Do You Hate to Exercise?

"Does it seem like you have to struggle to be active while exercise is easier for other people? Do you wonder how some people seem to enjoy it while you dread exercising? There's some evidence that genes may influence your body's responses to exercise so it's possible that you're genetically predisposed to being uncomfortable exercising. A University of Colorado study found individuals who had equivalent bouts of aerobic exercise had vastly different subjective feelings about their exercise."

"In a later lab visit, participants were given genetic test results. Some were falsely told that their genes made it likely that they would have low endurance and that they would find exercise difficult. They ran again on the treadmill. When they had been given the false results, their actual lung capacity was reduced; they were less efficient in removing carbon dioxide, and they quit the treadmill sooner."

Individuals who completed equivalent aerobic exercise reported vastly different subjective feelings about the experience. Genetic variants linked to body temperature regulation, norepinephrine signaling, and lactate production correlated with these differing responses, suggesting some people are genetically predisposed to find exercise uncomfortable. Psychological expectations also altered physiological performance: subjects told they had low endurance showed reduced lung capacity, less efficient carbon dioxide removal, and earlier exhaustion when running. Accurate feedback preserved performance. Both inherited biological differences and beliefs about fitness can shape subjective enjoyment and measurable physiological outcomes during exercise.

Read at Psychology Today