The Wall Street Journal published an interesting article earlier in the year investigating if some of us are genetically wired to hate exercise. The article looked at both physiological and psychological factors that affect our feelings about exercise.
This article reminded me of a New York Times article, titled “The Fat Trap.” Both of these articles concluded that there are genetic factors that make both exercising and being of normal weight more difficult. People read these articles and quickly jump to the conclusion that they don’t have to exercise or watch what they eat because it’s no use, their genetics are never going to allow them to be successful.
This is wrong. The fact that some of us are wired to dislike exercise is not permission to abandon all efforts. It is a reminder that some of us, due to uncontrollable factors, have to work harder to keep up with a regular exercise routine.
So, why do some people naturally hate exercise? Let’s take a look:
First let’s talk about genetics. A study done at Iowa State shows that how people interpret their body sensations during and after exercise plays a large role in whether they enjoy it or not. Some people are “wired” to enjoy the feeling of muscle soreness, sweating and being physically challenged, while some brains interpret these same sensations as terrible, even dangerous. Your body naturally tries to get you to avoid things it thinks are dangerous or bring you pain, therefore you are not motivated to produce those body sensations again.
Also, everyone has a genetic level relating to how much stress their body can take. There are many genetic factors that make this up, such as lung capacity, your oxygen transport system and your ventilatory or anaerobic threshold. It’s best to think of your maximum ability in these areas as your “genetic box.” What this means is that not all of us, no matter how much exercise or training, can ascend to be an Olympic champion. We have limits, but that doesn’t mean we should not challenge them.
What happens in the body when you reach your physiological limits for doing exercise is that you will start to build up acid in your muscles and feel discomfort. This feeling is what drives people to stop exercising. For some people who are very de-conditioned, this may come with doing the dishes, for others, it may come with running a seven-minute mile.
Since the overwhelming majority of people do not like the feeling of discomfort that comes with overexerting themselves, it is important to make sure you exercise at a pace just below the level that starts producing muscular pain and discomfort.
An important fact to know is that people who continually push themselves to the point of discomfort lose motivation faster. If you want to bring consistent exercise into your life, then working out at the proper intensity and building up slowly is key.
There are also cognitive “tricks” that can help you overcome hating exercise. Research showed that people who viewed scenes of green trees while cycling were happier with their workout than those who viewed black-and-white images. The environment in which we exercise can both change our attitude about our workout and help us do more than we normally would.So, you may have some genetic pre-disposition to hate exercise, but you still have to find a way to do it. Use science, both physiological and psychological, to help you develop a successful program in spite of your genetic limits.