Another feature that helped improve exercise habits was what Milkman refers to as "temptation bundling." Allowing people to do something they enjoy only while working out, such as watching a show or listening to a favorite song or audiobook, is one example.
The majority of the top-performing interventions were things that many people could do on their own, implying that the study produced realistic tips that almost anyone could use to start an exercise habit.
"Make a strategy. Configure calendar reminders on your phone or computer. "Like we did with text reminders, link exercise with a temptation and figure out ways to avoid missing two in a row," Milkman said. "Don't stop there. When we removed the support structures, people only kept about 30% of their habits."
Previous research, according to Mark Beauchamp, a professor of exercise and health psychology at the University of British Columbia, has highlighted the important role social structures play in people's ability to stick with behavior changes.
"Exercise is a very complex behavior, and inexpensive nudge-type interventions that provide marginal behavior shifts can have significant impacts," says the study's lead author "Beauchamp, who was not involved in the new study, said "But it isn't just about starting a habit. It's about perseverance, and social structures can help with that. People are more likely to engage in long-term exercise when they feel socially connected to it."
'Everyone is doing it,' says one.
One of the successful interventions included a feature informing users that more Americans are exercising than ever before and that getting in shape is a growing trend.
"Just saying 'everyone is doing it, and they are doing it even more than they used to' had a huge impact," Milkman said. "This type of intervention affects different aspects of psychology than the basic program of planning, reminder, and reward."
According to Lachman of Brandeis, it is also important for people starting an exercise routine from scratch to start with small, manageable goals and build on them.
"It's rewarding to set goals and then meet them," she said. "However, if you set goals that are too difficult to achieve right away, you will only feel bad and disappointed."
She went on to say that exercise should be something you enjoy doing: "If you don't like it, you won't do it."
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