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Almost half of people give up on their diets due to lack of willpower
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“Seeing results” is the biggest motivator for 27% of people
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18% of people are money motivated
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21% of people stick to diets for less than a week
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Reaching a goal is enough motivation for almost a quarter of people
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15% of people give up because of bad time management
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Nearly half of people think buying new clothes is the best reward
New research by DW Fitness Clubs has revealed that 42% of people give up on their diets due to their own lack of willpower. The nationwide fitness and health club conducted their own survey to discover what truly motivates people to stay on track and what could derail their progress.
According to the research, 21% of people in the UK only manage to stick to their diet for one week before their motivation plummets and they fall off the wagon. Yet it’s not just willpower that impacts our progress, 15% of people claimed that bad time management caused them to cheat on their diets.
While money certainly won’t motivate everyone, it does provide an incentive for 18% of people, DW’s research found. A previous study conducted by Gary Charness in 2009 (a behavioral economist at the University of California at Santa Barbara) found that people who were paid $100 to go to the gym doubled their attendance rate. It seemed that the gym-goer’s motivation increased once they were given a monetary incentive.
With this in mind, DietBet could be the tool to help some people stay on track. It is essentially an online game where you bet against yourself that you will lose weight, and if you win, you get to take home the money you bet, plus a share of the total pot. However if you lose, you lose your money – and who likes to lose money? You can read more about the concept here.
DW’s research also revealed that for almost a quarter of people, achieving a long-term goal is a big enough reason to stay motivated, though many of us will only do something if we know we are getting a reward. 42% of people would choose new clothes as their reward, over food or nights out, while 20% of people would prefer just to have a relaxing day off.
Mark Cumberbatch, Marketing Manager at DW Fitness Clubs, commented on the research: “Everyone struggles with motivation at times, whether you’re a professional athlete or a gym novice. What’s important is that you find something that encourages you to push on. As the research showed, it could be buying yourself some new clothes, or even betting some money on your weight loss. Whatever it is, make sure it helps you to achieve your goal.”
You can read about the research in more detail here.