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If you were to ask different people why they exercise, eat well, or engage in an active, healthy lifestyle you would find a wide variety of answers. Some people genuinely enjoy exercising while others detest it. Some people willingly eat foods that are deemed boring or tasteless to others because of there health benefits. What differentiates people in their ability to initiate and adhere to varying lifestyles? 
Photo Credit: © RTimages - Fotolia.com The self-determination theory, SDT, began to take form in the 1970’s as research was being done on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. A continuum was developed to describe how intrinsic or extrinsic one’s motivation is towards certain habits or activities. By understanding the concepts behind SDT and the associated continuum, motivation can be evaluated and a shift towards the intrinsic can begin. This can bring more success to any future endeavor.
The self-determination theory states that individuals have three basic psychological needs. Autonomy is the necessity to engage in activities of ones choosing. Relatedness is the feeling of belonging to some sort of social group. Competence is the desire to be proficient or effective at the chosen activity. Once these desires are met the motivation to succeed at the endeavor of choice should be very high.
Realistically, the level of effort needed to get phenomenal physical results with regards to exercise isn’t that much. The planning necessary to eat healthfully and avoid getting into a processed food rut can be easy to implement. Getting off the couch and enjoying life away from the computer or television can be highly rewarding once you get the motivation to take the first step. The key is generating the motivation to accomplish the task at hand.
Photo Credit: ACSM In order to improve your motivation for doing something, you need to understand where your present level of motivation is and what it is tied to. The SDT continuum is a great reference for making that determination. At the low end of the motivational scale is amotivation. This form of motivation is characterized by a complete unwillingness to perform the activity or behavior. Imagine Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh. An individual’s chance for success is nearly impossible in an amotivated state. Photo Credit: thespoof.com
The next level of the SDT continuum is someone who is motivated by external regulation. Someone with this form of motivation acts because of outside pressure. The pressure may come from family, friends, a doctor, or anyone else that may have some influence over the individual. Even though the person with externally regulated motivation may act, they lack any personal desire to do so. This person may see short term progress and results, but once their internal desires overcome the outside pressure, or the outside pressure is no longer an influence, the effort will wain and the results will cease.
Someone who acts because of some form of internal guilt is motivated by introjected regulation. This person feels guilty that they do not possess the attributes which they desire. An individual may feel guilty that they are not able to play with their kids, so this is what provides the motivation to exercise more. This form of motivation involves negative feelings providing the impetus for action.
Photo Credit: adminexchange.wordpress.com If you are motivated by the potential outcomes of your actions or behaviors you are motivated by identified regulation. In my opinion, this is one of the most common forms of motivation in health and fitness. This is a cause and effect form of motivation. Someone who exercises because they want to lose 10 pounds is motivated by their perception of what the loss of weight will do for their life. Identified regulation is a slightly better form of motivation, but if the outcome begins to feel unattainable or even seemingly too difficult, motivation can be completely lost. Integrated regulation is the form of motivation in which an activity or behavior coincides with other personal values. Someone who values health and well-being is motivated to exercise and eat healthfully. This form of motivation can lead to high levels of success, as long as the person maintains the same values they began with. If for some reason their original values change, the level of motivation towards certain activities and behaviors linked to those values may change.
The form of motivation that leads to the greatest level of success and ultimately the most enjoyment is intrinsic motivation. Someone who is intrinsically motivated performs an activity or behavior based on their inner drive. I exercise because I thoroughly enjoy exercising and therefore I am driven to do so. I do not need any other reason than that. Once you reach this level of motivation anything is possible. Once you determine where you presently are on the continuum you need to decide why that is the case and if it is where you want to be. There are many ways you may be able to move up the continuum. You need to then devise a plan or reevaluate your approach to the behavior or activity at hand. The key is to find the right approach and mindset that will allow you to develop intrinsic motivation.
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