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With the advent of the crisp fall weather and the return to a regular schedule (schools starting, vacation season ending), many people are setting new exercise goals for the fall and winter. Coupled with a still-struggling economy, many people turn to walking for exercise – it is easy, it is free, and it is gentle on the body. Indeed, numerous websites extol the many physical and emotional benefits of walking.

Despite all of its benefits, it is sometimes very difficult to stick to a walking regimen. It can be hard to come home from a long and stressful day and decide to hit the pavement … after cooking dinner, and doing dishes, and helping the kids with the homework, and whatever other tasks are on your plate.

How to stay motivated? The answer may be as close as your pants pocket.

Can Your Cell Phone Help You Stick to an Exercise Regimen? Here's What the Research Shows

Researchers in the United Kingdom explored whether text message reminders could increase exercising in a group of participants who committed to a brisk walking regimen. They sought to close what psychologists call the “intention-behavior gap” or our tendency to have great positive intentions – but fail to follow-through and actually implement those intentions.

In this study, 149 participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups:

-- Control Group: This group received no text messages and did not complete any goal-related activities other than being told that they were not meeting the current governmental recommendations for physical activity and that they should try to walk 30 minutes at least five times a week.

-- Implementation Group: The second was a group that completed what the researchers called “implementation intentions” – these were essentially work sheets that required them brainstorm the best times and places and situations during which to walk (e.g., “On Tuesdays I will walk several blocks during lunch with my friends from work”). This group received text messages reminding them of these implementation intentions.

-- Goal Group: The third group completed the same implementation instructions but instead of receiving text messages reminding them of the specific plan to walk, they received a text message regarding their broader goal to commit to an exercise program of brisk walking.

You know where this is going, right?

Both the Implementation Group and the Goal Group walked significantly more than the Control Group. Compellingly, they did so without decreasing their other forms of physical activity. Additionally, the Goal Group lost more weight than the Control Group over the 4 weeks of the experiment.

In other words, participants were most successful when receiving text messages reaffirming their goals.

Try It!

With a friend, brainstorm the best times and places and situations during which to exercise. Then schedule text messages (there are several online options, here is one) to be delivered to your phone at these times. The wording of the text is up to you, but this study points to the fact that reminding yourself of your goal and why you want to achieve it might be the best bet.

What helps YOU stick to your fitness goals? Tell me about it!

And of course, if you have questions about any of the stuff I write about here, please comment below and I'll respond, perhaps even use your comment as fuel for a future blog.

Sarah Rose Cavanagh, Ph.D., is professor of psychology in affective science at Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts. To learn more about her research, please visit http://bit.ly/sarahrose.