The Washington PostThe Washington Post

Feel like a slug? You may have the wrong exercise mind-set

By Gretchen Reynolds

22 Mar 2023 · 4 min read

Editor's Note

The Post reports on recent research which found that thinking that you are "failing" at exercise is bad for your health. This article gives some useful advice on how you can create a better mind-set.

Many of us worry that we don’t get enough exercise. But the mere belief that we aren’t moving enough can have negative consequences for our health, according to emerging science about how our mind-set affects our bodies.

A fascinating new study of mindsets and exercise, though, shows that learning how much we actually move by tracking our steps could help us start thinking of ourselves as active people, which can pay health dividends, even if we don’t start exercising more.

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