Keep Moving

An article in the November 26, 2017 edition of the New York Times titled “Stepping Backward” highlighted a study conducted by psychologists at Brunel University, London and the University of Birmingham. In this particular study, 100 healthy boys and girls ages 13 and 14 were employed. Apparently, these subjects were socioeconomically represented and incorporated a broad cross-section of adolescents. These young students filled out questionnaires about how they felt about their exercise and their fitness. Every subject was given an activity monitor as part of the program. The goal was 10,000 steps each day. These results were recorded on a “leaderboard” that highlighted the most and least active in the group. After two months, the students completed more questionnaires and participated in focus group discussions. The student’s interest seemed to diminish after about a month or so. They started complaining about the monitors and reported that it made them feel lazy if they didn’t manage the 10,000 steps each day. Many said they considered themselves more physically inept than they had before the start of the study. A fairly large percentage of the students reported that they felt less motivated to be active now than before getting the monitor. According to one of the psychologists “You can’t just give a child a fit bit for Christmas and expect him to be active.” This study was not about the monitor, but about physical activity. Linda just mentioned to me after her walk “I hate walking, it’s not fun even with the distraction of music.” Physical activity can be boring and difficult regardless of age. Psychologically, physical activity can be enjoying depending upon the meaning for that individual. Then, if one has a high need for achievement, that individual can find a sport in which physical activity plays an important part in its success. Or, if one has a high need for affiliation then one can find a physical activity that has to do with a partner or partners. Remember, Hamlet “there’s nothing either good or bad, but thinking, makes it so.” Recently, Thom Darden told me that he bought his mother, a gym membership because he was concerned about her lack of physical activity. He then accompanied her to the gym. When he returned home, he found out that she was no longer attending the gym. Like those teenagers having a gym membership or a fit bit does not translate into physical activity. Physical activity works best when it is incorporated and is a significant part of one’s psychological makeup {history, need structure, intrinsic, pleasure, fear of failure etc.}, gives or provides immediate and concrete benefits or results [not because it is necessarily good for you or would likely increase one’s lifespan etc.], and is in the here and now. In conclusion, “life is like riding a bicycle: to keep balance ,you must keep moving.” Albert Einstein