Breaking the Exercise Barrier

A lot of people find the motivation to exercise regularly, but for many, it doesn’t always last. Our daily lives provide us with many excuses to not make an effort to endure physical activity. What a lot of people don’t keep in mind is, exercise is not just for your body physically, but mentally as well. Experts widely agree that exercise can increase a positive mood. Exercising is known to be a natural antidepressant. It is something people need to do for themselves, but it doesn’t always happen.

What Holds Us Back & How Do We Break It?

 Getting started is the hardest part. A lot of people find themselves never starting, just because they don’t know how to. The answer to this is to just do it. Don’t feel like you have to wait for a Monday to come around. Start where you are, and if you forget a day, carry on from where you left off. Life happens, and you will find that some days are easier to be consistent than others, but the key is to just keep going. Ask a friend to join you and set goals with you. Being in a team with someone will make you more likely to follow through with plans, and much more hesitant to quit altogether.

There are so many other roadblocks that can take effect. One of the most common is, “I don’t have the time.” What a lot of people don’t realize is, you don’t need long, hardcore workouts to make an impact. Start small with a 20-minute walk every day. The same thing goes for if you’re “too tired.” Set aside 10-20 minutes a day for any physical activity, and you may start to find you are increasing the amount of time you are spending exercising. Even if you stick to that short amount of time, anything is still much better than nothing.

If you are someone who hates exercising or feels as though you are too out of shape, focus on physical activities you enjoy such as basketball or riding a bike. It is hard for ANYONE to do things they’re dreading, so if you make it something you look forward to, you’re much more likely to follow through.

A common setback is also, “I can’t exercise because I have _________ health condition.” Is this an unfortunate hurdle? Yes. Should it stop you all together? No. Speak with your doctor about your limitations, and find out what you CAN do. Sometimes the limitation comes in the form of a feeling or mood. As mentioned earlier, exercising is a natural antidepressant. With that in mind, if you already aren’t in the best spirits that day, it can only get better from there after physical activity.

Nicki Masters