The researchers conducted a study involving 536 people with a mix of backgrounds and ages. They wanted to know if enjoying exercise and healthy eating influenced behaviour more than merely following guidelines. Unsurprisingly, they found that people with a positive mindset about these activities tended to engage in them more. Even more intriguing was the discovery that enjoying exercise was a more potent predictor of action than believing in the health benefits.

Conventional approaches often pressure us to exercise through messages emphasising the 'have to' aspect – either to gain health benefits or push our limits. These tactics lead to a significant drop in participation rates. To test a different approach, researchers worked with 149 college students in fitness classes. Half of them learned about the appeal of physical activity, while the others focused on the health benefits. The results were clear: those who were exposed to the appeal-focused approach had better attendance, a more positive view of exercise, and a higher likelihood of enrolling in future fitness classes.

In this study, 140 middle-school students took part in a class focusing on either the health aspects or the enjoyable aspects of healthy eating. The results were eye-opening. The students who learned about the enjoyable aspects had a significantly more positive mindset about healthy eating, consumed more fruits and vegetables, and were more likely to embrace these foods.