Common Barriers to Physical Activity

Get rid of the 'all or nothing' mentality!

It is very common for your plans to go off course – you know what they say about the best laid plans! What is important to remind yourself here, is that being physically active is NOT an all or nothing situation. If your plan was to go for a 30-minute walk today, but the weather has turned sour, or you are too tired, or you are just not in the mood, consider what you CAN do instead.

The whole day/week is a write off...

Perhaps a bigger barrier has come your way? Sickness, change in work/family schedule, or even something fun like a holiday, can put a bit more of a spanner in the works to your usual routine. At these times, remember that life will always have its ups and downs, and you just have to make do when you can.

Be kind to yourself and your situation, and when you can safely and comfortably get moving again, set a small goal to get you back into the swing of things.

The first step in overcoming barriers, is to acknowledge them

Let's have a look at some common barriers for not getting physically active and some work around options for each of them:

Common barriers & Strategies on how to overcome them

• Plan ahead – schedule your exercise into your day / week
• Think small – can you fit in a 10-minute walk? 2 minutes of stretches?
• Fit it in your usual day– park the car further away, take the stairs instead of the lift
• Be kind to yourself – if you miss a day, try again tomorrow
• Set your alarm 10 mins earlier in the morning
• Walk for short journeys - to the local shops, the library, cafe, medical appointment or other destinations that are less than 2km from where you live

• The tricky thing here is – being physically active helps increase energy levels – maybe start with a light walk and assess how you feel?
• Being active can offer a moment of relaxation and help you to wind down, even if you are tired. How about some mindfulness while walking, or deep breathing while stretching?
• Plan activity for when you are feeling your best – are you a morning person? Or night owl? It’s up to you! Do what works for you
• Review your sleep hygiene – are you working with or against your natural body clock
• If you are dealing with ongoing fatigue or need some extra support with energy, always seek advice from your health professional

• Think about what can you do given the weather. Can you be active indoors? How about a walk around the local shopping centre, or a free online exercise class, or find an exercise class near you?
• It is a great chance to complete your strength or stretch exercises in the comfort of your own home.
• If it’s a light drizzle, grab your raincoat and gum boots and enjoy the beauty of walking in nature!

• You’re never too old! There is always something that can be done.
• Myth-buster alert! Physical activity does not need to be intensive in order to be effective. Simply moving from a sedentary activity to a mobile activity of any kind is better than nothing at all!
• Start with active hobbies to help shift your mindset – gardening, golf, lawn bowls – or tie it into your social calendar and meet a friend for an easy walk.

• Always be guided by your healthcare professional before exercising with an injury or sickness
• Consider what is safe and what parts of your body you can still move, or how much movement you can tolerate
• Be kind to yourself – if you need to take some time to recover, take the time, and start again when possible.

For more common barriers and ways to work around them, visit Better Health Victoria’s blog.