Dr Anna Machin and Fitness First’s Lee Matthews explain Britain’s bad romance with healthy habits
Fall in love with exercise again
“Every January we see our gyms packed with members looking to get fit and healthy, but by February, the average person is already working out 10% less frequently.” Says Lee Matthews, Fitness and Marketing Director at Fitness First.
“This is why we’ve joined forces with Evolutionary Anthropologist and Relationship Scientist, Dr Anna Machin, to help Britons understand why many of us struggle to stay on the exercise wagon!”
10 TIPS ON HOW TO BUILD A LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH EXERCISE
DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP:
Dr Machin says, “We give ourselves a hard time when we fall off the wagon, but the occasional wobble is not entirely down to our lack of motivation.
“Craving fatty, sugary foods is an evolutionary hangover which ensured our survival in yesteryear. Despite no longer having the highly physical demands of finding food to burn those calories, we’ve not developed a mechanism in our brains that motivates us to exercise for the sake of exercising. So we can give ourselves a break!”
APP-ILY EVER AFTER:
Lee from Fitness First adds, “You wouldn’t use a dating app when you’re in a relationship, so take the same approach to your health. If you’re trying to be good for a few weeks, remove the temptation of takeaway delivery apps to encourage healthy choices. Instead download a fitness training app to help you get into and keep good fitness habits (our CustomFit app is free to download).”
CREATE CHEMISTRY:
Dr Machin says, "To make sure we stay motivated to seek out new relationships and maintain old ones, our brains have evolved to produce a wonderful set of chemicals which are triggered by love and friendship.
“They make us feel warm, content and even euphoric, but the most powerful of these - beta endorphin - is also released by vigorous exercise!
Lee Matthews adds: “Try a high intensity interval training (HiiT) workout such as our SHRED class or a Freestyle Group Training session. Thanks to the endorphins, after a few sessions, you’ll crave the feel-good factor and be motivated to exercise.”
STAY SYNCHRONISED:
Dr Machin explains: “Research by my team at Oxford University found that if you do a vigorous activity in a group and in synchrony, then the endorphin hit is even bigger. So try a group exercise class to further boost those endorphins.”
CHECK YOUR COMPATIBILITY:
Dr Machin continues: “Successful relationships are all about compatibility. The goals for our relationship with exercise are the same as those with other people - we need it to be long-term and comfortable. So, find a form of exercise that suits who you are.”
KEEP IT FRESH:
Dr Machin says: “The most successful long-term relationships are those where the couple keep things fun. The same is necessary for exercise. Keep challenging yourself and when you start to find excuses not to get physical, mix things up a bit with a new exercise experience.”
PLAY HARD TO GET:
To keep keen, keep up the challenge. Lee Matthews at Fitness First says: “Doing different types of activity ensures you are working all areas of the body and improving everything from aerobic capacity, to flexibility and strength. Keep challenging yourself for optimum results, seek the support of a trainer if you need help.”
TREAT YOURSELF:
Dr Machin says, “When you achieve a goal, celebrate like you would an anniversary. Treating yourself is a great way to keep the interest in exercise alive.”
WORK HARD:
Dr Machin continues: “No relationship survives without a bit of hard work, and it’s when we take our eye off the ball that trouble can start. When you’ve neglected the gym for a few weeks, give it a bit of extra loving care, just as you would a partner.”
BE IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN:
Lee Matthews concludes, “You don’t go into a relationship thinking it won’t last, so you shouldn’t approach exercise in this way either. It’s not meant to be a quick fix, but rather something you can maintain happily for the long run.
“Set yourself achievable goals, don’t give up easily, and put in the ground work to ensure your relationship with exercise flourishes.”
To help Britons keep their relationship with exercise fresh, Fitness First has launched its ‘1001 ways to train’ campaign, giving inspiration on different ways to stay fit.
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