Why you’re not exercising and how to start

You know it’s good for your physical and mental health, but exercise just isn’t something you do. Just thinking about it makes you tired.

IF this sounds like you, you’re not alone. Less than half the adults in the United States meet the recommended requirements of physical activity necessary for cardiovascular health. It’s pretty much the same for strength training.

Yet, two hours of exercise per week prevents 30 percent of illnesses, improves quality of life, and increases lifespan. So why aren’t more people doing it?

In order to answer this, it helps to know what motivates people to exercise. If we were able to figure out what gets people moving, we’d be able to tap into that motivation and convince more people to become more active.

Researchers in Tel Aviv found three primary motivators:

Physical Appearance

People want to lose weight or build muscle. This category had the largest percentage of people.

Physical Health

This group worked out to prevent illness or control chronic conditions.

Mental Health

People liked how exercise affected their mood. They exercised to reduce stress and anxiety, and alleviate symptoms of depression.

But understanding motivation is only one part of figuring out how to get people to exercise. That’s because motivation fluctuates. One day it can be high, and the next day, it’s gone. Motivation isn’t enough. You can’t rely on it as the single driving force to exercise regularly.

In order to do that, you must develop what researchers call “adherence strategies.” You need to build habits to stay committed.

While this may sound daunting, there are real steps you can take to make regular exercise attainable and a part of your life.

Rely on routine instead of motivation.

Find a time for exercise every day, and make it part of your daily schedule. The American Heart Association recommends tracking your schedule for an entire week and carving out three 30-minute slots for exercise. Once you find your pockets of time, incorporate them into your daily routine and stay committed to that time.

Be realistic about the time you actually have. Sometimes, 30 minutes may not be feasible. You may have to divide it into three ten-minute blocks you can schedule throughout your day.

Set a goal.

A goal looks different for everybody. Your goal can be to jump rope three times a week, or plank for a minute, or run a 5k. Reaching a goal can provide a lot of satisfaction and motivate you to set new goals and continue exercising.

Choose an activity you enjoy.

You’re less likely to engage in an exercise you dislike, so choose one that feels like fun. If you like dancing, try Zumba. If you want low-impact resistance training, check out TRX. Do you enjoy the outdoors? Consider bike-riding or running. If you get bored, change things up.

Get an exercise partner.

A partner can hold you accountable and you can both make sure the other doesn’t slack off. Besides, everything is more fun when you have company.

Use digital tools.

No time? Fitness apps and exercise videos allow you to work out at home whenever works for you.

Track your progress.

Get a notebook and track your exercise. When you see how much you’ve done, you’ll be motivated to continue.

Consider adding a mindfulness practice.

Researchers in Bath, England, tracked 109 adults for 30 days, and each participant was asked to walk 8,000 steps per day. Participants were divided into two groups. The first group received trackers. The second group received trackers, and were also enrolled in a short daily mindfulness program that focused on movement and exercise.

After 30 days, everyone improved, but there was a difference between the two groups. The first group — the ones who had the tracker only — added an additional 297 minutes of exercise to their weekly routine. The second group — the ones who had a mindfulness practice as well as the tracker — added 373 minutes to their weekly exercise routines.

Researchers were excited by the results. First, the trackers seem to encourage people to move more. But it also appears that a mindfulness practice helps set an intention, which can predict future behavior. Setting a conscious intention to become more active can open the door to making that intention a reality.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 955)