It was later in my college career, studying for a BA in Physical Education and Recreation Administration, and I was engrossed in a Sports Psychology course. This was one of my favorite classes, also one of the most popular in my school. My class was filled with athletes, including myself, for Cross-Country and Track. We studied all sorts of athletes, covered visualizations for Olympic athletes, and built out programs for our own scholarship athletes. Then we studied housekeepers.
Hold the phone. Why are we reading studies on housekeepers? They aren’t athletes. What I learned from this study forever changed my perspective and attitude on physical activity.
The study is called “Mind-set Matters: Exercise and the Placebo Effect”, Crum, Alia J., and Ellen J. Langer. 2007. Mind-set matters: Exercise and the placebo effect. Psychological Science 18, no. 2: 165-171. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:3196007.
Researchers chose to study housekeepers because they are known to perform physically demanding roles that meet physical activity guidelines. This population was unique because when surveyed, they were unaware of the extent of their physical activity.
The abstract of the study cited above is as follows: “In a study testing whether the relationship between exercise and health is moderated by one’s mind- set, 84 female room attendants working in seven different hotels were measured on physiological health variables affected by exercise. Those in the informed condition were told that the work they do (cleaning hotel rooms) is good exercise and satisfies the Surgeon General’s recommendations for an active lifestyle. Examples of how their work was exercise were provided. Subjects in the control group were not given this information. Although actual behavior did not change, 4 weeks after the intervention, the informed group perceived themselves to be getting significantly more exercise than before. As a result, compared with the control group, they showed a decrease in weight, blood pressure, body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, and body mass index. These results support the hypothesis that exercise affects health in part or in whole via the placebo effect.”
After following this study and breaking it down my mind was blown. The women who were informed that their work was excellent exercise and good for them had better health outcomes than the women who were not informed.
Fast forward many years later I am still an athlete, but also a working mom. Time for exercise is a barrier to me. Days go by without a proper workout and it makes me wary. I remind myself of this study and apply it to my life. I meet the suggested daily physical guidelines while chasing my kids, carrying laundry up and down stairs, taking walking breaks while working, vacuuming, gardening, and on and on. When I tell myself that I am exercising and making my body healthier while performing these tasks it immediately makes me feel more positive about doing chores and the condition of my health.
I am sure that I am not the only one with barriers to physical activity. I am also sure that most of you are doing more than you think. Remind yourself anytime you are performing a physical activity that you are doing good. It will elevate your gratitude and may also help to improve your health outcomes.
Move Your Way(sm) provides an online Physical Activity Planner that includes activities such as household chores and gardening as ways that you can reach the recommended daily physical activity guidelines. Active Southern West Virginia highly recommends this tool as a way to stay motivated and moving.
Molly Wolff – Community Engagement Assistant for Active Southern West Virginia
