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Given the health benefits of regular physical
activity, we might have to ask why two out of three (60%) Americans are not
active at recommended levels.
Many technological advances and conveniences
that have made our lives easier and less active, many personal variables,
including physiological, behavioral, and psychological factors, may affect our
plans to become more physically active. In fact, 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 confidence in their ability to be
physically active (low self-efficacy)
- Fear being injured or have been injured
recently
- Lack self-management skills, such as the
ability to set personal goals, monitor progress, or reward progress toward
such goals
- Lack 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 common barriers to physical
activity and creating strategies to overcome them may help you make physical
activity part of your daily life.
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Suggestions for Overcoming Physical
Activity Barriers |
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Lack of time |
Identify available time slots. Monitor your
daily activities for one week. Identify at least three 30-minute time
slots you could use for physical activity. |
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Add physical activity to your daily routine.
For example, walk or ride your bike to work or shopping, organize school
activities around physical activity, walk the dog, exercise while you
watch TV, park farther away from your destination, etc. |
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Make time for physical activity. For example,
walk, jog, or swim during your lunch hour, or take fitness breaks
instead of coffee breaks. |
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Select activities requiring minimal time, such
as walking, jogging, or stairclimbing. |
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Social influence |
Explain your interest in physical activity to
friends and family. Ask them to support your efforts. |
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Invite friends and family members to exercise
with you. Plan social activities involving exercise. |
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Develop new friendships with physically active
people. Join a group, such as the YMCA or a hiking club. |
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Lack of energy |
Schedule physical activity for times in the
day or week when you feel energetic. |
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Convince yourself that if you give it a
chance, physical activity will increase your energy level; then, try it. |
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Lack of motivation |
Plan ahead. Make physical activity a regular
part of your daily or weekly schedule and write it on your calendar. |
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Invite a friend to exercise with you on a
regular basis and write it on both your calendars. |
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Join an exercise group or class. |
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Fear of injury |
Learn how to warm up and cool down to prevent
injury. |
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Learn how to exercise appropriately
considering your age, fitness level, skill level, and health status. |
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Choose activities involving minimum risk. |
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Lack of skill |
Select activities requiring no new skills,
such as walking, climbing stairs, or jogging. |
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Exercise with friends who are at the same
skill level as you are. |
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Find a friend who is willing to teach you some
new skills. |
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Take a class to develop new skills. |
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Lack of resources |
Select activities that require minimal
facilities or equipment, such as walking, jogging, jumping rope, or
calisthenics. |
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Identify inexpensive, convenient resources
available in your community (community education programs, park and
recreation programs, worksite programs, etc.). |
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Weather conditions |
Develop a set of regular activities that are
always available regardless of weather (indoor cycling, aerobic dance,
indoor swimming, calisthenics, stair climbing, rope skipping, mall
walking, dancing, gymnasium games, etc.) |
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Look on outdoor activities that depend on
weather conditions (cross-country skiing, outdoor swimming, outdoor
tennis, etc.) as "bonuses"-extra activities possible when weather and
circumstances permit. |
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Travel |
Put a jump rope in your suitcase and jump
rope. |
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Walk the halls and climb the stairs in hotels. |
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Stay in places with swimming pools or exercise
facilities. |
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Join the YMCA or YWCA (ask about reciprocal
membership agreement). |
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Visit the local shopping mall and walk for
half an hour or more. |
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Bring a small tape recorder and your favorite
aerobic exercise tape. |
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Family obligations |
Trade babysitting time with a friend,
neighbor, or family member who also has small children. |
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Exercise with the kids-go for a walk together,
play tag or other running games, get an aerobic dance or exercise tape
for kids (there are several on the market) and exercise together. You
can spend time together and still get your exercise. |
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Hire a babysitter and look at the cost as a
worthwhile investment in your physical and mental health. |
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Jump rope, do calisthenics, ride a stationary
bicycle, or use other home gymnasium equipment while the kids are busy
playing or sleeping. |
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Try to exercise when the kids are not around
(e.g., during school hours or their nap time). |
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Encourage exercise facilities to provide child
care services. |
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Retirement years |
Look upon your retirement as an opportunity to
become more active instead of less. Spend more time gardening, walking
the dog, and playing with your grandchildren. Children with short legs
and grandparents with slower gaits are often great walking partners. |
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Learn a new skill you've always been
interested in, such as ballroom dancing, square dancing, or swimming. |
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Now that you have the time, make regular
physical activity a part of every day. Go for a walk every morning or
every evening before dinner. Treat yourself to an exercycle and ride
every day while reading a favorite book or magazine. |
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Content in the "Personal Barriers" section was taken
from Promoting Physical
Activity: A Guide for Community Action (USDHHS, 1999)
Environmental Barriers
Social environments such as school, work, family
and friends can significantly influence an individual's level of physical
activity. However, characteristics of our communities such as the accessibility
and location of parks, trails, sidewalks, and recreational centers as well as
street design, density of housing, and availability of public transit may play
and even greater role in promoting or discouraging an individual or family's
level of physical activity. There are also significant environmental barriers
from water and air pollution to crime and dangerous automobile traffic.
To address this, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention has initiated the ACES: Active Community Environments Initiative
project to promote and support the awareness and development of places where
people of all ages and abilities can easily enjoy walking, bicycling, and other
forms of recreation.
There are many opportunities within our
environment that support physical activities from parks, trails, and sidewalks
to recreation and fitness centers. Even malls provide opportunities for fitness
walking. Understanding environmental opportunities and barriers that we face in
our pursuit for a healthy lifestyle may provide some of the knowledge necessary
to promote healthy living. This information may also provide ideas for advocacy
and civic participation. |
