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Would you
like to do more physical activity but do not know how to make it a part of your
life? This booklet describes some common barriers to physical activity and ways
to overcome them. After you read them, try writing down the top two or three
barriers that you face. Then write down solutions that you think will work for
you. You can make regular physical activity a part of your life!
What is standing in my way?
Barrier:
Between work, family, and other demands, I am too busy to exercise. Make physical
activity a priority. Carve out some time each week to be active and put it on
your calendar. Try waking up a half-hour earlier to walk, scheduling lunchtime
workouts, or taking an evening fitness class.
Build
physical activity into your routine chores. Rake the yard, wash the car, or do
energetic housework. That way you do what needs to get done and move around too.
Make
family time physically active. Plan a weekend hike through a park, family
softball game, or an evening walk around the block.
Barrier:
By the end of a long day, I am just too tired to work out.
Solutions:
Break your
workout into three 10-minute segments each day. Taking three short walks during the day may seem
easier and less tiring than one 30-minute workout, and is just as good for you.
Find
another time during the day to work out. If evening workouts are not for you,
then try a bike ride before breakfast or a walk at lunchtime.
Sneak
physical activity into your days. Take stairs instead of elevators, park further
away in parking lots, and walk in place while watching TV.
Barrier: I
think my weight is fine, so I am not motivated to exercise.
Solutions:
Think
about the other health benefits of physical activity. Regular physical activity
may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and lower your odds of having
heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or cancer. Research shows that people who are
overweight, active, and fit live longer than people who are not overweight but
are inactive, and unfit. Also, physical activity may lift your mood and increase
your energy level.
Do it just
for fun. Play a team sport, work in a garden, or learn a new
dance and make getting fit something fun.
Train for
a charity event. You can work to help others
while you work out.
Barrier:
Getting on a treadmill or stationary bike is boring.
Solutions:
Meet a
friend for workouts. If your buddy is on the next bike or treadmill, your
workout will be less boring.
Watch TV
or listen to music or a book on tape while you walk or pedal indoors. Check out music or books on tape from your local
library.
Get
outside. A change in scenery can relieve your boredom. If
you are riding a bike outside, be sure to wear a helmet and learn safe rules of
the road. For more information about bike safety, read Bike Safety Tips
from the American Academy of Family Physicians (http://familydoctor.org/692.xml).
Mac in Tucson, Arizona, says, “I would take walks in
the morning and see a lot of birds. Now I bring my camera along and get some
great shots of birds. Taking pictures makes walking more fun. I don’t get bored.
I mail my pictures to my grandson and he enjoys them.”
Barrier: I
am afraid I will hurt myself.
Solutions:
Start
slowly. If you are starting a new physical activity
program, go slow at the start. Even if you are doing an activity that you once
did well, start up again slowly to lower your risk of injury or burnout.
Choose
moderate-intensity physical activities. You are not likely to hurt yourself by
walking 30 minutes per day. Doing vigorous physical activities may increase your
risk for injury, but moderate-intensity physical activity is low risk.
Take a
class. A knowledgeable group fitness instructor should be
able to teach you how to move with proper form and lower risk for injury. The
instructor can watch your actions during class and let you know if you are doing
things right.
Choose
water workouts. Whether you swim laps or try water aerobics,
working out in the water is easy on your joints and helps reduce sore muscles
and injury.
Work with
a personal trainer. A certified personal trainer should be able to show you how
to warm up, cool down, use fitness equipment like treadmills and weight-training
machines, and use proper form to help lower your risk for injury. Personal
training sessions may be cheap or costly, so find out about fees before making
an appointment.
Barrier: I
have never been into sports.
Solutions:
Find a
physical activity that you enjoy. You do not have to be an athlete to benefit
from physical activity. Try yoga, hiking, or planting a garden.
Choose an
activity that you can stick with, like walking. Just put one foot in front of the other. Use the
time you spend walking to relax, talk with a friend or family member, or just
enjoy the scenery
Barrier: I
do not want to spend a lot of money to join a gym or buy workout gear.
Solutions:
Choose
free activities. Garden, take your children to the park to play,
lift plastic milk jugs filled with water or sand, or take a walk.
Find out
if your job offers any discounts on memberships. Some companies get lower
membership rates at fitness or community centers. Other companies will even pay
for part of an employee’s membership fee.
Check out
your local recreation or community center. These centers may cost less than
other gyms, fitness centers, or health clubs.
Choose
physical activities that do not require any special gear. Walking requires only
a pair of sturdy shoes. To dance, just turn on some music.
Barrier: I
do not have anyone to watch my kids while I work out.
Solutions:
Do
something physically active with your kids. Kids need physical activity too. No
matter what age your kids are, you can find an activity you can do together.
Dance to music, take a walk, run around the park, or play basketball or soccer
together.
Take turns
with another parent to watch the kids. One of you minds the kids while the other
one works out.
Look for a
fitness or community center that offers childcare. Centers that have childcare are becoming more
popular. Cost and quality vary, so get all the information up front.
Barrier:
My family and friends are not physically active.
Solutions:
Do not let
that stop you. Do it for yourself. Enjoy the rewards—such as better sleep, a
happier mood, more energy, and a stronger body—you get from working out.
Join a
class or sports league where people count on you to show up. If your basketball
team or dance partner counts on you, you will not want to miss a workout, even
if your family and friends are not involved.
John from Chicago says, “When I moved to Chicago, I joined a basketball team that some people in my
office put together. It’s been great for building relationships with co-workers
and getting rid of stress. We are all of different ages and abilities, but we
are competitive too. It is social and fun.”
Barrier: I
would be embarrassed if my neighbors or friends saw me exercising.
Solutions:
Ask
yourself if it really matters. You are doing something positive for your health
and that is something to be proud of. You may even inspire others to get
physically active too.
Ask
yourself if it really matters. You are doing something positive for your health
and that is something to be proud of. You may even inspire others to get
physically active too.
Go to a
park, nature trail, or fitness or community center to be physically active
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