Untangling mindfulness and workout motivation

One of my favorite rabbit-hole topics is mindfulness – especially its impact on health and fitness.

One recent study looked at its power on motivation specifically:

In this 2024 study, 1,247 subjects (from 91 countries) were divided into two groups: A mindfulness group (who did meditations that focused on body scans, intention setting, self-reflection and deep breathing). And a control group (who listened to Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland).

Each group took part in their session digitally for 10 minutes a day over the course of 30 days.

The result:

Both groups had greater improvements in anxiety and overall wellbeing.

But the mindfulness group demonstrated significantly greater levels of interest in health improvement. Meaning: higher motivation for improving sleep habits, exercise and building health habits.

(Even two months after the study, many people from the mindfulness group reported they were still on course with making heath improvements.)

Researchers believe it has to do with mindfulness’s impact on controlling thoughts, emotions and behavior. According to lead researcher Dr. Masha Remskar:

“This finding may represent the way that mindfulness can cause a gradual shift from external motivation to intrinsic, or internal motivation”

This shift from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation is one of the most powerful psychologically but cracking this code is no easy feat.

However, this along with other research shows mindfulness may be the spark for it.

So how do you become more mindful in your fitness?

Here are a few tips that have helped with my own personal workouts:

1. Remove the distractions (phone, TV, and possibly even music too)

2. Continual refocus on the present moment (the dumbbells you are lifting… the biceps you are working… the squats you are doing… the surroundings and experience around you).

#2 is simple but not easy. Sometimes our mind is scattered, distracted and pulling us in a million directions.

But it’s worth it to keep coming back to the present moment.

(In fact, some say that challenge is what builds those “mental muscles”)

Not only does it become more automatic with time but you’ll find a new level of experience with exercise and physical activity that isn’t possible when you are just “going thru the motions”… mentally somewhere else… or trying to get it done with.

For more ways to transform your experience (and results) with health and fitness, check out:

Mind-Body Breakthroughs

Kelan Ern
Fitness Coach