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“However, no group is immune; dislike for exercise can cross all age, gender, and background categories depending on unique life circumstances, health, and beliefs,” says Singh, and this can directly impact how motivated a person is to undertake it.
Another factor commonly reported, says Singh, is a failure “to obtain pleasurable sensations from physical activity,” which, according to peer-reviewed and population-based literature, sits at about 25 per cent in Australia.
This “strongly predicts non-adherence or dropout rates,” he says. Fava says it was a contributing factor to her lack of motivation to exercise.
“I never seemed to experience those magical endorphins that sporty people rave about,” she says.
But in February 2023, this changed when she was introduced to pickleball by one of her friends.
“My friend described it as a mix between tennis, badminton, and table tennis, a new sport taking Australia by storm, and insisted that anyone could play, even me. After a year of her persuasion, I finally gave in and gave it a try,” she explains.
Stella Fava has become a convert to the pleasures of exercise since taking up pickleball.Credit: Sam Mooy
Fava says she picked up the sport quickly and that this, along with its low impact and “short and fun” game times, played a significant role in her motivation to continue.
“For the first time, I felt that rush, that elation, people talk about when they exercise. As I got a little better, I even started feeling competitive and wanted to improve,” she says. “That was when my whole attitude towards exercise began to shift.”
How do you get motivated for exercise?
Dr Gregore Iven Mielke, senior research fellow at the University of Queensland, says one effective strategy to increase exercise motivation is to “make it social” and use it as a way to catch up with friends, family, or your community. Another approach to improve motivation is to give exercise purpose by integrating it into your day.
“Some people prefer to use active transportation like cycling or walking to and from work, so ‘they are done’ with exercise after work …[or] they schedule it like a meeting, so you create a commitment and stick to it,” he says.
Mielke also suggests starting small, with 10 minutes per day or one session per week and building the duration up gradually, to try new things and to “never force yourself into something you dread”.
Additionally, Mielke says:“I would also suggest setting realistic goals and celebrating small wins.”
“Many people lose motivation because they start exercising with unrealistic expectations and then get frustrated when they don’t see immediate results.”
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But if these strategies don’t work, Dr Dan van den Hoek, senior lecturer in clinical exercise psychology at the University of the Sunshine Coast, says that there are ways to “trick yourself” into exercising.
While this can also be achieved by joining a sports team or group activity like pickleball, dancing, walking or team sports where the focus is on fun and socialising, distraction can also be helpful.
“Use music or podcasts to distract from discomfort during workouts … try activity-based video games or exergames that make movement fun…[or] focus on external stimuli, such as enjoying a scenic walk or chatting with a friend while exercising,” he says.
While Fava says that she will probably never be one of those people who loves all kinds of exercise, pickleball has completely changed the way she thinks about fitness, for the better.
“It opened my eyes to how unfit I actually was, especially when it comes to cardiovascular and bone health. It made me realise that exercise isn’t optional, it’s essential, and it doesn’t have to be unpleasant. It can actually be joyful.”
Now a regular part of her week, she can’t imagine her life without the sport.
“When I was sidelined for a while with a bursa injury, I was devastated. That’s how much it means to me now and how far I have shifted in my view on exercise,” she says.
“Pickleball gives me a chance to be outdoors, move my body, enjoy a bit of friendly competition, and have fun. I’ve made wonderful friends and become part of a warm, welcoming community that shares a common passion. I’m fitter, healthier, and so much happier because of it.”
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