一项由阿尔伯塔大学的运动研究者 Fernanda Arthuso 领导的科学研究，针对如何帮助人们有效养成并长期坚持运动习惯，提出了四项核心策略。研究发现，单纯的信息灌输难以改变行为，而真正让运动融入生活，关键在于让个体“喜欢”自己的运动方式，并建立对运动计划的“掌控感”。具体而言，这包括明确运动的个人目标和益处，确保运动过程的乐趣，制定详尽且可调整的运动计划，以及寻求来自家人、朋友或病友的“社会支持”。研究通过对结肠癌患者的长期跟踪验证了这些方法的有效性，即使在面对治疗带来的疲劳和疼痛等挑战时，患者也能通过个性化调整和持续支持，成功将运动转化为持久的生活方式。

🎯 **明确个人目标与益处**：让运动与个人生活目标紧密关联，例如帮助癌症患者理解运动如何辅助治疗、缓解症状，从而建立起运动的内在驱动力，理解“为何而练”是坚持的第一步。

🥳 **发掘运动的乐趣**：运动习惯的养成并非强制，而是要找到真正享受的运动形式，无论是散步、游泳、瑜伽还是其他活动。确保运动过程的愉悦感是实现长期坚持的关键，即使是高强度的运动也应能带来积极的感受。

📅 **建立对计划的掌控感**：制定具体、可行的运动计划，包括明确的运动时间、频率和强度，并预见可能遇到的挑战。研究强调，拥有对运动计划的控制权，以及在面对困难时能灵活调整，是巩固习惯的重要因素。

🤝 **寻求社会支持**：来自家人、朋友或社群的支持是行为改变的重要推力。与他人一同运动或获得鼓励，能够显著提升坚持运动的意愿和成功率，形成积极的社交互动，共同面对运动过程中的起伏。

Exercise researchers have figured out a winning formula for sticking to a new routine.Actually liking the workouts you pick really helps.Building a sense of consistent control over your own workout plan is also important.

It's really hard to stick to an exercise routine — even when we really want to. Only about a third of paying gym members actually work out on a regular basis, as survey after survey shows.

If that resonates, don't fear: a team of scientists have identified a few simple strategies that you can use to make your exercise program a habit.

"We found that information alone won't change the behavior," Fernanda Arthuso, an exercise researcher at the University of Alberta, told Business Insider. "Support is important."

Arthuso was part of a group that recently stunned colon cancer researchers around the world, when they showed that a sustained exercise program could be just as good for recurring colon cancer as extra rounds of chemo.

They designed exercise programs that most patients actually adhered to for three full years of the study — nearly doubling the patients' initial activity levels. Many of the people in the study even continued exercising after the study finished, building lasting routines that are ongoing indefinitely, she said.

What made the difference were four key rules designed to promote behavior change that Arthuso used with her patients. These can be powerful levers for anyone who wants to develop a new exercise routine, she said.

1. Define what you're getting out of it

Get personal about why exercise helps you achieve your goals.

Arthuso worked with about 10 colon cancer patients for three years each, educating them about how exercise can actually improve cancer treatment. Done carefully, it can even help reduce symptoms like tingling neuropathy in hands and feet.

This "helped them to understand why it mattered," she said, laying the foundation for their work.

2. Make it fun — really fun

In order for a workout program to be sustainable in the long run, it must be enjoyable, Arthuso said. Working with her patients, she focused on finding "something that they enjoy — really enjoy doing."

"It can be anything, swimming, walking, hiking, cycling, whatever they like," she said.

In most cases, what the patients enjoyed most was a vigorous walking program — 40 to 60 minutes of brisk walking, about five times per week. Some did it on their treadmill while watching TV. Others woke up early and drove to the mall, so they wouldn't have to walk outside in the cold Albertan winters.

3. Develop a sense of control over your program

Scheduling is key.

"Plan ahead and have a detailed plan," Arthuso said. Make your goals challenging, and get really specific about how you're going to achieve them.

"We define what days of the week they will plan to exercise, what time of the day, how often."

They even discussed the planned intensity of each workout: would the patient be breathing heavily, or would they be able to carry a conversation with a friend during this session? Patients kept a workout log, and would bring it to their check-ins.

"We ask every session: how did the past two weeks go? Were there any challenges that you faced? Did you achieve your goals? And then we would discuss those barriers that they face and make any adjustments."

There were plenty of hurdles that came up along the way. One patient went on a cross-country road trip all the way from Canada to Texas and had to plan ahead to find hikes. In every program, wherever the patients were, there were fumbles, and skipped sessions. Arthuso says working through those issues and the imperfections of starting something new is part of what actually helps cement enduring success.

"When we are increasing or maintaining physical activity levels, I don't think it's a straight upward path," she said. "There are natural ups and downs and life events can affect the consistency. But when we acknowledge this and help the patients to navigate them — this was a key component of the program."

Being cancer patients, the participants also had many extra challenges to deal with, like major fatigue from their treatments, and pain.

Arthuso designed programs that fit these issues, with "lower intensity activities, shorter bouts of movement, or scheduling the exercise during times of the day when they notice that the energy levels are the highest."

4. Talk to people about your workout

The winning final ingredient in any successful behavior change is the people.

Patients found lasting success in their exercise routine when they were "supported by important people in their lives," Arthuso said.

She identified a social support strategy for each patient, whether the support came from doctors, friends, or even fellow patients going through colon cancer treatment.

Some patients invited friends or spouses to walk with them. The key was "they were receiving encouragement and they were consistently supported throughout the three year intervention," she said.

"I believe that what made the difference was this combination of the personal relevance, enjoyable and tailored activity, the consistent support and a clear and actionable plan."