What’s stopping you starting your fitness journey?
Want to exercise more but never manage it? Knowing what's getting in your way can help you find a routine that works for you.
The minimum amount we all need to do a week to stay healthy is 150 minutes of moderate activity – or 75 minutes of more vigorous activity – but a third of UK adults don't do enough, according to the World Health Organization.
GOV.UK Diagram
Don't beat yourself up – there are often deep-seated reasons behind lack of exercise, and the good news is you can tackle them and stick to your resolve to get fitter and healthier this year. Read on and think about which category applies most to you (you may fall into more than one), then take our quick ‘what’s stopping you quiz’ to get tailored guidance (free!).
Social environments such as work, college, family, and friends can significantly influence your level of physical activity. However, there are many other factors that influence activity.
The accessibility and location of parks, sports clubs, facilities, exercise groups and recreational centres as well as the density of housing, and availability of parking, transport or public transport play an even greater role in promoting or discouraging physical activity. Technological advances have created a less active society, but this isn’t the only reason that people create barriers to exercising.
The most common reasons adults aren’t more physically active are:
Lack of time
Lack of ability
Worried or embarrassed
Finding exercise boring
Fear of injury
Here are some ways that you can combat the above:
Being active doesn’t have to take more than 10 minutes at a time, and it can even fit into your daily routine. Going for a walk, taking the stairs instead of the lift or doing some 10-minute activities at home or in the office can make it easier to fit being active into your life, however busy you are.
Do you actually lack the knowledge? Most of us know what we should be doing, but don’t. You know cutting out whole food groups, or going on the latest juice or shake diet isn’t something you can do long term, that it isn’t sustainable or healthy. However, if it is the case that you do actually lack the knowledge or need accountability, that’s what professionals are there for. You wouldn’t try to rewire your house, you would hire an electrician. Same goes for fitness. Getting a professional to keep you accountable and help setup those initial goals is powerful.
We believe in you, and you should too. There’s nothing embarrassing about doing something that’s good for you. People across the world of all shapes, sizes and ages are being active, so why don’t you join them? It’s not something that you can get wrong and you won’t look daft, the important thing is to remember that you’re doing something positive for yourself, and that’s something to be proud of. You're doing it for you!
We’ve all been there, so that’s why it’s about trying out different types of exercise. You might secretly be a HIIT cardio bunny or weight training could be your go-to to defog the mind and make you focus on your movement and positioning. You could even be a secret yogi or 1-2-1 PT for a more tailored personalsied approach, but you don’t know until you try. Take it a baby step at a time, you won’t look back.
Learn how to warm up and cool down to prevent injury. Our trainers and coaches can help you with the ideal exercises for warming up and cooling down, we do these in all of our classes because they are crucial. Learn how to exercise appropriately considering your age, fitness level, skill level, and health status. (Again. we can help when you first start training). If you’re still worried, you can choose sessions that involve minimum risk.
You don’t need us to tell you the health benefits of physical activity (but we’ve shared a little snapshot below anyways).
GOV.UK diagram
Feel like you’re ready to find out what’s really stopping you from getting started? Take our quiz here to get tailored guidance.