Sustain‐ergize America: Building Behaviors To Last A Lifetime

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Dr. Michelle Segar, a University of Michigan researcher recently profiled in The New York Times, is on a campaign to “SUSTAIN‐ERGIZE America,” by revolutionizing how Americans think about their health and physical fitness. In fact, new research shows that promoting “health” may undermine sustainable motivation, and ironically, health behavior.

Through evidenced‐based research, Dr. Segar is creating a movement to “SUSTAIN‐ERGIZE America,” by revolutionizing how American’s think about their health and physical fitness. Segar is on a mission to change how people think about exercise, especially their reasons for doing it. That change comes from transforming physical movement from a bitter “exercise” pill, to a daily energizer that Americans want to sustain. “What sustains us, we sustain,” says Segar.   She wants to teach people that moving their bodies brings instant rewards, like increased energy, improved mood, and decreased stress, things that help us feel happier and contribute to performing and enjoying our most cherished roles and responsibilities.  

“By rebranding physical movement as an elixir of life,” Segar says, “we will give those who are sedentary or not actively engaged in exercise, a more compelling reason to give regular physical activity another chance, making Americans healthier, improving the workforce, and once and for all breaking the cycle that has led to an obese nation.” “Physical movement cannot be about weight loss, getting in shape, or even better health. That doesn’t work, especially for working women. Instead, we must rethink why we move our bodies so it can become and remain a top priority.” 

The idea for rebranding exercise emerged from research in which women reported exercising for health, healthy aging, and quality of life. They equally valued these three reasons for exercising, compared with their other life goals. Yet after following these study participants for one year, researchers discovered that the women who exercised for quality of life (to enhance how they experienced their day) participated in more exercise than those who exercised for health-related reasons.  “And that highlights the key problem with how we are promoting physical movement and how people think about it, because it’s very easy to say that we care about our health. But what we value is often very different than what we prioritize in our busy lives,” Segar says. “If your reason for physical movement is for some future health benefit that isn’t relevant today, it’s not very compelling to fit in.”  

People have been told to exercise “in doses” and in one-size-fits-all ways that many experience as punishing. “Prescribing exercise as if it were medicine, works as well as telling your kids to eat their veggies because they are good for them. That approach doesn’t build behaviors that last a lifetime.”  Because people have not been taught to move their bodies in ways that feel good to them, most don’t even realize that movement can feel good to do or notice that it causes a surge in energy and mental clarity. “All people have to do is just start moving, and walking is one of the easiest and best ways to energize our daily lives,” says Segar.  “Another goal of SUSTAIN-ERGIZE America is to give people permission to move in ways that feel good to them.” Research shows that having positive experiences while being physically active is one of the best drivers of long-term participation.

Segar asserts that, “Once people are re-educated to focus on the immediate, positive impact that physical movement has on their mood, energy, and stress levels, its high value to our daily lives becomes evident and very motivating.” “When we are less stressed and have more energy we become more patient parents, loving partners, and enjoy our work more,” Segar says.  “The time spent moving is really an investment in the rest of our days and nights. SUSTAIN-ERGIZE America educates people that physical movement is an easy way to energize our daily lives and invest in what matters most to us, something that will better motivate Americans to sustain physically active lives.” 

Segar suggests people can immediately implement and spread these simple ideas:

• Exercise and health behavior professionals and clinicians can easily reframe physical movement in this way when they are talking to their patients or clients (Giving a different message doesn’t take more time.)
• Employers, health care organizations, and other types of health promoters can replace prescriptive marketing messages that emphasize health and weight with content that advocates individuals move in ways that feel good to them and keep moving as “an easy way they can energize their days and better enjoy everything they do.”
• Individuals are encouraged to give this new idea a try.  Experiment with the idea that “you can move in any way YOU want” as a way to feel good. She suggests that people just step outside (or stay inside) and walk. Moving with others like friends, families, and colleagues adds a social and fun element that many enjoy.  Segar says “It is important to start noticing how moving our bodies feels when we move in ways that feel positive to us and our purpose for movement is to energize us and fuel the rest of our day.” She says it can also be helpful to describe and discuss with family and friends any new insights gained from SUSTAIN-ERGIZING.

Segar is available for media interviews to discuss how she is working to "Sustain‐ergize America ‐ Building Behaviors To Last A Lifetime," and what others can do to feel better about themselves and sustain a high level of physical activity.