Most people are already familiar with the common obstacles to fitness— lack of time, no motivation, or health issues. The obstacles differ from one person to another, but they get in the way of your ability to live a physically active life. Many experts suggest finding the things that motivate you and make it easy to live a life of fitness. While that is important, identifying your fitness obstacles and addressing them is critical to enjoying a physically active lifestyle. That’s because having a good understanding of what fitness barriers you face will help you develop the right strategy to overcome them and reach your fitness goals. That said, here are some ways you can overcome the common obstacles to fitness.
- Heath barriers
Many people struggle to exercise or live physically active lives because of various health concerns. Some may have received notices from their healthcare providers to avoid some levels of physical activity to protect their health. There are several health barriers to fitness, depending on the health issues you’re dealing with. The first thing you want to do is speak with your healthcare professional about what options are available to you. Your doctor can help you create special fitness routines with dos and don’ts to guide you. It also helps to get immediate diagnosis and treatment for pain and aches that make it difficult to exercise. For example, if you experience frequent chest pain after strenuous activity, visit your doctor for immediate diagnosis and treatment.
- Lack of time
Whether it’s your work, family obligations, or anything tying you down, an inability to make enough time to see through your fitness goals is a common barrier to fitness. Because the things that eat into a person’s time vary, take the time to monitor your lifestyle. Monitor your daily routines for a week or two and identify what activities take up a chunk of your time. Then, find ways to get at least 30 minutes of free time each day that you can devote to physical activity. Alternatively, you can find creative ways to incorporate various physical activities into your routines. For example, instead of driving short distances, make it a healthy walk.
- No motivation or lack of energy
You need to have a schedule you can stick to. If your current fitness or workout schedule makes it impossible for you to motivate yourself, you need to change it. First, consider the best time that works for you. Decide what time of the day you feel the most energized to exercise. Many people consider waking up early to be the best time for them. But if it interferes with you getting enough sleep, you can consider working out later in the day instead. Alternatively, you can make the necessary lifestyle changes to start sleeping early. The second thing is your fitness routines. If you find no joy in your current exercises, consider fun alternatives.
- Lack of commitment and accountability
Maybe you already have a fitness plan and goals you want to achieve, but you always struggle to stay committed. Lack of commitment can be a massive barrier to a life of fitness. And having no one to hold you accountable is one of the most common reasons many people fail to commit themselves to the level of discipline fitness demands. You should consider getting a fitness buddy— someone to motivate you, remind you, keep you on your toes, and hold you accountable. This person can be your physical trainer, workout buddy, or anyone else you can trust with this responsibility. You can also consider downloading a fitness app or reminder to help you stay committed to your workout schedules.
- Anxiety, lack of skill, and inexperience
Some people hesitate to exercise or visit the gym because of inexperience or lack of skill. Some have anxiety because they fear they might make mistakes and embarrass themselves at the gym. But a lack of skill should not keep you from exercising. You can select activities that do not require learning new skills or using strange equipment. For example, you can go for walks, run, or jog. You can also exercise at home by improvising with the basic things you have around you. However, it’s always possible to learn new skills. So you can take the time to learn the right techniques and workout skills from someone else. And before you use any gym equipment for the first time, ask an instructor how to use it and its benefits.
