A new study published in BMC Public Health reveals that an All-Or-Nothing Exercise mindset can undermine fitness goals. Researchers at the University of Michigan report that this rigid approach often pushes people to abandon workouts when they fall short of strict standards.
The research, led by behavioral scientist Michelle Segar, examines why many people quit exercise programs within weeks despite strong intentions to stay active. About half of people who start a new exercise routine stop within a few months, Segar said.
University Of Michigan Study Links Rigid Standards To Workout Drop-Off
Segar and her colleagues recruited 27 adults ages 19 to 79 who identified themselves as lapsed exercisers. Participants joined focus groups and discussed their experiences, expectations and reasons for quitting.
Researchers did not prompt volunteers about “all-or-nothing” thinking. Yet the pattern surfaced repeatedly.
“People would say things like, ‘I could only work out for 15 minutes, and that doesn’t count,’” Segar said. Others believed exercise had to be intense or painful to be effective.
Segar said many participants held strict beliefs about duration and intensity, often citing 30- or 60-minute workouts as the minimum standard. When they failed to meet those benchmarks, they viewed the effort as meaningless and stopped altogether.
Participants Say Short Or Easy Workouts ‘Don’t Count’
The study is the first to systematically examine how an All-Or-Nothing Exercise mindset influences workout behavior, according to the authors. While this way of thinking has been explored in areas like weight loss and nutrition, it has not been studied as closely in relation to physical activity.
Participants described pushing workouts aside when schedules became crowded. One volunteer said exercise was “an easy thing to push to the side” when routines filled up.
Segar noted that most people were not aware their rigid standards shaped their behavior. “They didn’t say to themselves, ‘Since I can’t run for an hour, I’ll just stay home,’” she explained. “Yet the All-Or-Nothing Exercise mindset still guided their actions.”
The result was often guilt and confusion. Participants said they were baffled by their inability to stick with exercise, even when they valued health and fitness.
Researchers Urge ‘Good Enough’ Approach To Build Lasting Habits
Based on the findings, researchers outlined strategies to counter rigid thinking.
“The biggest is to choose ‘good enough’ over perfect,” Segar said. She pointed to evidence showing that even brief periods of moderate activity, such as walking or climbing stairs, can improve health.
She also urged people not to compare their current fitness with past performance. “A lot of people are prisoners to their exercise past,” Segar said. Accepting present ability levels can reduce discouragement and help maintain consistency.
Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico who was not involved in the study, said the findings highlight psychological barriers linked to All-Or-Nothing Exercise. “These findings represent the initial steps toward addressing the psychological barriers that impede regular physical activity,” he explained.
Researchers acknowledge limitations, including the small sample size and reliance on self-reported experiences from one community. Segar said larger studies are planned later this year.
For now, she said, the message is simple: “Every little bit counts.” Adjusting expectations and allowing flexibility may help more people sustain exercise beyond the first few weeks of a new routine.
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