Why Your Workout Plans Fail (And How to Fix It)
- Many peopel consistently abandon planned exercise despite knowing its benefits.University of Michigan behavioral scientist Michelle Segar attributes this to a pervasive "all-or-nothing" mindset that undermines commitment.
- Segar's research marks the first in-depth inquiry into this phenomenon specifically related to exercise.
Why Exercise Plans Fail: The ‘All-or-Nothing’ Mindset
Many peopel consistently abandon planned exercise despite knowing its benefits.University of Michigan behavioral scientist Michelle Segar attributes this to a pervasive “all-or-nothing” mindset that undermines commitment.
Segar’s research marks the first in-depth inquiry into this phenomenon specifically related to exercise. While all-or-nothing thinking has been previously studied in the context of eating and weight management, this study focuses on physical activity. Segar collaborated with Jen Taber, John Updegraff, and Alexis McGhee-Dinvaut, all from Kent state University, to conduct four focus groups with 27 adults-ranging in age from 19 to 79-who struggled to maintain exercise routines.
“Exercise-related all-or-nothing thinking occurs when a specific