2.6: Sticking to Your Plan- Strategies for Overcoming Common Barriers to Exercise
- Page ID
- 110483
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Sticking to Your Plan: Strategies for Overcoming Common Barriers to Exercise
Creating a fitness plan is an important step toward achieving a healthier lifestyle. However, even with a well-developed plan, many people still struggle to maintain regular physical activity. Despite the numerous health benefits of exercise, two out of three (60%) Americans do not engage in physical activity at the recommended levels. Many people struggle to follow through with their fitness goals because of a combination of personal, psychological, and environmental barriers. The 10 most common reasons adults cite for not adopting more physically active lifestyles are (Sallis and Hovell, 1990; Sallis et al., 1992):
- Do not have enough time to exercise
- Find it inconvenient to exercise
- Lack self-motivation
- Do not find exercise enjoyable
- Find exercise boring
- Lack of confidence in their ability to be physically active (low self-efficacy)
- Fear being injured or have been injured recently
- Lack of self-management skills, such as the ability to set personal goals, monitor progress, or reward progress toward such goals
- Lack of encouragement, support, or companionship from family and friends, and
- Do not have parks, sidewalks, bicycle trails, or safe and pleasant walking paths convenient to their homes or offices.
Understanding these barriers is essential for developing strategies to overcome them and stay on track with your fitness plan. Staying committed to a fitness routine can be challenging, but incorporating a few key strategies can help increase motivation and ensure long-term adherence.
1. Start Slowly to Improve Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy refers to your belief in your ability to accomplish a specific task—in this case, sticking to your fitness routine. Starting slowly helps to build this belief by allowing you to experience small successes. Beginning with manageable exercises, then gradually increasing the intensity and complexity, creates a sense of progress without overwhelming you. Small wins build your confidence and create positive reinforcement. Each step forward increases your belief that you can reach your fitness goals.
2. Find a Workout Partner or Training Group
Having a workout partner or joining a training group can provide social support and accountability, which are essential for long-term success. A partner or group offers encouragement, positive reinforcement, and shared experiences that can enhance your motivation to show up and push through tough days. Exercising with others increases social engagement and provides an extra layer of commitment, as you don’t want to let down your partner or group. The social aspect of exercising can make the process more enjoyable, so you're more likely to continue attending workouts. It also reduces the likelihood of skipping sessions due to external pressures or distractions.
3. Exercise Safely to Reduce Injury and Build Confidence
Safety is crucial when starting or maintaining a fitness routine. Injury can be a major barrier to continuing exercise while exercising safely ensures that you're progressing without setbacks. By learning proper form, pacing, and taking appropriate rest, you reduce the risk of injury and can make consistent progress. When you feel confident in your ability to exercise without the fear of injury, you're more likely to stick with it. Injuries can also lead to extended breaks from exercise, which can derail your progress and diminish your motivation. Exercising safely helps prevent this and keeps you on track. For more on this topic, see 2.7 Physical Activity is Safe for Almost Everyone.
4. Change the Exercise to Keep it Interesting
Repetitive routines can lead to boredom and burnout. To keep your fitness plan fresh and engaging, try alternating the types of exercise (e.g., running, cycling, swimming) and adjust the intensity or duration to provide variety. You can also modify your activities to make them more enjoyable, such as listening to music, watching shows or videos, or choosing fitness classes that bring a sense of excitement. Engaging in specialized activities like rock climbing, dance, or yoga can add a fun twist, making exercise feel more like an enjoyable hobby than a task. When the activity itself sparks interest, you are more likely to look forward to your workouts. Variety in your routine also allows you to target different fitness components, like strength, endurance, and flexibility, keeping you motivated and preventing plateaus.
5. Track and Monitor Your Progress
Keeping track of your progress, whether through fitness apps, journals, or simple logs, helps you visualize your achievements. Tracking allows you to see how much you’ve improved over time, whether it’s an increase in the number of reps, more time spent exercising, or a greater sense of energy and well-being. Tracking gives you tangible evidence of progress. As you look back and see improvements, it reinforces your commitment to the plan and boosts your motivation to continue. Regularly monitoring your progress provides structure to your routine and helps you stay focused on your goals. It creates a sense of accountability to your plan and reminds you of how far you've come.
6. Reward Yourself for Progress
Rewarding yourself is a great way to stay motivated and reinforce positive behavior. Whether you celebrate small wins or larger milestones, rewards can help you stay focused and make the process more enjoyable. For example, after reaching a certain fitness goal or completing a challenging week of workouts, you might treat yourself to a new fitness-related gadget you've been eyeing. The key is to make sure the rewards are aligned with your overall goal and don’t undermine your progress (e.g., avoiding unhealthy food rewards, or skipping exercise days). These rewards provide positive reinforcement and remind you that each step forward is worth celebrating, boosting motivation to continue working toward your next goal.
7. Change Your Environment and Incorporate Visual Cues
Adjusting your surroundings can make it easier to stay consistent with your fitness plan. For example, packing your gym clothes in your car or keeping exercise gear by the front door can serve as subtle reminders to stay active. Creating a schedule that prioritizes exercise and planning ahead to reserve time for physical activity can help ensure consistency. Additionally, visual cues can be powerful motivators—placing your running shoes in plain sight or writing motivational notes on your calendar can reinforce your commitment. A supportive environment fosters positive habits and makes it more convenient to follow through with your plan.
By incorporating these strategies, you address key psychological factors that influence behavior change, such as self-efficacy, social support, and reinforcement. Together, they make it easier to overcome common barriers to exercise and can significantly improve adherence to your fitness plan.
Citations:
- 11.4: Adding Physical Activity to Your Life by Garrett Rieck & Justin Lundin is licensed CC BY 4.0.
- OpenAI. (2024). Strategies for staying active: Tips for overcoming common barriers to fitness. Retrieved from [ChatGPT].