Breaking Through Exercise Barriers

What are the barriers keeping you from exercise? Are they legitimate, or are they self-created?  Think about what obstacles may be keeping you from exercising.  Dissect and get honest with yourself.  You might be surprised by what you find.

In the time I have been assisting clients with weight loss and exercise adherence, I have interviewed countless people.  After thorough investigation into what types of barriers are being struggled with, I have found that most barriers are self-created. Without question, the most popular barrier is the "lack of time".  In my opinion, this is not, and never will be a legitimate barrier to exercise.  In fact, I'd prefer to call it a straight-up excuse.  I haven't met a person yet that was not capable of carving out ten minutes of physical activity on a daily basis. 

The cumulative benefits and effects of exercise cannot be overlooked.  Individuals trying to carve out sixty minutes of exercise time are often those that end up not exercising at all.  Creating space for that large chunk of time can be too difficult.  Instead, I try to get my clients to recognize that there really is "time" to exercise, it just may not be sixty, consecutive minutes worth.  A simple ten minute bout every day adds up to over an hour every week. Less really can be more, because it is getting done!

Another common problem is lack of motivation.  One of the biggest accelerators with motivation is seeing results.  Before results come, however, it is important to find ways to kick start motivation.  A good kick start might mean implementing a simple reward for sticking to an exercise routine for a fixed period of time.  The reward could be an exercise outfit, a manicure, etc.  Find ways to talk yourself into getting it done versus ways to avoid it.  Motivation can also be helped along if the activity is enjoyable.  Be persistent in the search to find activities you enjoy doing.

Buried underneath layers of excuses and barriers, lies a core of workable strategies for every person.  Different personalities and lifestyles dictate different approaches, but desire and effort commonly converge amongst all, creating opportunity to break through any exercise barriers.

 

I Don't Have Time to Exercise

I cannot tell you how much I hate to hear this from people as this has to be the most overused excuse for not exercising.  Lose the preconceived notion that large chunks of time have to be allocated for exercise. Exercising moderately for just 10 minutes three to four times per week will offer health benefits. Remember that these benefits are cumulative.

Get creative in carving out a few minutes of exercise time. For instance, DVR a favorite show and fast forward through commercials in order to create that 10 minutes that "does not exist" or, watch a recorded show and exercise through every commercial break.  Make it happen.

Some new research that indicates that there may be some benefits to taking a traditional 60-minute workout and breaking it up into two separate workout sessions of 30 minutes. The possible benefit in doing so is that after exercise our bodies enjoy a metabolic boost for a window of time. More research is required, but there is indication that through utilization of two, smaller workouts, we are lengthening that period of increased metabolism. Yes, less may actually be more...and ANYTHING is better than nothing.

Unexpected benefits to exercising moderately might be a higher level of functional fitness. This means that an elderly person might have more energy and endurance to go about their daily routines and therefore maintain more independent living. It may also mean that a working professional can do their job better through ease of movement and increased efficiency. Most people take functional fitness for granted until they do not have it anymore, and losing functional fitness only leads to a more sedentary lifestyle. Get yourself moving and know that every active minute counts.