homearticle archives March/April 2007 supplemental article

Common Barriers to Exercise and Strategies for Overcoming Them

Kara I. Gallagher, Ph.D.

Have you struggled with your exercise program? You're not alone. In a study of individuals beginning a weight loss program, nearly 98 percent of participants knew the benefits of exercise (lose weight, improve health, greater energy, etc). However, almost 80 percent of participants reported a major reason for not exercising was lack of motivation. The other reasons topping the charts were lack of time (62 percent) and too tired (54 percent). It's time to knock down these barriers and examine some effective ways to make exercise happen.

Lack of Motivation

Too often we wait to become motivated to exercise and lose weight. Even worse, we don't plan for periods when motivation wanes and persevere toward our goals.

• Pick a short-term goal either in terms of minutes per day or register for an upcoming 5K walk. Having a reason to exercise and/or a goal to work toward will help motivate you on days when you might not feel like exercising.
• Try a new activity. Learning a sport or skill may be the incentive you need to get out the door.
• Keep exercise reminders in sight. Place your exercise shoes/clothing, etc. in a visible spot in the office or house as a reminder to be active each day.
• Schedule exercise dates with friends so that you are not only accountable to the activity, but also to the other person.

Lack of Time

No one can find time to exercise; you have to make time. You are given 24 hours each day to decide how you spend your time. Examine your day. Is every minute fully scheduled? Do you watch television or surf the Internet at all? Ask yourself if those activities are adding to the quality of your life or if they are time-stealers. For the really time-pressed, re-arrange your schedule using the following strategies to fit exercise into your day.

• Divide exercise into shorter bouts of at least 10 minutes in duration and spread these throughout the day.
• Eliminate watching one 1/2-hour sitcom five days a week and go for a walk on those nights instead.
• Exercise first thing in the morning before other things take priority and the day has gotten away from you.
• Double up on exercise and other activities: exercise while dinner is cooking on the stove or while the clothes are in the dryer; have a "walking" business meeting with coworkers; exercise during your lunch hour and eat lunch at your desk.
• Plan ahead to determine which days are more open for time to exercise and which days might require more creative thinking. Then, schedule exercise into your appointment book.

Too Tired

Exercise doesn't have to be an exhaustive two-hour bout at the gym. Start small and work toward adding time gradually. Avoid exercising at your lowest energy times.

• Exercise first thing in the morning, before the day tires you out. The added boost of energy you'll get from exercising will provide you with a great start to your day.
• Tell yourself that you'll only exercise for 10 minutes and re-evaluate how you feel. If you are still tired, stop exercising; if you feel good, try a go a little longer.
• Attempt to go to bed a little earlier each night. Even 15 additional minutes can leave you feeling more refreshed.
• Limit the amount of caffeine and high-sugar foods you consume throughout the day. While these might provide you with short-term energy boosts, they can leave you feeling drained and exhausted and can lead to poor sleep at night, creating a vicious cycle.

Barriers exist when we allow them to exist. Don't allow these common barriers, excuses and rationalizations to keep you from living a healthier, more energetic lifestyle. Take action today!

Kara Gallagher, Ph.D. is a nationally known educator in the area of weight loss, behavior and exercise.  She regularly lectures around the country on the topic of behavior change and weight management, and is a sought after expert source by national publications including the New York Times , Fitness , Health , Self and more. Gallagher is the co-creator of the RESULTS weight-loss program and was recently named by Prevention magazine as one of the "top diet gurus" in the country. Dr. Gallagher can be reached at kara@MohrResults.com