Why Fun Workouts Help Banish Your Belly Rolls Faster
Can’t seem to get the scale to budge no matter how long you work out? The key to breaking through a weight-loss plateau isn’t spending more time in the gym—it’s having more fun while you’re there. A new study from the journal of Marketing Letters found that a simple shift in perspective about exercise can influence what you eat after you work out, and whether you eventually drop the pounds.
The researchers conducted a series of experiments for the study. In one, the researchers waited at the finish line of a marathon. When runners crossed, they were asked if they enjoyed their race experience, and were offered a chocolate bar or a healthier cereal bar. The entrants who said their race had been difficult and disappointing were more likely to choose the chocolate, while the runners who said they had fun picked the cereal bar.
Although the researchers aren’t exactly sure how our feelings about exercise influence our food choices physiologically, these new findings show that most people require a reward for breaking a sweat. If you enjoy the activity, you count that as a reward. If you didn’t enjoy it, however, that’s when you find yourself reaching for the fries or ice cream. Say goodbye to all your hard work.
“The key lies in your mood,” says lead author Carolina Werle, associate professor of marketing at Genoble Ecole De Management in Grenoble, France. So pick an activity you actually enjoy, such as playing basketball, running another 5K, doing a bootcamp class with a friend, or hiking. According to Werle, it comes down to how you frame your workout. Focus on what’s fun about it—listening to your favorite music, how great you felt during the final stretch of your race—instead of how tough it is.
If you’re looking for a new, fun workout, try chaos training from the Men’s Health 60-Day Transformation. You’ll have to react quickly to switch directions and exercises on command. You’ll work hard and fast, but you’ll have a blast while doing it. Watch the video below for a sample of the workout.
