To successfully resume exercise and maintain long-term motivation, it is advisable to adopt a progressive and structured approach: define a precise goal, schedule sessions according to your lifestyle, progress gradually, balance your plate simply without counting macros, and be patient.

noli's read

This pragmatic approach is remarkably aligned with research in sports psychology and nutrition. Regarding precise goals, a meta-analysis published by Healy et al. (2024) confirms that setting specific goals has a major positive impact on increasing physical activity in inactive adults. For planning and progression, systematic reviews on behavior change (such as that of McEwan et al., 2016) underscore that seamless integration into one's lifestyle and gradual progression are crucial for maintaining long-term adherence. In terms of nutrition, a 6-month randomized controlled trial (RCT) synthesized by Examine (2022) demonstrates that a simplified approach to eating is just as effective for physical fitness and significantly more sustainable than obsessively tracking calories or macros. Finally, the required patience is explained by the science of behavioral change (observational studies), which shows that anchoring a new ritual requires an average of several months, not a few days. Nothing here is exaggerated; this common-sense advice reflects an excellent approach to health and wellness, which is widely validated by research.

the sources

1. 1Gabbett TJ 2016
2. 2Carey DL, Blanch P, Ong KL, Crossley KM, Crow J, Morris ME 2016
3. 3Gollwitzer PM, Sheeran P 2006