Overcoming Common Barriers to Fitness

Trying to convince yourself to work out and coming up with a dozen excuses? Try these tips to overcome common barriers to proper fitness and health.

“But I don’t have enough time to exercise.”

By being creative, you can easily make enough time in your day without feeling like you’re sacrificing anything else. For example, try taking a few 10-minute walks during the day, or, if that’s not an option, wake up a half hour earlier twice a week. Once you get used to the earlier time, start adding additional days to it. Before long, you’ll be working out every morning and feeling just as refreshed. You can also add exercise just by tweaking your normal rituals. For example, instead of parking close to the door at work or at the mall, park as far away as you can and enjoy the walk.

“Exercise is boring.”

When you exercise alone, a repetitive workout can get tiring day after day. But it doesn’t have to be boring. Try varying your routine by rotating among several different options. You could walk two days a week, swim two days, and bike two days, and save Sunday for rest! Or, if it’s the solitary nature of exercise that frustrates you, invite friends to join you—a support group can help when you’re looking for excuses not to exercise.

“I’m too tired to exercise after working all day.”

It’s a vicious cycle: Without exercise, you won’t have any energy, and without energy, you won’t want to exercise. Try working out in the morning instead of the evening (see above for our suggestion to get up 30 minutes earlier). A brisk walk during your lunch break can be invigorating and healthy, or, if you really only have time to work out at night, be prepared. Keep a full water bottle in the fridge, have your workout clothes ready, and make your workout part of your routine as soon as you get home. 

Keeping these strategies in mind can help combat the problems that you may face with your ultimate goal of health and happiness.