Love running. Love cupcakes. But the two, in my life, have no relationship whatsoever to one another.
I run for fitness and for the joy of movement.
I eat cupcakes because they taste amazing.
Turns out my motivation for exercise–it makes me feel great–is a much better, more effective motivation than long term health or weight loss.
See Rethinking Exercise as a Source of Immediate Rewards in the New York Times.
“Dr. Segar, a psychologist who specializes in helping people adopt and maintain regular exercise habits, is the author of “No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness.” Her research has shown that even people who say they hate to exercise or have repeatedly fallen off the exercise wagon can learn to enjoy it and stick with it.
Though it seems counterintuitive, studies have shownthat people whose goals are weight loss and better health tend to spend the least amount of time exercising. That is true even for older adults, a study of 335 men and women ages 60 to 95 showed.
Rather, immediate rewards that enhance daily life — more energy, a better mood, less stress and more opportunity to connect with friends and family — offer far more motivation, Dr. Segar and others have found.”
So get out there because it makes you happy, run because you’ll feel less stressed after, and set your health and fitness goals on the back burner.
And if you want to, eat a cupcake, because cupcakes taste great!
Here’s some vegan cupcakes from the Boombox Bakery that I brought to a party at Nat’s house last week.
