It’s official: People who feel constantly guilty about the reasons why they should exercise don’t lose weight – but people who focus on the positive steps they can take to exercise more do, scientists have found.

People who use “directed thinking”, positive thinking that concentrates on taking action, are more successful at increasing their fitness levels and losing weight, according to a new US study.

Researchers studied 61 college students who did not exercise on a regular basis. The students were divided into two groups – one group was asked to think about why they should increase their fitness levels and exercise more – for example to lose weight and feel healthier; the other group was asked to think about the actions they could take to up their exercise and increase their fitness – for example joining a gym, taking the stairs and working out with a friend. Both groups were reminded to think these thoughts constantly over a period of eight weeks.

The researchers found that the group who thought about the positive actions they could take to exercise more improved their fitness significantly. However, the students who repeatedly brought to mind the reasons why they should exercise did not increase their time spent exercising at all.

The results suggest that people who are out of shape, overweight or at risk for serious health problems may be able to think their own way out of their unhealthy lifestyle and onto the path towards better physical fitness, say the researchers in the Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research.

“It could change the way that people think about motivating themselves and others,” they said.