Top 5 Reasons Why Exercise Programs Fail

We are really out of shape! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two out of three Americans are overweight and one-third are clinically obese. Regular exercise would make things much better, but according to the American College of Sports Medicine, less than half of Americans get the recommended amount of exercise. Add to this the fact that more than 50% of people who start an exercise program abandon it within the first six months. This happens for five main reasons: injury, lack of time, boredom, a lack of support Y a lack of motivation. The good news is that there are specific steps we can take to address each of these issues.

1. Injury. Injuries are the number one reason people abandon their exercise programs. An injury can include significant damage to muscle tissue, such as a sprain, or minor muscle damage that causes pain. Either situation can decrease your motivation to exercise. The most effective way to deal with injuries is to avoid them. You can do this by warming up before exercise, starting with a simple exercise regimen and expanding over time, learning proper form for each exercise, and participating in a variety of strength and aerobic training activities.

two. lack of time. The number one excuse for not exercising is, you guessed it, lack of time. No one thinks they have enough time to exercise, but the truth is that you only need to spend about 30 minutes, 5-6 days a week to get significant health benefits from exercise. Plus, you don’t need a formal exercise regimen. Instead, try to make increased physical activity a part of your daily life. You can do this by bicycling to work or school, participating in physical activities with your children (eg, throwing a Frisbee), participating in sports activities you enjoy (but be careful, this is how injuries often happen), walking about daily, or doing household activities (eg, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow).

3. boredom. Another reason people stop exercising is because they get bored. Therefore, it is important to have variety in your physical activities. Try to do different exercises day by day or week by week. Choose activities that you enjoy, not those that someone else tells you to do. Remember, there is no best exercise. Anything that gets you moving will improve your fitness and overall health.

Four. Lack of support. It’s hard to participate in a successful long-term exercise program without psychological support from family, friends, and even co-workers. Build this support by exercising with others. This is especially powerful early in your exercise regimen. It’s much harder to skip a workout if you have a friend or two working out with you.

5. A lack of motivation. Each of the factors listed above can have a negative impact on your motivation to exercise. However, at the end of the day, you need to define your reasons for exercising. Are you trying to get in shape for a sporting event? Maybe you want to look your best for an upcoming social engagement. Maybe you want to reduce your risk of disease. Whatever your reasons, make them clear in your mind and always keep them in front of you. One way to do this is to write down your reasons for exercising and post them in highly visible areas. This will give you a constant reminder of why you’re exercising and can motivate you to keep going during tough periods when your enthusiasm is low.