How Can You Overcome Barriers to Exercise?

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• Barrier 1: I Don’t Have Enough Time
• Barrier 2: I Don't Like Exercise
• Barrier 3: I'm Too Tired to Exercise
• Barrier 4: I Can't Afford Exercise
• Barrier 5: I'm Not a Sporty Person
• Barrier 6: “I’m Too Ill” or “I Have an Injury”
• Barrier 7: I Already Do Enough Exercise in My Job

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! 

Barrier 3: I'm Too Tired to Exercise

Ideas to overcome: You’ve probably heard people say “I have more energy” after they start exercising. Well, it’s true. Exercise energises your body so it has more “get-up-and-go” to get through the day without feeling like you’re lugging yourself around. Think of the saying from the shampoo commercial: “It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen!”
 
Often getting motivated to exercise when you’re tired can be hard. Once you start exercising though, your energy level can increase. Take walking for example; getting off your cosy couch can be hard, but after you start walking it can get easier, and more fun, as you get into a rhythm.

Exercise might be hard for you if you are overweight, because the excess weight can make it difficult to move around. Be gentle on yourself. Slowly build-up your level of exercise and be patient about getting results. It might take a few weeks or longer to notice a difference in your energy levels, body weight and so on, but the benefits of exercise are worth the time and effort. Talk to a health professional, if you feel the need.

Barrier 4: I Can't Afford Exercise

Ideas to overcome: You don’t have to buy fancy expensive gym equipment or be a member of a gym in order to exercise. There are plenty of other cheaper exercises. Walking is one of the cheapest around, and nearly everyone can do it; or try stair climbing, dancing to music on the radio in your lounge room, hula hooping, skipping or watching some exercise DVDs.

Barrier 5: I'm Not a Sporty Person

Ideas to overcome: You don’t have to be a “sporty person” to enjoy exercise. There are plenty of types of physical activity that don’t need sporting skills, such as walking up stairs instead of taking the lift, riding a bicycle, vacuuming and gardening. Even though you might not feel sporty, you can enjoy playing a sport for fun, fitness and to make friends.

Barrier 6: “I’m Too Ill” or “I Have an Injury”

Ideas to overcome: With so many types of exercise around, you can probably do something, even if you have an illness or injury. Nearly everyone can stretch, walk, do tai chi, chair aerobics or gentle yoga.

Many injuries and illnesses can improve with some form of exercise, but worsen with others. Water aerobics can be a good exercise for people with arthritis, for example. Talk to a health professional if you have an injury or illness and you’re unsure about what exercise might help you.

Barrier 7: I Already Do Enough Exercise in My Job

Ideas to overcome: If you have an “active job” – such as an aerobics instructor or builder – then you are likely to do enough exercise on-the-job. If you have a sit-down job, however, unless you make an effort to exercise, it’s unlikely that you will get enough exercise through your work alone.

Whatever barriers to exercise you have, don’t let them get in the way of exercising. Your health and well-being rely on regular physical activity. Consider the above ideas and challenge other barriers that you might have. Think of the cliché, where there’s a will there’s a way!

Last updated: August 8th, 2008