There are a number of well-established theories and techniques around how to influence exercise behaviour, including goal setting, self-monitoring (tracking steps, minutes, calories or workouts), prompts and cues (reminders to move or stand), feedback (acknowledging improvements or a decline in the number of active minutes, intensity or variety of workouts), social support (ability to share activity with others), activity planning (setting a calendar or reminders to be active), problem solving (identifying and mediating barriers to exercise adherence), habit stacking (linking exercise to other healthy habits like sleep, diet, mood) and reward systems and gamification. According to research, apps with the greatest potential to improve exercise adherence incorporate at least four behaviour modification strategies into their design and functionality.
