs as well. Good luck.
This article certainly came at the right time. I exercise 5 days a week and try to eat as clean as possible and if you had to ask me why, I would have said because I care for myself. But truthfully it is mostly for aesthetic reasons – I want to look good to those around me and I want to be viewed as valuing myself. Nothing wrong with that as long as I DO value myself and I am now questioning that. I wouldn’t be on a diet rollercoaster that never ends if I did. This article really called me out and made me think about the importance of doing it for my longevity and putting value on myself, not just attempting to portray it to those around me. Thank you so much for this, it has made an impact on my thinking today.
I am so unhappy with how I feel and how I look and wonder why that doesn’t motivate me. There are some big stressors in my life right now and I think I have developed a pattern of eating unhealthy things as a “reward” or a “you can’t control me” response to things in my life. I know this but I do it anyway. I want to change but I don’t do it. I too need to lose 60 pounds. Doesn’t do much for one’s self esteem so it is a vicious circle.
There is never, ever any excuse not to exercise. Twenty minutes is not a long time to participate in a self-love program with yourself.
I was just about to talk myself out of my (not so ) daily walk when I saw the head line “Do I value myself enough to exercise”. That was enough to get me off the computer and get moving
that is an incredible piece of advise for me. I have a great body which I have taken care of for years, but as i am now in my thirty’ and a mother, I have noticed that am not as careful on diet and exercise. That article has got me thinking straight and will be embarking on home- exercise programm soonest. I need tips on this!
Ive been repeatedly hecked by people driving by, as if in a drive by shooting. That way they can get away with it. A car load of college students went by and one hurled a full cup of Coke-a- Cola on me. People in their homes have heckeled me from their windows while I jog by. I have on at least 5 occasions been bitten by dogs. Thats why I don’t like myself and don’t get out and exercise.
Yes self-worth is a big part of workout.
I believe that self worth has everything to do with whether or not u excercise. I told my dr that I can work out to look better for my husband or to impress my friends but not just because it makes me healthier or for myself. I am working on changing my attitude and I didn’t realize other people struggle with this as wellwell