19/08/2026
I’m fascinated by the psychology behind exercise — and why some people show up consistently 🔑 while others struggle to make it a habit.🫣
And I’m not just talking about coming to Pilates classes 🧘♀️I mean showing up consistently to any form of exercise — football, running, swimming, the gym… whatever it is.
When you come to my class for the first time, you have already made a decision to change your behaviour, and tbh this makes my heart sing!! I always say showing up is 99.9% 🤗 the movement and socialising is just positive bonus! ✨
When I was studying the psychology of exercise as part of my Mat Pilates Certification, I came across
the Behavioural Change Model (Transtheoretical Model) —
The model suggests that behaviour change happens in stages:
1️⃣ Pre-contemplation — “I’m not really interested in exercising.”
You’re not considering changing your behaviour yet.
2️⃣ Contemplation — “I know I should exercise…”
You’re thinking about making a change, but you haven’t committed to it yet.
3️⃣ Preparation — “I’m going to start.”
You’ve made the decision to change and might start looking for a class, buying trainers, joining a gym or making a plan.
4️⃣ Action — “I’m doing it!”
You’ve started exercising and are actively changing your behaviour.
5️⃣ Maintenance — “This is just part of my life now.”
You’ve been consistently active and are working to maintain the behaviour long-term.
And there’s one more important part…
6️⃣ Relapse — “I’ve stopped.”
Life happens. Work gets busy, motivation dips, illness or injury happens — and you might fall out of your routine.
But relapse doesn’t mean failure. ❤️
You can move backwards and forwards through these stages, and that’s completely normal.
So when you walk into my Pilates class for the first time, I’m not just seeing a woman who has booked a class.
I’m seeing a strong woman who has made a decision to change her behaviour, for whatever reason it doesn’t matter, you are showing up 🔑 that’s a pretty powerful thing.
So… where do you think you are in the Behavioural Change Model when it comes to exercise? 👇
Photos thanks to Lorcan Doherty ✨ AwakenHub
