From choosing a fitter buddy to bringing your dog to work, here's what recent research has to say about actually getting yourself to exercise.
Work out with someone fitter than you.
In a 2012 study, stationary bikers were told they were "competing" against another biker who had previously biked for longer than they had, and whom they could see via video chat. Actually, the "chat" was just video footage on a loop, but the bikers who were told they were competing still biked for 90% longer than they had when no competition was involved. Takeaway: working out with someone more athletic, even via Skype, might make you push yourself more.
Via: youtube.com
Try exercising outside.
One study found that people who exercised outside were more likely to say they planned to do the same activity again than those who worked out indoors. The study didn't follow up to see if people actually followed through on their intentions, but exercising outside outside has other benefits too — it boosts energy and relieves depression better than working out in the gym.
Source: mycorgi.com
Use exercise video games as a gateway drug.
A review of the literature on "exergames" like Dance Dance Revolution and Wii Fit found that they weren't as good as real-life exercise. But the author of the review said the games could help sedentary people get moving: "For those not engaging in real-life exercise, this may be a good step toward this."
Image by Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images
Thirty minutes might be just as good as an hour.
A group of moderately overweight Danish men who exercised for 30 minutes a day for three months in a recent study actually lost more weight than a group who worked out for 60 minutes. Of course, not everyone exercises for weight loss, but it's worth noting that just a half hour can have an effect on your body. And the study authors speculate that one reason the 30-minute timeframe was effective was that it motivated the men to move around more throughout the day.
Source: Blazej Lyjak / via: shutterstock.com
