We all know exercise is good for us.
Regular physical activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, can lower people's risk of a heart attack, colon cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as help with weight control, relieve arthritis pain and even reduce symptoms of depression. It can also cut down on visits to the hospital and doctor's office, as well as the need for medications.
Apparently, however, that's not enough to get us up off our couches and into the gym. More than half of U.S. adults don't engage in activity levels consistent with public health recommendations--and 24% aren't active at all in their free time.
The most common excuse: a lack of time.
On top of commuting and working 60 to 80 hour weeks, you have a spouse
and children competing for attention at home. By the end of the day,
the need for sleep tends to override any desire to get fit. A 2007
University of Pittsburgh physical activity study, for instance, found
that having a baby alone can cause men to work out almost 4.5 fewer
hours per week, while women's activity levels fell by 1.3 hours.
But, fitness experts say, there's more to it than
that. Any number of factors might be influencing your lack of
motivation to get moving, ranging from where you live to how well you adapt to changes in your life.
"People
underestimate the psychology (involved)," says Fabio Comana, an
exercise physiologist and research scientist with the Genesis Wellness
Group and a consultant for the American Council on Exercise.
To
begin with, women generally work out less than men, says Amy Eyler,
associate professor at the Saint Louis University School of Public
Health and editor of a book examining women and physical activity.
Through her research, Eyler found Caucasian women felt guilty taking
time for themselves, while Latina, American Indian and African-American
women cited societal pressure to care for others before themselves.
For some people, the idea of going to the gym and figuring out how to use the array of equipment is terrifying . Others don't like the idea of huffing and puffing in their sweats in front of a crowd.
Women, in particular, are less likely to take a walk if they don't see other women in their neighborhood exercising,
Eyler says. That could be because they they don't feel safe or worry
that exercising isn't an accepted local norm, or it could be because of
a simple lack of encouragement.
Safety
can be an even bigger roadblock. People with lower incomes tend to be
less physically active. New research from Harvard University published
in the journal PLoS Medicine suggests one major reason is
that people living in low-income areas may not consider their
neighborhoods safe enough to perform outdoor exercise. In a 2007 study,
women in a low-income section of Boston who reported feeling unsafe at
night took 1,000 fewer steps per day than other women--that's 20% less
physical activity.
Or perhaps you're just out of self-control.
If you've spent the day trying to avoid birthday cake or a smoke break
at the office, you may not have the stamina to hit your evening
spinning class. Researchers from Florida State University have found
that self-control isn't an unlimited resource. The more self-control
you exert, the less you have left.
Whatever your barriers are,
Comana says, in most cases there's something you can do to overcome
them. If you don't think you can afford a gym membership,
which averages up to $55 a month for individuals, according to the
International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, at least try
asking if the initiation fee can be waived.
If you really don't
have an hour to change into workout gear and get sweaty, make a point
of briskly walking between your daily appointments. Ten minutes here
and 10 minutes there can add up. If gyms intimidate you, consider
joining a specialty club, such as Curves--a fitness and weight-loss
facility for women--or the boomer-friendly chain Nifty after Fifty.
And if you hate the idea of exercising in general,
Comana recommends working with a personal trainer who can help you get
past your negative association by starting you out slowly. Once you've
exceeded your trainer's expectations and felt your dopamine and energy
levels rise, you may start to realize you can do this.
You just have to be willing to get up off the couch and change.
"If you don't factor behavior change into your program," Comana says, "your program is worthless."
