{"id":9893,"date":"2026-07-25T11:34:36","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T11:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atp.fitness\/sg\/?p=9893"},"modified":"2026-07-26T09:31:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T09:31:57","slug":"is-it-fun-or-exercise-framing-and-snacking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atp.fitness\/sg\/blog\/is-it-fun-or-exercise-framing-and-snacking\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It Fun or Exercise? How Framing a Workout Changes What You Eat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<link href=\"https:\/\/fonts.googleapis.com\/css2?family=Antonio:wght@600;700&#038;family=Inter:wght@400;500;600;700&#038;display=swap\" rel=\"stylesheet\">\n<style>\n.atp-study{--ink:#131313;--body:#333333;--meta:#8a8a8a;--orange:#ff500b;--line:#e6e6e6;--cream:#f7f4ef;--redt:#fbeae6;--redk:#b23b2e;--grnt:#e7f4ec;--grnk:#2e7d52;font-family:'Inter',-apple-system,BlinkMacSystemFont,Arial,sans-serif;color:var(--body);line-height:1.65;font-size:17px;background:#ffffff;width:100vw;max-width:100vw;position:relative;left:50%;right:50%;margin-left:-50vw;margin-right:-50vw;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased}\n.atp-study .sw{max-width:840px;margin:0 auto;padding:48px 24px 64px}\n.atp-study .lead,.atp-study p,.atp-study li,.atp-study h2,.atp-study h3,.atp-study .qrow,.atp-study .fgrid div,.atp-study .path .step,.atp-study blockquote,.atp-study td,.atp-study .choices div{color:var(--body)}\n.atp-study 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.data thead td.sig{color:#ffb499}\n.atp-study .data .sec td{font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.04em;font-size:11.5px;text-align:left}\n.atp-study .data .sec.ex td{background:var(--redt);color:var(--redk)}\n.atp-study .data .sec.fun td{background:var(--grnt);color:var(--grnk)}\n.atp-study .data td.hl{background:#fef4f0}\n.atp-study .data .p td.hl{color:var(--orange);font-weight:700}\n.atp-study .data .muted td{color:var(--meta)}\n.atp-study .barbox{border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:12px;padding:20px 24px;margin:8px 0}\n.atp-study .barbox .bt{font-family:'Antonio',Impact,sans-serif;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.02em;font-size:18px;color:var(--ink);margin:0 0 14px}\n.atp-study .bar-label{font-size:13px;font-weight:600;color:var(--ink);margin:0 0 5px}\n.atp-study .bar{height:34px;border-radius:6px;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:flex-end;padding:0 12px;color:#fff;font-weight:700;font-size:14px;margin-bottom:14px}\n.atp-study .bar.ex{background:var(--redk);width:100%}\n.atp-study .bar.fun{background:var(--grnk);width:44.4%}\n.atp-study .barnote{font-size:13px;color:var(--meta)}\n.atp-study .caption{font-size:12px;color:var(--meta);margin-top:8px;line-height:1.5}\n.atp-study .takeaways{background:var(--ink);border-radius:12px;padding:26px 28px;margin:16px 0}\n.atp-study .takeaways .tt{font-family:'Antonio',Impact,sans-serif;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:.02em;font-size:22px;color:#fff;margin:0 0 14px}\n.atp-study .takeaways .trow{display:flex;gap:14px;align-items:baseline;padding:7px 0;color:#e7e7e7;font-size:15.5px;line-height:1.5}\n.atp-study .takeaways .trow .num{color:var(--orange);font-weight:700;flex:0 0 auto}\n.atp-study .takeaways .trow b{color:#fff}\n.atp-study .cta{background:var(--orange);border-radius:12px;padding:28px;margin:22px 0 6px;text-align:center}\n.atp-study .cta h2{color:#fff;margin:0 0 8px}\n.atp-study .cta p{color:#fff;opacity:.95;margin:0 0 18px;font-size:16px}\n.atp-study .cta a{display:inline-block;background:#fff;color:var(--ink);font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;padding:13px 28px;border-radius:8px}\n@media(max-width:640px){\n  .atp-study .paths{flex-direction:column}\n  .atp-study .fgrid{grid-template-columns:1fr}\n  .atp-study .choices{flex-direction:column}\n}\n<\/style>\n\n<div class=\"atp-study\">\n  <div class=\"sw\">\n\n  <div class=\"kicker\">The Study Breakdown &middot; No. 1<\/div>\n  <p class=\"lead\">We are starting a series where we take a study that caught our attention, break down what it actually shows, challenge anything that does not add up, and pull out what you can use straight away. First up, one that quietly changes how you should think about your daily walk.<\/p>\n\n  <p>Each time, we will be asking:<\/p>\n  <div class=\"qbox\">\n    <div class=\"qrow\"><span class=\"num\">01<\/span><span>What does the study show us?<\/span><\/div>\n    <div class=\"qrow\"><span class=\"num\">02<\/span><span>What are the limitations?<\/span><\/div>\n    <div class=\"qrow\"><span class=\"num\">03<\/span><span>What questions are we left with afterwards?<\/span><\/div>\n    <div class=\"qrow\"><span class=\"num\">04<\/span><span>What can we learn, and what can we apply in daily life?<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <p>This study was referenced in an excellent book, <i>Longevity Simplified<\/i> by Howard Luks MD, an orthopedic surgeon, sports-medicine specialist and endurance athlete. Over the course of the book he outlines a simple framework for optimal health.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"framebox\">\n    <div class=\"ftitle\">Luks&rsquo; framework for optimal health<\/div>\n    <div class=\"fgrid\">\n      <div><span class=\"b\">&bull;<\/span> Create a caloric deficit, then stay lean<\/div>\n      <div><span class=\"b\">&bull;<\/span> Move often, throughout the day<\/div>\n      <div><span class=\"b\">&bull;<\/span> Get sleep<\/div>\n      <div><span class=\"b\">&bull;<\/span> Push and pull heavy things<\/div>\n      <div><span class=\"b\">&bull;<\/span> Eat real food<\/div>\n      <div><span class=\"b\">&bull;<\/span> Socialise<\/div>\n      <div><span class=\"b\">&bull;<\/span> Have a sense of purpose<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <p>If you have trained with us at ATP, you will know he is preaching to the choir. We are advocates for keeping things simple and executing on a daily basis. One of the studies he referred to really jumped out at us. The title was:<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"studytitle\">&ldquo;Is it fun or exercise? The framing of physical activity biases subsequent snacking.&rdquo;<\/div>\n\n  <h2>The framing trap<\/h2>\n  <p>It turns out that how we perceive activity is vitally important. If we are pursuing a weight-loss goal, the wrong framing can quietly sabotage our efforts.<\/p>\n  <p>If we treat physical activity as an imposition, we create a debt that needs paying off. We then square off our accounts with the requisite amount of reward.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"paths\">\n    <div class=\"path ex\">\n      <div class=\"ph\">Framed as exercise<\/div>\n      <div class=\"step\">Feels like work<\/div>\n      <div class=\"arw\">&darr;<\/div>\n      <div class=\"step\">Creates a debt to repay<\/div>\n      <div class=\"arw\">&darr;<\/div>\n      <div class=\"step\">The brain hunts for a reward<\/div>\n      <div class=\"arw\">&darr;<\/div>\n      <div class=\"end\">You snack more<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"path fun\">\n      <div class=\"ph\">Framed as fun<\/div>\n      <div class=\"step\">Enjoyable in itself<\/div>\n      <div class=\"arw\">&darr;<\/div>\n      <div class=\"step\">No debt is created<\/div>\n      <div class=\"arw\">&darr;<\/div>\n      <div class=\"step\">You just reap the benefits<\/div>\n      <div class=\"arw\">&darr;<\/div>\n      <div class=\"end\">You keep the win<\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <blockquote>&ldquo;Engaging in a physical activity seems to trigger the search for reward when individuals perceive it as exercise, but not when they perceive it as fun.&rdquo;<\/blockquote>\n\n  <p>If we frame physical activity in terms of the enjoyment we get from it, in this case a scenic walk, then no such accounting is triggered and we are free to reap the benefits. There were three studies. Two with more of a general-population sample, and one with a more athletic group.<\/p>\n\n  <h2>The three studies at a glance<\/h2>\n  <div class=\"tablewrap\"><table class=\"glance\">\n    <tr><td style=\"width:52px;\">Study<\/td><td>Who<\/td><td>Framing tested<\/td><td>Key result<\/td><\/tr>\n    <tr><td>1<\/td><td>56 women<\/td><td>Exercise vs music \/ recreation<\/td><td>&ldquo;Exercise&rdquo; group ate more hedonic dessert + drink<\/td><\/tr>\n    <tr><td>2<\/td><td>General population<\/td><td>Exercise vs scenic \/ fun<\/td><td><b>374<\/b> vs <b>166<\/b> cal of M&amp;Ms<\/td><\/tr>\n    <tr><td>3<\/td><td>Athletes, after a race<\/td><td>More fun vs less fun<\/td><td>More fun &rarr; chose the cereal bar over chocolate<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table><\/div>\n\n  <h3>Study 1<\/h3>\n  <p>56 women were split into two groups. The first was told the 30-minute walk was exercise. The second was told it was recreational, and that they were testing music on an MP3 player. Afterwards they were taken to a buffet where the amount they ate was measured. Both groups had one main course, a fairly healthy pasta bolognese with vegetables and bread, then two choices each for drink and dessert:<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"choices\">\n    <div class=\"hed\"><b>Indulgent (hedonic)<\/b><br>Coke &middot; Chocolate pudding<\/div>\n    <div class=\"util\"><b>Sensible (utilitarian)<\/b><br>Bottled water &middot; Applesauce<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <p>Both groups ate the same amount of the main course. But the group told they were <b>exercising<\/b> took in significantly more calories from the dessert and the drink.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"tablewrap\"><table class=\"compare\">\n    <tr><td><\/td><td>Framed as exercise<\/td><td>Framed as fun<\/td><\/tr>\n    <tr><td>Snacking<\/td><td>Ate <b>more<\/b> dessert + drink<\/td><td>Ate <b>less<\/b><\/td><\/tr>\n    <tr><td>Energy<\/td><td>More tired, lower energy<\/td><td>More energy, less tired<\/td><\/tr>\n    <tr><td>The walk<\/td><td>Less exciting<\/td><td>More exciting<\/td><\/tr>\n    <tr><td>Mood<\/td><td>Less positive<\/td><td>More positive<\/td><\/tr>\n  <\/table><\/div>\n\n  <blockquote>&ldquo;When an effortful activity is perceived as exercise, it leads to increased consumption of hedonic foods (but not of utilitarian foods) compared with when the same activity is perceived as fun.&rdquo;<\/blockquote>\n\n  <p><b>A limitation.<\/b> While directionally accurate, there are issues with the data. The total calories consumed are spectacularly low, which makes us think there was an error somewhere in the methodology or the formulas. As you can see below, the totals stay very low regardless of the choice.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"caption\" style=\"font-family:'Antonio',Impact,sans-serif;text-transform:uppercase;font-size:15px;color:var(--ink);letter-spacing:.03em;margin:0 0 3px;\">Study 1 &middot; calories served<\/div>\n  <div class=\"caption\" style=\"margin:0 0 8px;\">All values are calories. Orange columns = statistically significant difference. Scroll to see all columns.<\/div>\n  <div class=\"tablewrap\"><table class=\"data\">\n    <thead><tr><td><\/td><td>Total meal<\/td><td>Regular meal*<\/td><td class=\"sig\">Hedonic (drink + dessert)<\/td><td class=\"sig\">Choc. pudding<\/td><td>Apple sauce<\/td><td>Drink chosen<\/td><\/tr><\/thead>\n    <tbody>\n      <tr class=\"sec ex\"><td colspan=\"7\">Exercise framing<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr><td>Mean<\/td><td>313.23<\/td><td>193.67<\/td><td class=\"hl\">133.98<\/td><td class=\"hl\">135.30<\/td><td>75.14<\/td><td>33.10<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr class=\"muted\"><td>S.D.<\/td><td>132.73<\/td><td>116.96<\/td><td class=\"hl\">111.00<\/td><td class=\"hl\">54.16<\/td><td>35.05<\/td><td>84.22<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr class=\"muted\"><td>n<\/td><td>28<\/td><td>28<\/td><td class=\"hl\">28<\/td><td class=\"hl\">11<\/td><td>16<\/td><td>29<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr class=\"sec fun\"><td colspan=\"7\">Fun framing<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr><td>Mean<\/td><td>305.75<\/td><td>210.32<\/td><td class=\"hl\">94.45<\/td><td class=\"hl\">100.10<\/td><td>89.79<\/td><td>9.23<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr class=\"muted\"><td>S.D.<\/td><td>109.41<\/td><td>99.07<\/td><td class=\"hl\">35.48<\/td><td class=\"hl\">37.56<\/td><td>38.53<\/td><td>47.06<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr class=\"muted\"><td>n<\/td><td>28<\/td><td>24<\/td><td class=\"hl\">24<\/td><td class=\"hl\">13<\/td><td>13<\/td><td>26<\/td><\/tr>\n      <tr class=\"p\"><td>Sig.<\/td><td class=\"muted-cell\" style=\"color:#8a8a8a;\">NS<\/td><td style=\"color:#8a8a8a;\">NS<\/td><td class=\"hl\">p&lt;.05<\/td><td class=\"hl\">p&lt;.05<\/td><td style=\"color:#8a8a8a;\">NS<\/td><td style=\"color:#8a8a8a;\">NS<\/td><\/tr>\n    <\/tbody>\n  <\/table><\/div>\n  <div class=\"caption\">*Regular meal was pasta with beef, green beans and bread. The only significant differences were in the hedonic dessert and drink, and the chocolate pudding, where the exercise group ate more.<\/div>\n\n  <h3>Study 2<\/h3>\n  <p>Same design, but they dropped the music cover story and simply framed the walk as scenic. They also skipped the sensible lunch and went straight to an unhealthy snack: M&amp;Ms.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"barbox\">\n    <div class=\"bt\">M&amp;Ms eaten after the walk<\/div>\n    <div class=\"bar-label\">Framed as exercise<\/div>\n    <div class=\"bar ex\">374 cal<\/div>\n    <div class=\"bar-label\">Framed as fun \/ scenic<\/div>\n    <div class=\"bar fun\">166 cal<\/div>\n    <div class=\"barnote\">The &ldquo;exercise&rdquo; group ate <b style=\"color:var(--redk);\">2.25&times; more<\/b> than the &ldquo;fun&rdquo; group after the identical walk.<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <h3>Study 3<\/h3>\n  <p>The first two studies used a sedentary, non-athletic population, so it is interesting that the third supports the same central idea with athletes.<\/p>\n  <blockquote>&ldquo;Participants who had more fun during the race were more inclined to choose the cereal bar than participants who had less fun.&rdquo;<\/blockquote>\n  <p>There was a relationship between how much fun people had during a race and their snack choice afterwards. Neither snack is truly &ldquo;healthy,&rdquo; but chocolate bar versus cereal bar fits the general public&rsquo;s view of an indulgent versus a virtuous choice.<\/p>\n\n  <h2>Concluding thoughts<\/h2>\n  <blockquote>&ldquo;Consumers who are contemplating beginning a physical activity routine in order to help lose weight would be well advised to make certain they reframe it so they see it as fun, or at least not as work or exercise. Listening to music during a run, making phone calls during a walk, or watching a video during a treadmill routine may be more related to weight-loss success and perseverance than previously thought.&rdquo;<\/blockquote>\n  <p>In other words, a podcast or music might make steady-state cardio far more enjoyable.<\/p>\n  <p>For us this reaffirms some long-held suspicions about how we operate: how our bodies and minds seek balance and equilibrium despite our best efforts. For coaches and clients, it means we should not suffer and sacrifice too much early on, or we stack up a debt that may need repaying later.<\/p>\n\n  <div class=\"takeaways\">\n    <div class=\"tt\">What to actually do with this<\/div>\n    <div class=\"trow\"><span class=\"num\">1<\/span><span>The best form of exercise really is the one you enjoy.<\/span><\/div>\n    <div class=\"trow\"><span class=\"num\">2<\/span><span>Find activities with intrinsic enjoyment, like a good walk.<\/span><\/div>\n    <div class=\"trow\"><span class=\"num\">3<\/span><span>There is a reason our D.N.A. is Daily Routine, Nutrition, <b>Activity<\/b>, not Exercise. Activity is not always formal exercise.<\/span><\/div>\n    <div class=\"trow\"><span class=\"num\">4<\/span><span>You will enjoy a lot of these activities far more once you have a base level of fitness and strength.<\/span><\/div>\n    <div class=\"trow\"><span class=\"num\">5<\/span><span>Short-term sacrifices can sharpen fitness and body composition, but re-integrate into a lifestyle that is enjoyable rather than onerous.<\/span><\/div>\n    <div class=\"trow\"><span class=\"num\">6<\/span><span>Fun is energising. We need fewer calories when we feel alive after activity we enjoy.<\/span><\/div>\n    <div class=\"trow\"><span class=\"num\">7<\/span><span>Pair exercise with a non-food reward. A show, a podcast, or a scheduled call with a good friend.<\/span><\/div>\n    <div class=\"trow\"><span class=\"num\">8<\/span><span>There are many ways to get healthier that do not hinge on sacrifice and deprivation. That is almost always the better path for a lifetime.<\/span><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"cta\">\n    <h2>Want a plan built around your life?<\/h2>\n    <p>At ATP we build the programme around your calendar, then review it every week. Structure, accountability, and a plan that actually gets adjusted.<\/p>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/atp.fitness\/sg\/#enquiry-form\">Book a consult<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A study breakdown: calling your walk &#8216;exercise&#8217; instead of &#8216;fun&#8217; can make you eat more afterwards. What the research shows, where it falls short, and what to do about it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"","_atp_faq_schema":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21,22,24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9893","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-diet","category-exercsise","category-weightloss"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Is It Fun or Exercise? How Framing a Workout Changes What You Eat - ATP<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A study breakdown: calling your walk &#039;exercise&#039; instead of &#039;fun&#039; can make you eat more afterwards. 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