The Adherence Ecosystem
A systems-based framework for long-term exercise behavior in women
Overview
The Adherence Ecosystem is a research-informed framework designed to explain why traditional fitness programs fail to produce sustainable behavior change in women.
Rather than attributing dropout to motivation or discipline, this project reframes adherence as an outcome of system design—specifically the interaction between biological cycles, environmental friction, and identity formation. The framework challenges the dominant linear progression model used in fitness programming, which assumes consistent recovery capacity and stable physiological baselines.
Drawing from behavioral science, public health literature, and exercise physiology, this work introduces cyclical responsiveness and environmental architecture as primary drivers of long-term engagement. This project was developed as an applied synthesis of academic research, translating theory into a usable mental model for coaches, practitioners, and women navigating fitness independently.
The goal is not performance optimization, but adherence stability—reducing dropout, injury, and self-blame by designing systems that adapt to real human variability.