All of us face challenges sometimes that may prevent us from being as physically active as we would like to be. Rest assured, there are ways to get past these barriers. The first thing to do is to identify some of the barriers ahead of time. Then you can figure out how to get past them when they become a problem.
Here is a list of common excuses people use to get out of making physical activity a part of their lives:
I don’t have the time
Time is one of the main things people identify as a roadblock to physical activity. You may feel that your day is already too full, and fitting in physical activity is impossible or would be a major challenge. We will help you use your time study to help you find ways to fit some physical activity into your day, such as climbing the stairs at work or taking 2- or 5-minute walks, perhaps instead of having that cigarette at your coffee break.
Think about what would happen if for every cigarette you would have had in the course of a day, you decided to take a walk instead. You’d be much more active. Remember, you don’t have to find a single 30 or 45-minute block of time to exercise, those smaller bouts add up.
I’m just too tired to exercise right now
Being active can actually give you more energy. Physical activity increases your blood flow and can make you feel upbeat and alert. The more active you are, the more you will increase your stamina. This is especially important for you at this stage because you might feel some fatigue in the first few weeks after you’ve quit smoking. When you feel tired, try to push yourself a little, you won’t regret it.
I don’t have exercise equipment and can’t afford a gym membership
Physical activity does not require gym memberships or expensive classes. It can be done in the settings of your daily life, at home, in the office, or just about anywhere. Some people like to do their physical activity in front of the TV or while listening to music. A great thing about working physical activity into your routines is that you will be setting a wonderful example for the rest of your family. Once they see how great you’re doing, they may even want to join you.
I don’t know how to exercise
You don’t need to be an expert to work more activity into your life. You just need to be willing to try. We will help you find ways to transform moments of inactivity, in which you are sitting or not moving around, into more active ones.
The weather is bad (too hot or too cold)
Don’t let bad weather stand in your way. If it’s too hot or too cold to walk outside, you can always do some heavy housework or take a few trips up and down the stairs. Many towns have shopping malls with special hours for walkers. Mall walking can be a safe and climate-controlled place to walk year-round.
Swimming is great for those really hot days, but if you think that is too vigorous an activity for you right now, just walking a couple of laps around the pool can get the blood pumping. On cold winter days, take the kids sledding, walking in the snow is an excellent workout and a couple of trips up the slope can really get your heart rate going.
