Sticking To It
Have you ever wondered what a personal trainer textbook says about why it’s hard to stick to a physical training program? Okay, so maybe you haven’t actually thought about this. I know I hadn’t until I took the course. From my perspective, I figured my bailing on training programs simply had something to do with all the terrific excuses I’m able to generate in the blink of an eye (see My Journey: ‘Avoidance’ - for more on my excuses :)). But there might be something else at work here and no, it’s not ‘lack of willpower’.
I’m talking about self-efficacy, which is your subjective perception of your own ability to succeed at being physically active. And being subjective and all, it’s really difficult to quantify or measure but it’s worth thinking about if you’ve tried to stick to a physical program in the past and have not succeeded. Examining your self-efficacy beliefs are important because they are believed to influence thought patterns, emotional responses, behavior and motivation as they relate to physical exercise.
Here are some things to consider when evaluating your self-efficacy:
Past performance - your previous experiences with exercise, fitness facilities and personal trainers (positive or negative) is the strongest source of physical exercise self-efficacy information.
Vicarious experience - do you know someone else who has tried a similar exercise program and has (or has not) succeeded with it? This information will correlate positively (or negatively) on your self-efficacy.
Emotional and Physiological state and mood appraisals - how are you ‘thinking about’ the exercise program?…excited, hopeful, energized or dread, afraid, tired…either of these sets of beliefs may be affecting your ability to successfully participate in the exercise program.
Verbal persuasion - getting positive feedback from a respected and/or credible source will increase your self-efficacy.
Imagined experiences - what is your preconceived thoughts (positive or negative) about a physical exercise program. Your thought are mighty powerful. If you’re having negative thoughts about an exercise program, burying them deeper doesn’t make them go away. It just means your brain will be looking for ways to prove you right and give you a way out of the training program. Remember, your brain wants to be right. It will work really hard to show you the exit door from the gym.
The end result is that if you have high self-efficacy in this area, sticking to an exercise program is going to be easier for you than if you have low self-efficacy. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. The best approach if your self-efficacy is low is to start with smaller more easily attainable fitness activities, giving yourself a chance to build your self-efficacy muscles and avoid activities that could lead to setbacks.