Why is it hard to exercise? We all know that it is good for us, will make us live longer and healthier lives. So why aren’t we exercising everyday? What stops us? I think there are many reasons and these will be different for all of us. Do any of the following resonate with you?
I don’t have the time, I’ve got a busy life, too many other things to do.
I don’t enjoy it and it hurts! Why put myself through this when I could sit on the sofa.
The gym intimidates me (gymtimidation is a real thing), all those young muscled men make me feel uncomfortable, and I don’t know what all those machines do.
Where do I start? I see so many things on social media telling me that theirs is the only way to lose belly fat.
All of these reasons are very valid, and I think the older you get the harder it can be to get started. But it is so important to exercise, and there are ways to overcome them. Here are some of my favourites.
Exercise with a friend or a partner. It is easier to make the time when you know you are meeting a friend and there is accountability when you say you are meeting up with them to go for a walk or a bike ride.
Join a club. Clubs are welcoming places, love to have new members and it doesn’t matter if you don’t know much about whatever activity it is, you’ll get lots of help. As a bonus, you might end up with a new group of friends.
Get a personal trainer (such as myself). They can understand what it is you want to achieve and what you most enjoy doing. Then you will get a plan to follow. They will also motivate you, personal trainers are passionate about what they do and this will rub off onto you too. You will also get accountability. Most gyms will have personal trainers attached to them too.
Whatever you do, don’t set huge goals for yourself to start with. Having something that is easy to achieve will make you more likely to stick with it. I like to give exercise snacks to my clients, an easy 5-10 minute session they can do – and everyone can squeeze in that amount of time into their day and you will feel just a little bit smug once you’ve done it!