How can you ensure you get the most out of your workout, while also increasing the likelihood you go back the next day? Easy. Think about how awesome you're going to feel after. It's called "Post-Exercise Affective Expectation," but it's a lot easier than it sounds.
This is one of the easiest skills to implement, but can help you build towards long-term behavior change. This is based on Helfer, Elhai, & Geers' 2015 article titled, "Affect and Exercise: Positive affective expectations can increase post-exercise mood and exercise intentions."
The trick is this: before you exercise, think about how awesome you will feel afterwards. Think about the increased confidence, decreased anxiety, and feelings of accomplishment.
This simple action will actually help increase the likelihood that you experience those positive outcomes from your exercise. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Remember how great you feel. Really experience all the positive effects of exercise. Think about those feelings before you exercise next time. That will then feed in to your expectations for the next session, building on itself. Thus the "upward spiral."
You can even tailor this to your specific workout. Going for a personal record? Think about how it felt the last time you were able to achieve a goal like that. Feeling too tired to exercise? Think about how much energy you'll have after you get done.
Pay attention to every sensation-- the memory will be the fuel you need to get off the couch for the next workout.
The trick is this: before you exercise, think about how awesome you will feel afterwards. Think about the increased confidence, decreased anxiety, and feelings of accomplishment.
This simple action will actually help increase the likelihood that you experience those positive outcomes from your exercise. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Remember how great you feel. Really experience all the positive effects of exercise. Think about those feelings before you exercise next time. That will then feed in to your expectations for the next session, building on itself. Thus the "upward spiral."
You can even tailor this to your specific workout. Going for a personal record? Think about how it felt the last time you were able to achieve a goal like that. Feeling too tired to exercise? Think about how much energy you'll have after you get done.
Pay attention to every sensation-- the memory will be the fuel you need to get off the couch for the next workout.
Helfer, S. G., Elhai, J. D., & Geers, A. L. (2014). Affect and Exercise: Positive Affective Expectations Can Increase Post-Exercise Mood and Exercise Intentions. Annals of Behavioral Medicine Ann. Behav. Med., 49(2), 269-279. doi:10.1007/s12160-014-9656-1