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By Dr. Francis Quinn, PhD. Key takeaways: Anecdotally, some people find fitspiration posts on social media act as a trigger to exercise or sustain motivation. However, research shows again and again that on average, viewing fitspiration makes people dislike their bodies, feel bad, and puts them in a low mood. Assume that fitspiration is something…
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By Dr. Francis Quinn, PhD. Because predictions of how good something will feel drive whether we do it or not, if something about exercise is offputting this makes it harder to actually do it So if driving to the gym, pool or facility is better than difficult or unpleasant active travel options, it’s no bad…
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By Dr. Francis Quinn, PhD. Have you noticed that when you feel confident in doing something, you feel more motivated, optimistic, and that it gives you pleasure to work on it? In psychology we make a distinction between different kinds of confidence, such as confidence that you are a worthwhile person, and confidence that you…
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By Dr. Francis Quinn, PhD Now we’re in the age of AI, supposedly we won’t need people anymore because AI can/will do everything. As a psychologist who investigates exercise, it got me thinking what personal trainers can still offer when tech can create an exercise plan, help you set goals, monitor how active you are…
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By Dr. Francis Quinn, PhD. The answer is, everything! Exercise is an action we take (preferably consistently!) and every action is triggered by the human brain. The trigger might be something you are aware of, or not. But those triggers originate in the human mind, which is like the software that runs on the brain’s…
Helpful insights from the psychology of exercise, written by a psychologist
