Barrier: I have never been into sports.
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Solutions:
- Find a physical activity that you enjoy. You do not have to be an athlete to benefit from physical activity. Try yoga, hiking, or planting a garden.
- Choose an activity that you can stick with, like walking. Just put one foot in front of the other. Use the time you spend walking to relax, talk with a friend or family member, or just enjoy the scenery.
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Barrier: I do not have anyone to watch my kids while I work out.
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Solutions:
- Do something physically active with your kids. Kids need physical activity too. No matter what age your kids are, you can find an activity you can do together. Dance to music, take a walk, run around the park, or play basketball or soccer together.
- Take turns with another parent to watch the kids. One of you minds the kids while the other one works out.
- Hire a baby-sitter.
- Look for a fitness or community center that offers childcare. Centers that have childcare are becoming more popular. Cost and quality vary, so get all the information up front.
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Barrier: I have a health problem (diabetes, heart disease, asthma, arthritis) that I do not want to make worse.
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Solutions:
- Talk with your health care professional. Most health problems are helped by physical activity. Find out what physical activities you can safely do and follow advice about length and intensity of workouts.
- Start slowly. Take it easy at first and see how you feel before trying more challenging workouts. Stop if you feel out of breath, dizzy, faint, or nauseated, or if you have pain.
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Barrier: I have an injury, and do not know what physical activities, if any, I can do.
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Solutions:
- Talk with your health care professional. Ask your physician or physical therapist about what physical activities you can safely perform. Follow advice about length and intensity of workouts.
- Start slowly. Take it easy at first and see how you feel before trying more challenging workouts. Stop if you feel pain.
- Work with a personal trainer. A knowledgeable personal trainer should be able to help you design a fitness plan around your injury.
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Barrier: Getting on a treadmill or stationary bike is boring.
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Solutions:
- Meet a friend for workouts. If your buddy is on the next bike or treadmill, your workout will be less boring.
- Watch TV or listen to music or a book on tape while you walk or pedal indoors. Check out music or books on tape from your local library.
- Get outside. A change in scenery can relieve your boredom. If you are riding a bike outside, be sure to wear a helmet and learn safe rules of the road. For more information about bike safety, read Bike Safety Tips from the American Academy of Family Physicians (http://familydoctor.org/692.xml).
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Barrier: I think my weight is fine, so I am not motivated to exercise.
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Solutions:
- Think about the other health benefits of physical activity. Regular physical activity may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and lower your odds of having heart disease, type 2 diabetes, or cancer. Research shows that people who are overweight, active, and fit live longer than people who are not overweight but are inactive, and unfit. Also, physical activity may lift your mood and increase your energy level.
- Do it just for fun. Play a team sport, work in a garden, or learn a new dance and make getting fit something fun.
- Train for a charity event. You can work to help others while you work out.
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Barrier: The winter is too cold/summer is too hot to be active outdoors.
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Solutions:
- Walk around the mall.
- Join a fitness or community center. Find one that lets you pay only for the months or classes you want, instead of the whole year.
- Exercise at home. Work out to fitness videos or DVDs. Check a different one out from the library each week for variety.
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