No Sweat

MICHELLE L. SEGAR is a behavioral sustainability scientist and Director of the Sport, Health, Activity Research and Policy (SHARP) Center at the University of Michigan. She holds a Ph.D. in Psychology and Master's degrees in Health Behavior and Kinesiology. A sought-after advisor, her expertise has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Elle, Prevention, and other major media.

Contents



List of Figures

Preface

Acknowledgments

A Note to Health Professionals



Chapter 1. It's Not About the Sweat

The Health and Fitness Message Isn't Working

Doing What You Enjoy Is a Better Motivator for Exercising--and It Works

An Individualized Program That Changes Lives

Your MAPS and How to Use Them

It's Your Move

The Takeaways



Part I. Meaning

Chapter 2. Escaping the Vicious Cycle of Failure

What Does Exercise Mean to You?

The Vicious Cycle of Failure

Why We Choose the Wrong Reasons for Exercising

Escaping Your Personal Vicious Cycle of Failure

Do You Just Need More Willpower?

The Takeaways

Chapter 3. Motivation from the Inside Out

Our Past Experience with Exercise Builds Our Meanings

Self-Determination Theory Supports the Benefits of Owning Our Choices

Take Ownership of Your Exercise

Framing Is Everything: The "Work or Fun" Study

The Why: The Foundation of Sustainable Behavior Change

How Our Whys Influence Even How Much We Eat

Muddying the Waters: More Motives Are Not More Motivating

The Takeaways



Part II. Awareness

Chapter 4. Exorcising Exercise

Body Shaping and Weight Loss Whys Guide Us to Work Out in Ways We Don't Like

To Feel or Not to Feel? Feelings Trump Function

High-Intensity Exercise Feels Bad to a Lot of Folks

Ignoring Your Body Undermines Your Goals

How Autonomy Can Change Your Experience

The Relationship Between Enjoying Exercise and Losing and Maintaining Weight

Illuminating Invisible Chains

How to Exorcise Exercise

The Takeaways

Chapter 5. Count Everything and Choose to Move!

What "Counts" Is Different from What You Think

The Misunderstood Ten-Minute Rule

Sitting May Be Bad for Your Health

To Sweat or Not to Sweat?

Moving Away from the Medical Model of Exercise

Everything Counts: A Better Message to Motivate More Movement

Understanding That "Everything Counts" Is a Bridge to Consistency

It All Adds Up

A Treasure Hunt: Discovering Hidden Opportunities to Move

The Takeaways

Chapter 6. From a Chore to a Gift

Reframing: From the Wrong Why to the Right Why

Many Right Whys: Regular Physical Activity Is an Elixir of Life

Why Isn't "To Be Healthy" a Right Why?

Reward Substitution Is a Very Strategic Move

The Successful Cycle of Motivation

Listen to Your Body's Messages and Do What You Like

Wanting and Liking: The Neuroscience of Reward

Men and Women Might Benefit from Different Experiences

"Gift" Yourself with Movement Any and Every Way You Can

Let the Games Begin! Discovering the Gifts of Movement in Your Life

Could Walking Be Your Way?

The Takeaways



Part III. Permission

Chapter 7. Permission to Prioritize Self-Care

Does Your Mindset Have Your Best Interests in Mind?

Caretakeritis Is Not Good for Anyone's Health

Are Your Paying Attention to Your Body's Distress Signals?

Seeing Through the "I Don't Have Time" Smoke Screen

Your Daily Self-Care Needs

Give Yourself Permission to Stop Following Shoulds

Your Brain Can Change, and So Can Your Mindset

Permission Is the Gateway to Prioritizing Your Self-Care

If You're Not Ready, Pretend You Are

The Takeaways

Chapter 8. What Sustains Us, We Sustain

You Are the Energy Center of Your Life

The Amazing Paradox of Self-Care: Giving to Yourself Means Giving More to Others

Alchemy: The Gift of Physical Movement Becomes Essential Fuel for What Matters Most

The Sustainable Cycle of Self-Care

What Sustains Us, We Sustain

Positive Emotions Help Us Build Better Lives

What Do I Need Right Now?

The Conundrum: Which Self-Care Activity Do You Choose?

The Takeaways



Part IV. Strategy

Chapter 9. Six Big Ideas for Lifelong Sustainability

Big Idea #1: Use Learning Goals to Get Intrinsic Motivation, Persistence, and Resilience

Big Idea #2: Begin with the End in Mind

Big Idea #3: Use Sustainable Self-Care as an Essential Strategy for Well-Being

Big Idea #4: Integrate One New Behavior at a Time

Big Idea #5: Strengthen the Core--Build Consistency Before Quantity

Big Idea #6: Bring Your Learning to Life

The Takeaways

Chapter 10. Sustainability Training

Negotiating the Reality of Our Complex and Busy Lives

The Lynchpin of Sustainability: Self-Regulation and Negotiation

Sustainability Training for Life

Become a Skilled Self-Care Negotiator

Make a Self-Care Negotiation Plan

Phase 1. Planning and Previewing

Phase 2. Negotiation in Action

Phase 3. Nonjudgmental Evaluation and Recalibration

The Takeaways



Epilogue: Changing Your Beliefs, Changing Your Behavior, Changing Your Life

Stephanie's Story: MAPS in Real Life

The Learning Process Never Ends

Your Journey Continues

Endnotes

Index

About the Author