There are lots of research-backed ways and psychology hacks to help “the most committed couch potatoes” to keep up a fitness routine.

So says neuroscience writer and author David Robson, who specialises in the brain, body and human behaviour.

He shared some top fitness tips and research on Sunday Morning.

He said 40 percent of Kiwis did not want to exercise. A lack of time, working long hours and motivation levels were a few things that could be barriers to getting fitter, he said.

But it was possible to train yourself to employ better exercise habits to get fitter, which could increase self-compassion levels too over time.

Robson shared 8 top tips to get fit:

Make sure your goals with fitness were achievable and specific.

Robson said merely saying you wanted to get fitter did not give enough specific direction. It was more helpful to be specific i.e. say exactly how many kilograms you would like to lose. Or if you wanted to improve your fitness overall then it could be helpful to specify how much time you would exercise each week.

Less is more: Do not be “overly ambitious” with fitness goals.

“It has to be something within the realms of possibility,” explained Robson.

Use accountability to increase your motivation.

Robson said sharing your goals with other people was helpful so you would feel “a little bit of embarrassment” if you did not stick with the plan. “This is a great way of enhancing your motivation,” he said.

Use psychology tips to help you get out the door to exercise.

Robson said one example was when you wake up it was often hard to feel motivated. What helped with this was being organised and putting your running gear by the door the night before. This meant there was one less step, or hurdle, to take when your motivation levels were running low.

Finding joy in the exercise style you chose mattered.

Robson said finding a way to exercise where you found joy or pleasure (which was an intrinsic factor) was more motivating than just wanting to look good.

Have a growth mindset about exercise, rather than a fixed mindset.

Robson said have self-belief that change was possible with incremental changes and effort was helpful.

Have time-bound goals.

Robson said creating a plan around specific goals with specific time frames was helpful and it also made it easier to measure progress along the journey.

Use apps to share progress.

Sharing progress on something like a leadership board – with strangers or friends – could result in a feeling of being more answerable while on a fitness goal, said Robson.