Why your plans to workout go wrong

Many people struggle to stick to their exercise plans due to an “all-or-nothing” mindset, where they abandon their plan altogether rather than modifying it.
Research by Michelle Segar and her colleagues identified four components of this all-or-nothing thinking: rigid idealized criteria for exercising, seeking excuses for not exercising, believing exercise is expendable compared to daily priorities, and being baffled about why they can’t stick with exercise.
The all-or-nothing mindset creates high costs for exercising, making it a low-value choice when the immediate costs feel bigger than the benefits, leading people to opt out of their plans.
Segar suggests three shifts in thinking to overcome this mindset: don’t blame yourself for not sticking with exercise, choose “good enough” over perfect, and don’t be a prisoner to your exercise past by acknowledging negative experiences and moving forward in more positive ways.
The study aims to better understand how all-or-nothing thinking thwarts exercise among people who keep trying but find it challenging to sustain, providing a first step towards developing strategies to overcome this common obstacle.

A jumprope and a kettlebell weight sit on a gym floor.

You know you should exercise, but you make a solid plan to do it… and then, in the decisive moment, you opt out. Why do many people choose to forgo their planned daily exercise again and again?

University of Michigan behavioral scientist Michelle Segar suggests this all-or-nothing thinking is caused by a deeply embedded mindset that leads many people to abandon their exercise plans.

While all-or-nothing thinking has been studied in relation to eating and weight, this is the first in-depth research to investigate this phenomenon with exercise, Segar says. She and her colleagues Jen Taber, John Updegraff, and Alexis McGhee-Dinvaut, all of Kent State University, conducted four focus groups among 27 adults—ages 19 to 79—who tried to exercise but couldn’t stick with it.

“Exercise-related all-or-nothing thinking occurs when a specific exercise plan becomes unworkable,” Segar says.

“At this moment, when people cannot perfectly adhere to their plan (the ‘all’), they choose not to exercise at all rather than modify the plan.”

The study in BMC Public Health uncovered four components that collectively make up an “all-or-nothing” mindset. Study participants:

Had rigid idealized criteria for exercising: For most participants, their “all” constituted rigid standards that had to be met to exercise “right”: “If I do something for under 15 minutes, I feel like I didn’t even exercise. Even if it had been dead-out sprints, it just doesn’t factor into my head like I did anything.”
Sought excuses for not exercising: This component reflects participants actively trying to avoid their intended exercise. They said that exercising in the right way took a lot of effort, citing “it’s hard,” “it hurts,” and “it doesn’t feel good to do.”
Believed exercise was expendable compared to their daily priorities: Participants said things like: “When your routine ends up getting crowded and crowded with the things that have to be done or should be done, (exercising) is an easy thing to push to the side.”
Were baffled about why they could not stick with exercise: Participants were unable to reconcile their current inactivity given that they could also recall having had previous positive experiences exercising: “I don’t understand why I don’t exercise… I’m an educated woman… Why can’t I even make a dent in it?”

“The all-or-nothing mindset creates high costs for exercising,” Segar says.

“Most people are tired and overwhelmed, so in the moment of decision, the immediate costs of exercising feel much bigger than the benefits, making it a low-value choice. This makes doing ‘nothing’ a prudent choice and desirable exit strategy. Decisions to not exercise are often made outside of awareness—so people are likely unaware that choosing to forgo their exercise plans could be related to having an all-or-nothing mindset.”

The study is a first step toward better understanding how all-or-nothing thinking thwarts exercise among people who keep trying to exercise but find it challenging to sustain, Segar says. For those who feel all-or-nothing thinking is getting in their way, she suggested three shifts in thinking:

Don’t blame yourself for not sticking with exercise: Our culture has taught an exercise formula that sets most people up to fail.
Choose “good enough” over “perfect”: Nothing has to be perfect, including exercise.
Don’t be a prisoner to your exercise past: Know that negative exercise experiences in your past can demotivate you now. Acknowledge that fact, then move forward in more positive and realistic ways.

Source: University of Michigan

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Q. Why do people often choose to abandon their exercise plans despite having made solid plans?

A. According to Michelle Segar, a behavioral scientist at the University of Michigan, this is due to an “all-or-nothing” mindset that leads people to abandon their exercise plans.

Q. What is all-or-nothing thinking in relation to exercise?

A. All-or-nothing thinking occurs when a specific exercise plan becomes unworkable, and instead of modifying the plan, people choose not to exercise at all.

Q. What are the four components of an “all-or-nothing” mindset that were identified in the study?

A. The four components include: rigid idealized criteria for exercising, seeking excuses for not exercising, believing exercise is expendable compared to daily priorities, and being baffled about why they can’t stick with exercise.

Q. Why do people often choose to forgo their exercise plans despite having made solid plans?

A. According to Segar, the immediate costs of exercising feel much bigger than the benefits in the moment of decision, making it a low-value choice.

Q. What is the main finding of the study on all-or-nothing thinking and exercise?

A. The study found that an “all-or-nothing” mindset creates high costs for exercising and can lead to people abandoning their exercise plans despite having made solid plans.

Q. How does Segar suggest people overcome their “all-or-nothing” mindset when it comes to exercise?

A. Segar suggests three shifts in thinking: don’t blame yourself for not sticking with exercise, choose “good enough” over “perfect”, and don’t be a prisoner to your exercise past.

Q. What is the relationship between all-or-nothing thinking and previous positive experiences with exercise?

A. According to the study, participants were unable to reconcile their current inactivity despite recalling having had previous positive experiences exercising.

Q. Why do people often struggle to stick with exercise despite making solid plans?

A. People often struggle because they are tired and overwhelmed, and the immediate costs of exercising feel much bigger than the benefits in the moment of decision.

Q. What is the significance of this study on all-or-nothing thinking and exercise?

A. The study is a first step toward better understanding how all-or-nothing thinking thwarts exercise among people who keep trying to exercise but find it challenging to sustain.

Q. How can people overcome their “all-or-nothing” mindset when it comes to exercise?

A. Segar suggests that people need to shift their thinking from perfectionism and self-blame to a more realistic and flexible approach to exercise, such as choosing “good enough” over “perfect”.