Break Through the Barriers
Pertaining to the two previous #FitnessFriday blog posts addressing the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans and our poor adherence to them, of course there is a supposed “why”. Each one of us is guilty for perceiving numerous barriers to exercise, regardless of their validity. Here are a few of the most common barriers to exercise, and my advice on how to break through them:
Time- Plan in advance. Just as you schedule meetings into your day, schedule your workout- at the same level of importance (if not higher)! Also, exercise bouts as short as 10 minutes have proven to yield health benefits. So, I don’t find this barrier to be overly valid for most.
Access- While some of us may prefer a gym setting in which to conduct our workouts, this is not a necessity. There are plenty of body weight exercises out there to keep you busy, as well as ways to utilize basic items you have around your home. Creativity is key!
Lack of adequate knowledge- All you need to know about breaking through this barrier is that I’m your girl. Plain and simple. 😊
Social support- This one is soooo important! For me, I love having a gym buddy. This really helps hold me accountable for completing my workouts on a regular basis. If this is not an option for you, chat with someone close to you about holding one another accountable. Perhaps you and your spouse make an agreement to ask each other each night at dinner how that day’s workout went. Maybe you connect with a co-worker and share plans for your workouts each week. Social support looks different for everyone, but make sure you find AT LEAST one form that works for you!!
Injuries- Almost all of us have dealt with injury as a barrier to exercise at one point or another. The thing to remember here is that something is better than nothing. Broken arm? At least go for some awesome walks or focus on lower-body strengthening, even if by way of isometric holds. Torn ACL (I cringe as I type that phrase)? Focus on building up your upper body…you’re going to need the increased strength to get around on crutches anyways.
Disinterest- Another one we have likely all struggle with at one point or another. For starters, make sure you find what form(s) of exercise are most enjoyable for you! Don’t get caught up in thinking that if you don’t participate in the most elite form of training, then it’s not worth training at all. A less-intense workout done 5x/week is MUCH more effective than a high-intensity workout done once a week (due to it being dreaded!). Also, keep in mind that your interests in various forms of activity may change over time. You may stick to one activity for a while, then notice yourself dragging your feet when it comes time to go perform that activity. Maybe its not fatigue or laziness; maybe you just need to try a new form exercise to either get hooked on that one or rejuvenate your passion for your previous activity of choice.
While this is by no means an exhaustive list of barriers to exercise, I hope it addresses some of the main roadblocks that trouble you. If you struggle with barriers not presented on this list, feel free to contact me about how to work towards overcoming some of the challenges that might be more specific to you!
