How Can You Overcome Barriers to Exercise?

What are some common excuses for not exercising? You’ve heard people groaning: “I’m too tired”. You’ve heard people moaning: “I don’t have enough time” – and how about “I just don’t like it”.

Some barriers to exercise are real, like injuries or illnesses. Other barriers are made-up excuses to not exercise, when you really could – if you put in more effort. Check out the barriers below, with ways to overcome them.

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Barrier 1: I Don’t Have Enough Time

Ideas to overcome: Make time to exercise as it’s important for your health and well-being. If you can do non-essential things, then you can also make time for exercise.

Exercising for half-an-hour a day is a small amount of time to exercise – and the benefits are worth it. If you find it hard to do this much, even 15 or 20 minutes a day is better than none. Build-up to at least 30 minutes a day over time.

Barrier 2: I Don't Like Exercise

Ideas to overcome: With so many types of exercise around, there’s bound to be at least one you will enjoy. From Tai Chi to boxercise, water aerobics to ten pin bowling, there is something for everyone. Your local community sports centre and the Yellow Pages® are good places to start for ideas.

Perhaps you’ve had some bad experiences with exercise in the past. If you didn’t like exercise earlier on in life, you might not exercise now. Find ways to enjoy exercise. Exercise with friends, a pedometer, to music, in your lounge room, in the park – whatever is fun for you. Your mind and body will thank you for it!