Do you think about exercising but find many reasons why you can’t or won’t?
Overcoming barriers to get started in exercise can be a major factor for some people. It can be scary making changes to your life, and most people get anxious about trying something new.
Some common barriers, such as lack of energy and motivation, fear of failure, or even the weather can hinder people from getting started.
We have some tips and tricks to combat some common obstacles that can get in the way of your path to exercising 👇
❌Lack of time?
✅Add physical activity to your daily routine. You could walk or ride your bike to work or the shops, take the stairs over the lift or exercise while you watch TV.
✅Select activities, such as a Hiit Workout, walk or stair climbing that you can do based on the time that you have available (e.g., 5 minutes, 20 minutes).
✅When working, during phone calls try to stand, stretch, or move and walk around if possible.
✅You may need to rejig commitments to make room for extra activities, or choose something that fits into your busy schedule. Remember your fitness should take priority!
❌Social support
✅Invite friends and family members to exercise with you. Plan social activities involving exercise.
✅Develop new friendships with physically active people. Join a friendly local Bootcamp such as Bootcamp SE16! You will have tons of support and guidance from our coaches and members.
❌Lack of energy
✅Schedule physical activity for times in the day or week when you feel energetic.
✅Convince yourself that if you give it a chance, physical activity will increase your energy level; then, try it, as we promise you- it will!
❌Lack of motivation
✅Plan ahead. Write in your planned exercise on your calendar.
✅Invite a friend to exercise with you on a regular basis, which will make you more likely to show up
✅Join an exercise group or class.
✅Reward yourself- Give yourself a treat for the end of your exercise to help get you through it and as an incentive.This could be a soak in the bath or watching a TV show.
❌Fear of injury
✅Learn how to warm up and cool down to prevent injury.
✅Learn how to exercise appropriately considering your age, fitness level, skill level, and health status (our coaches can help with this!).
✅Choose activities you feel you can do safely, and increase the amount you do gradually as your confidence and abilities grow
Making the regular commitment to doing physical activity is an achievement in itself, and every activity session can improve your mood. Once you take the first step, it is much easier to keep going. Remember, every journey starts with a single step.
Take yours today.