An expert is warning that the popular fitness mantra “no pain, no gain” is not only misleading but potentially harmful, urging people to reconsider how they approach exercise and motivation.
According to the expert, longevity results from a combination of factors, with physical fitness playing a key role. However, she emphasizes that men and women do not respond equally to training, and a one-size-fits-all approach to intense workouts can be counterproductive.
The idea that suffering during exercise leads to better results is described as a mental trap. Instead, the expert highlights that the brain responds not to pain but to reward—feeling progress activates motivation through dopamine and other neurotransmitters, while pain triggers avoidance and stress responses.
She explains that true progress comes from “the taste of effort”—the satisfaction of improvement—rather than enduring discomfort. Choosing constructive effort over destructive strain shifts the brain’s response from avoidance to persistence, supporting long-term engagement.
Those who quit fitness routines often do so not from lack of willpower, but as they’ve been led to believe only difficult, painful efforts have value—leading to burnout, disgust, and self-doubt.
The expert concludes that sustainable motivation comes from recognizing progress, not from pushing through pain, and that redefining effort as rewarding rather than punishing is essential for lasting change.
