It is never easy sticking to a consistent exercise schedule because a lack of willpower, time, or a fear of injury gets in the way. Many fitness barriers affect our self-confidence and lower our motivation when it comes to active living.
However, there are ways to overcome these challenges so you can enjoy healthy activities and make them a daily part of your routine with ease.
Making Time for Healthy Activities
If you are drowning with work and barely get time to exercise, you may need to creatively squeeze in a few minutes of healthy activities to stay fit. Many people do not have time to do a full workout every day, but you can go on short walks because any small activity is better than nothing.
You should always aim to wake up earlier and try completing half an hour of exercise in the mornings. If you cannot do a full stretch, you can split these minutes and do fast short jogs, or HIIT exercises. There are several apps with workout programs for less than 15 minutes a day, so you can fit them into your lunch break or in between meetings.
To maintain healthy living, you should also try and revamp your daily habits. For example, avoid driving if you need to go a few blocks away and go brisk walking instead. On your days off work, you can make up for the lack of exercise by doing a long bike ride or rock-climbing session.
Feeling Bored
Many exercises are repetitive and can wear you down if you keep doing the same thing for several weeks or months. You should always partake in activities that keep you interested and motivated. Otherwise, it is challenging to make them a part of your daily routine.
You should always attempt to rotate between healthy activities. For instance, if you went walking today, you should go for a bike ride tomorrow instead and then schedule a swim for the day after. This way, you will also condition different muscle groups without getting bored and lethargic.
It also helps to join forces with friends, neighbors, family members, or co-workers. You can talk to them about overcoming fitness barriers by exercising daily and ask if they would like to join. Having a fitness buddy can make committing to an active lifestyle way more fun.
You can hold each other accountable to fulfill your health goals. Encourage each other to work out together and feel a surge of confidence when you notice your body looking and feeling fitter than it ever has been.
Lacking Self-Confidence
Unfortunately, we live in a world where people are judged for their external appearances even if they go out and exercise. This happens at the gym, where those without muscles may lack the willpower to lift weights around bodybuilders to avoid being mocked.
You should avoid letting this get to you because you are significantly improving your cardiovascular health by exercising. Here are ways you can feel stronger after a workout if you have low self-esteem in public.
Avoid crowded gyms and exercise classes if you are uncomfortable around other people. You can switch to exercise videos on your TV at home or smartphone. Or invest in your own treadmill, stationary bicycle, stairclimbing machine, or a set of weights.
Keep focusing on the future and praise yourself for making such a profound commitment to your health. The more you exercise, the better you will feel, and your self-confidence will go through the roof in no time.
When this happens, you can slowly start going to the gym if you feel comfortable enough to not care what others think. Remember that your fitness goals and dreams matter the most, and you are working hard to improve yourself despite what others say.
Fear of Injury
If you are afraid of hurting yourself while exercising, you should start with simple healthy activities like walking. Always warm-up before exercising to stretch your muscles, and do a quick cool down at the end to avoid feeling too sore the next day.
There may be times while walking or running when your feet may feel a sharp discomfort. This can make even the smallest healthy activities unbearable. If you struggle with plantar fasciitis, you will need to change your footwear to maintain an active living.
Whether your pain level is high or low, you can always find the best arch and heel support with these shoes for plantar fasciitis.
Let Go of Past Failures
Many of us give up on exercise routines, especially if they did not motivate us in the past. We go strong for a few weeks and then feel the energy draining away. This makes it hard to keep working out, especially when we are distracted by other things like work or raising kids.
Think about what went wrong the last time and why you wanted to stop exercising. This can help you learn from your mistakes. Healthy activities are the best way to prevent high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease risks. You can always make a positive impact by exercising regularly. Always give it another try, even if you could not keep up in the past.
Pace yourself by building up to intensive workouts later when your body is more muscular and set realistic goals. Do not put pressure on yourself to exercise every day for an hour, and start with smaller sessions for 20 minutes or less.
Celebrate achieving daily fitness goals instead of thinking too far ahead in the future. Reward yourself so you can always feel motivated to keep exercising.
Feel Motivated Today
We all have our own fitness barriers that prevent us from engaging in healthy activities. These can be mental and physical obstacles, but the key is to change daily habits and routines to make your workouts fun.
When you have a lot of fun going rock climbing or brisk walking with a friend, you will never want to stay too long on the couch again. If you enjoyed these health and exercise tips, check out our website for more.