Preface

I live in ann Arbor, Michigan, with my husband and seven-year-old son in a house we chose because it was close enough to town that we could do errands and get to work on foot or bike. Yes, I’m in good physical condition, but I am not one of those people who spends every morning at the gym or goes around spouting platitudes like “No pain, no gain.” In fact, growing up I was always a little awkward, a little shy, and not the girl who was picked first (or second or third) for most team sports.

Then, when I entered puberty, my self-esteem plummeted. One day after school, when I was at odds with myself and the world, I decided to put on my sneakers and jog around the neighborhood. I was probably out for only about fifteen minutes, but the effect on my mood was profound. At that moment something within me clicked. From then on I understood that when I was feeling low, getting outdoors and moving would help.

Did I go on to become an elite runner? No. Although I’ve always enjoyed running, I really love to walk. I rely on walking not only to nourish my body but also to clear my mind.

I did, however, decide to spend my professional life studying what motivates people to get off the couch and go out running, walking, or engaging in whatever sort of physical activity they prefer or want to do in the moment so they stick with it through life. My interdisciplinary research challenges the status quo within the health promotion and healthcare industries by showing that logical rewards like “health” and “weight loss” do not motivate people to sustain health-related behavior as well as immediate and emotional rewards such as “well-being.” These findings have propelled me to create game-changing wellness systems, protocols, and messages that motivate individuals to prioritize and sustain physically active lives and other positive health behaviors.

These provocative ideas have gained the attention of both the media and influential members of the health field. I am widely quoted in the media and consulted as an expert by major publications like the New York Times and government agencies like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. My evidence-based ideas have generated accolades from such prestigious organizations as the Society of Behavioral Medicine, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, and the North American Menopause Society, among many others.

I am passionately devoted to the science of motivation. I chose to get my doctorate in the Personality area of the Psychology Department at the University of Michigan because this is where the field of motivation originated. I was eager to develop a deep understanding of how to create sustainable motivation, goal pursuit, and behavior, and I learned many important things during this time.

But one particular thing I learned grabbed onto me and wouldn’t let me go: Despite the pioneering findings showing that motivation is inextricably connected to our personality and to the “self,” in today’s typical conversations about promoting healthy lifestyles and self-care behaviors, professionals rarely talk about the self. Yet the secret to achieving sustainable self-perpetual behavior change lies precisely in understanding how to create goals, motivation, and behavior that reflect what is most aligned with and meaningful to our sense of self.

I love my work, and I love helping others learn how they can use natural, human movement to get happy, stay healthy, and become energized for a lifetime. Some of my clients were gracious enough to allow me to share their stories and comments in this book. I have done so gratefully, changing their names in all cases. Some stories are composites, but the details are true to experience. My clients are also my teachers. I learn something new from them every day, and I am delighted to share this with you.

There is a mountain of information out there about health and fitness, but most of it is just not working for people. I wrote this book to help you understand the science-based reasons why it’s not your fault that you’ve failed to stick with exercise and other health-related behaviors, as well as to give you a new, simple framework for sustainable success. Opportunities to move and enjoy physical movement are, quite literally, everywhere. I hope that the information and practical approaches in this book will enable you to find them, choose them, enjoy them, and use them to energize your life for a lifetime.