Getting Rid of Your Excuses Not to Exercise

From the Rancho Bernardo (CA) Patch.

"It seems that the hardest part of incorporating physical activity into your day is removing all the barriers that keep you sedentary. The typical reasons people say they are not physically active are:

Lack of time
Lack of energy
Social influence
Fear of injury
Lack of skill
Lack of resources
Lack of willpower/motivation
Weather conditions
Retirement years
Inconsistent work schedule

As you can see, there is no shortage of barriers to physical activity, but that doesn’t mean these barriers need to stop you from getting your daily allotment of exercise. The first step in overcoming physical activity barriers is to identify the top reason you don’t exercise and develop a specific plan to overcome that barrier.

I think one of the most common reasons people don’t exercise is a lack of time, so here are some suggestions and examples of how you can strategize to overcome this barrier.

Write down your schedule on paper so you can see exactly what your day looks like. Look for times during your day when you could stop and exercise. For example:

Walk your kids to school instead of drive.
Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
Take a shorter lunch and go for a walk.
Get to work earlier so you can go to the gym on your way home.

Another reason people report not being physically active is that they feel self-conscious while they exercise. Gyms can be very intimidating and walking around your neighborhood may not be something you are comfortable with. If this is a concern for you, then assess what resources you have. There are many personal trainers that will come to your home or work out in small groups. There are classes and gyms specifically designed for different ages and genders that might work for you. Another way to overcome the social barrier is to work out with a friend or someone you feel comfortable with.

No matter what your barrier to physical activity is, there are lots of ways you can strategize and plan to improve your level of fitness. It all starts with you making a plan and setting goals to improve your activity level."

What if you don't have the use of all your limbs, or are beset with incurable chronic pain? I'm not--I'm just lazy, but others aren't.

I'm trying to work out a way to dump the satellite and TV, rearrange the living room, and fit in some sort of walking device: treadmill, stair stepper, or elliptical machine. Trouble is, though, I'd be throwing out the only visual distraction I'd have for myself.

Maybe if I could figure out how to get the internet on my TV, I could rig up Hulu and just watch my shows AND stride away for an hour or so a day...it'll come to me eventually. In the meantime, there's always the push-pull-drag lawn mower, and my own yard plus the neighbor's yard.