THE ARTICLE
We’ve all heard, time and time again, about the physical and even psychological benefits that exercise provides. Protection against chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia and depression are just a few you’ve probably read or heard about. What you may not have known is that exercise also benefits your image. Being physically active improves the impressions others have of you.
“Self-presentation” is a word that describes the process by which we attempt to affect the impressions others have of us. We may laugh at a joke we didn’t find funny to be part of the group, or we may skip dessert in order not to seem like a glutton. Using exercise to improve others’ image of us is effective and gets you all the other benefits too.
A recent study from Canada examined the self-presentational benefits of physical activity, also known as the “exerciser stereotype”. In the study, researchers surveyed 470 participants who were asked to “think of people who do not exercise regularly”. They were then asked to rate those people on several personality traits such as motivated, happy, undisciplined, as well as physical traits such as fat, healthy, or energetic. Finally, they were asked to think of people who do exercise regularly, and rate them on the same traits. You can probably guess who got the better rating.
Those who exercised were rated higher than those who didn’t exercise on 91 percent of the traits listed. Exercisers were perceived to be happier, more energetic, more motivated, disciplined, fit, committed, busy, healthy, and strong than the non-exerciser.
Another study, from Sweden, examined 176 female and 96 male university students to see how the “exerciser stereotype” affected them. The participants read a description of one 5 different kinds of people: a typical exerciser, and active living type, an excessive exerciser, a non-exerciser, or a control. They then rated each type of person on 12 personality traits. They also completed a questionnaire that measured their motivation to use exercise to improve their image. The results revealed the typical exerciser and the active living type got the highest ratings. Specifically, people who exercise were rated as better looking, kinder, braver, having more friends, more confident, and even friendlier than non-exercisers. An “exerciser stereotype” definitely exists, and you can count on it having an effect on how people see you – whether or not the traits you are rated highly on are even vaguely related to exercise!
What this means for you, the exerciser, is that if you want to make a good impression on someone, be it a first date, a new friend or a new job opportunity, drop a little information about your exercise habits. You could mention the tennis game you played the other day or how you and your friend just started taking weight-training classes. Even if you’re not the most devoted exerciser, just mentioning that you partake in some form of exercise will help improve the image others form of you. An added benefit of sharing your exercise habits is that you will be more likely to find people like yourself to be friends with. Having friends who share your commitment to health and fitness is one of the best ways to ensure you all continue on that life-extending (and fun!) path. You will support each other’s habits and will be less likely to tempt each other to stray from them.
But there’s no need to go overboard in sharing your exercise practices with others. In fact, if you are an excessive exerciser, or if you just seem like one to non-exercisers, people may see you as addictive or compulsive about exercise and your image will not be enhanced. People do not look favourably on others who over-indulge in anything, be it ice cream desserts or exercise. So keep it real, both in the gym and around the water cooler. If you make it seem like something anyone can do, you might even inspire someone else to take up exercise too!
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