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Push: Unlock the Science of Fitness Motivation to Embrace Health and Longevity
Top sports medicine physician Dr. Jordan Metzl illustrates the impact of fitness motivation on your long-term health—and delivers a mental and physical plan to help you push back against unhealthy motivation, create a sustainable exercise blueprint, and rekindle your love of movement.
We know now that low fitness is as big a health risk as diabetes, hypertension and smoking—and that physical activity improves both your lifespan and healthspan. And yet society is at brutally low fitness levels, with nine out of ten people “metabolically unhealthy.” Why aren’t people motivated to do the one best thing for their own health and longevity? Push explores the murky waters of motivation, for good and for bad. How do you transform motivation to stay on the couch and skip workouts into an irresistible desire to tie your sneakers and get moving?
Understanding the science of healthy and unhealthy motivation is at the heart of Push, and Dr. Metzl’s career-long obsession. He’s spent more than 25 years helping people stay properly motivated by combining medical and fitness expertise. Push examines why your brain is the way it is, helps you understand how your unique motivational profile works, and gives you the tools to move past understanding into action,
The three ingredients of healthy motivation—knowledge, emotion, belief—and how they intertwine in your brain to get you moving. How to define and embrace a positive relationship with exercise that will last. A quick, repeatable self-test to see where you fall (and improve!) on the motivational spectrum. A four-week Push Plan to solidify your day-to-day, moment-to-moment motivation foundation and help you push through difficult times. How to build your own total-body strength workouts from more than 80 anywhere/anytime exercises. With Push, Dr. Metzl gives you the skills to recognize and harness your fitness motivation for lasting health.
We know now that low fitness is as big a health risk as diabetes, hypertension and smoking—and that physical activity improves both your lifespan and healthspan. And yet society is at brutally low fitness levels, with nine out of ten people “metabolically unhealthy.” Why aren’t people motivated to do the one best thing for their own health and longevity? Push explores the murky waters of motivation, for good and for bad. How do you transform motivation to stay on the couch and skip workouts into an irresistible desire to tie your sneakers and get moving?
Understanding the science of healthy and unhealthy motivation is at the heart of Push, and Dr. Metzl’s career-long obsession. He’s spent more than 25 years helping people stay properly motivated by combining medical and fitness expertise. Push examines why your brain is the way it is, helps you understand how your unique motivational profile works, and gives you the tools to move past understanding into action,
The three ingredients of healthy motivation—knowledge, emotion, belief—and how they intertwine in your brain to get you moving. How to define and embrace a positive relationship with exercise that will last. A quick, repeatable self-test to see where you fall (and improve!) on the motivational spectrum. A four-week Push Plan to solidify your day-to-day, moment-to-moment motivation foundation and help you push through difficult times. How to build your own total-body strength workouts from more than 80 anywhere/anytime exercises. With Push, Dr. Metzl gives you the skills to recognize and harness your fitness motivation for lasting health.
256 pages, Paperback
Published February 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 24, 2026
Divided into four parts, the first half talks about what makes up our motivation, our drive to do healthy or unhealthy behavior. A lot reminded me of the Atomic Habits book. The second half was a training plan to work into pushing yourself to make the healthy choice on a daily basis even when it's the least appealing. The final section was a list of exercises to build a home workout practice. I appreciated the down to earth attitude towards exercise. Simple and basic exercises that can be scaled for fitness levels. The four week training plan was equally straightforward.
What I didn't find was a new way to motivate myself on the really hard days. When I feel a cold coming on, when I didn't get enough sleep, when the schedule is crazy. It seems I'm supposed to ride the momentum of pushing myself in the initial enthusiastic beginning of the program and just develop the habit so I can do it even on hard days, but that doesn't seem realistic to me.
Not a long book so it was worth the read but I don't think my quest is over.
What I didn't find was a new way to motivate myself on the really hard days. When I feel a cold coming on, when I didn't get enough sleep, when the schedule is crazy. It seems I'm supposed to ride the momentum of pushing myself in the initial enthusiastic beginning of the program and just develop the habit so I can do it even on hard days, but that doesn't seem realistic to me.
Not a long book so it was worth the read but I don't think my quest is over.
February 14, 2026
Amazing book about exercise motivation, what gets sedentary people off the couch and moving! I loved it! I definitely feel motivated to start a strength training program! The exercises in the book are very helpful! A+ read.
June 22, 2026
I think this is a great example of how knowledge does not translate to effective teaching. First off, this book is not well designed for audio; since it is instructional, it's got lots of headers and lists that do not work well in audio format.
Secondly, Dr. Metzl runs a marathon (or several) every year and also competes in triathlons. I did not personally feel like his recommendations for fitness engagement were very accessible to most Americans.
Thirdly, (and most annoying to me) was his Steps in Exercise Motivation which starts with 1. Exercise, follwed by 2. Feel amazing, followed by all the other things that lead back to 1. Exercise. I know of people who feel great after exercising, but I am not one of them. After I work out I feel tired and like I need a nap. This assumption that exercise immediately leads to feeling better is a non-start for me and, I suspect, others who don't really find exercise a drug they can't get enough of.
Secondly, Dr. Metzl runs a marathon (or several) every year and also competes in triathlons. I did not personally feel like his recommendations for fitness engagement were very accessible to most Americans.
Thirdly, (and most annoying to me) was his Steps in Exercise Motivation which starts with 1. Exercise, follwed by 2. Feel amazing, followed by all the other things that lead back to 1. Exercise. I know of people who feel great after exercising, but I am not one of them. After I work out I feel tired and like I need a nap. This assumption that exercise immediately leads to feeling better is a non-start for me and, I suspect, others who don't really find exercise a drug they can't get enough of.
June 8, 2026
I didn't need the motivation Metzl provides, but I did need the explanation of why some exercises are effective. I found the book easy to read and with clear explanations of the science behind exercise programs.
If you do need to motivate yourself to move, this might be the book to do it. If you want to understand why the exercise you are already doing is important, this book will definitely do that.
If you do need to motivate yourself to move, this might be the book to do it. If you want to understand why the exercise you are already doing is important, this book will definitely do that.
Want to Read
December 31, 2025Random House sent me the wrong book. I received a book called Undercover Kindness written by Jimmy Darts. I cannot review a book I haven't read. So Sorry for this Problem. If you send me the right book, I will read it and review.
March 19, 2026
More for beginners. A little bit of theory was nice.
March 22, 2026
Liked it very much and will implement his advice!!!
April 8, 2026
Skimmed for any insights. If you know nothing on the topic, this is good, relevant information.
April 22, 2026
The writing is super accessible and it is inspirational with a TON of information.
I do think this is for the beginners out there who want to start their fitness journey
I do think this is for the beginners out there who want to start their fitness journey
May 1, 2026
Best for beginners.
June 2, 2026
Not a lot of ground breaking information but a decent read from a well respected Dr
July 13, 2026
Big takeaways:
• Yes you can!!!
• “If mindset is where belief, knowledge, and emotion come together in your brain, community is where they come together in real life.”
• “Don’t play through the pain, play around the pain.”
• “Exercise not only makes you feel good, it also prevents you from feeling bad.”
• Yes you can!!!
• “If mindset is where belief, knowledge, and emotion come together in your brain, community is where they come together in real life.”
• “Don’t play through the pain, play around the pain.”
• “Exercise not only makes you feel good, it also prevents you from feeling bad.”
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews