Many of us, myself included will find any excuse not to go to the gym. Would you rather go to eat? Watch Netflix? Hangout with friends? Do you know the real reason why you aren’t motivated to exercise?

• Here are a few questions to ask yourself…  
  • Is there a gym located near you for you to exercise? Is the cost too high?
  • Do your friends motivate you to exercise? Family?
  • Lack of time?
  • Bored while exercising? Lack of enjoyment?

Let’s Get To the Bottom of This!

While sitting in my KIN 381 class, Exercise Behavior & Psychosocial Outcomes, I began to think about the barriers that have held me back from exercising… so consider these few things because these barriers can almost always be overcome

• Is there a gym near you that you can exercise at? If not… Go for a jog or walk in your neighborhood.
• Do any of your friends and family exercise? If not… Come up with a plan so that you can all exercise together!
• Are you not sure of any exercises to do? If not… Check out some ideas on the internet or ask around.
• Do you have the time during your busy day to exercise? If you don’t… Substitute the hour you watch Netflix, with an hour working out at the gym.

What Does It Mean to Be Active? What If I’m Inactive?

• Adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercises per week to stay active.
• This can be 30-60 min of moderate-intensity exercise 5 days a week, or 20-60 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise 3 days a week.
  • Moderate intensity exercises include: Brisk walking (at least 2.5 miles per hour), water aerobics, or biking slower than 10 mph.
  • Vigorous intensity exercises include: Hiking uphill, running, swimming laps, jumping rope, or biking 10 mph or faster.

If inactive…

• High blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers are at risk.
• Sedentary= not participating in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on at least 3 days of the week for at least 3 months.

LET’S GET ACTIVE…DO’s and DON’Ts

DO:

• Stretch before you start exercising
• Try new exercises
• Have self-confidence and believe in yourself
• Reach out to friends, family, and the internet for workout ideas
• Bring water and stay hydrated

DON’T:

• Rush into any exercise that you think might be too intense
• Get discouraged
• Do anything you are not comfortable with doing
• Eat too much beforehand. Save your carbs for before, and your protein for after.

What’s Stopping You?

Self-efficacy is defined as situation-specific self-confidence. If your self-confidence is low and you choose not to exercise, there may be four different explanations for that. Not to worry! That can be fixed. The following 4 things predict self-efficacy.

• Past performance: What are your previous experiences like when exercising?
• Vicarious experience: Do you have any friends or family who exercise? Do you have a friend that regularly goes to the gym who you can join?
• Social persuasion: Are people cheering you on? Your friends, family? Is there verbal support?
• Physiological affect: Do you know what it feels like to exercise? Are you worried about pain or fatigue?

These 4 things can be applied to one’s behavior around exercise.

Tips and Tricks

Even from my own personal experience, sometimes it is really difficult to find the motivation to exercise.

There are a few things you can do in order to make it easier to get yourself moving!

• If your gym sneakers and gym clothes are packed away, then as they say, out of sight out of mind.
  • Solution: Put your gym sneakers out in the open, on the floor near the door to your bedroom for example, or keep your gym clothes on your desk.
• Stay away from junk food! I know it can be difficult but you will feel better after eating healthy.
  • Solution: Replace your junk food with some healthy choices. If you want to keep your junk food, hide it somewhere not as easy to access.

• If you are starting from a sedentary lifestyle to exercising, it is best to start small.
  • Walk a mile or two on the treadmill with a friend. Even bring your cellphone to watch your favorite Netflix show while you are walking, one of my personal favorites!

FIND MOTIVATION! YOU CAN DO IT!

Whether it is your friends who all go to the gym, your significant other who you want to get fit for, your mom and dad who you want to show how hard you can work, or simply just for your own good, finding motivation is key.

• “If someone is intrinsically motivated to exercise they will likely stick with it. By intrinsic I mean the person is exercising for the love of it and they are doing it for themselves out of sheer enjoyment. If someone is exercising for purely extrinsic reasons, such as receiving an award, or perceived pressure, the person is likely going to stop exercising when the extrinsic motivation is achieved or removed. That doesn’t mean extrinsic motivation doesn’t have a place in trying to get someone moving. If we are looking for BEST potential outcome, then your reason for exercising should come from your own personal reasons. The key is to find the reasons that work for you personally.” –Leah Dorfman, KIN 381 Professor

Keep working hard, you got this. There is always room for improvement and growth. Don’t be scared. There are others just like you who are thinking the same thing, you are not alone!

See ya next week and keep working hard,
Leila