Contents
A NOTE TO HEALTH AND WELLNESS 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
CHAPTER 2. Escaping the Vicious Cycle of Failure
What Does Exercise Mean to You?
Why We Choose the Wrong Reasons for Exercising
Escaping Your Personal Vicious Cycle of Failure
Do You Just Need More Willpower?
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
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
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
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
A Treasure Hunt: Discovering Hidden Opportunities to Move
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
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 You Paying Attention to Your Body’s Distress Signals?
Seeing Through the “I Don’t Have Time” Smoke Screen
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
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
Positive Emotions Help Us Build Better Lives
The Conundrum: Which Self-Care Activity Do You Choose?
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
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
EPILOGUE: Changing Your Beliefs, Changing Your Behavior, Changing Your Life
Stephanie’s Story: MAPS in Real Life
The Learning Process Never Ends
FREE SAMPLE CHAPTER FROM STRESS LESS. ACHIEVE MORE. BY AIMEE BERNSTEIN