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Barrier: I have never been into sports.
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.
Barrier: I do not want to spend a lot of money to join a gym or buy workout gear.
Solutions:
Choose free activities. Garden, take your children to the park to play, lift plastic milk jugs filled with water or sand, or take a walk.
Find out if your job offers any discounts on memberships. Some companies get lower membership rates at fitness or community centers. Other companies will even pay for part of an employee’s membership fee.
Check out your local recreation or community center. These centers may cost less than other gyms, fitness centers, or health clubs.
Choose physical activities that do not require any special gear. Walking requires only a pair of sturdy shoes. To dance, just turn on some music.
Barrier: I do not have anyone to watch my kids while I work out.
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.
Barrier: My family and friends are not physically active.
Solutions:
Do not let that stop you. Do it for yourself. Enjoy the rewards—such as better sleep, a happier mood, more energy, and a stronger body—you get from working out.
Join a class or sports league where people count on you to show up. If your basketball team or dance partner counts on you, you will not want to miss a workout, even if your family and friends are not involved.
Barrier: I would be embarrassed if my neighbors or friends saw me exercising.
Solutions:
Ask yourself if it really matters. You are doing something positive for your health and that is something to be proud of. You may even inspire others to get physically active too.
Invite a friend or neighbor to join you. You may feel less self-conscious if you are not alone.
Go to a park, nature trail, or fitness or community center to be physically active. Place Barriers
Barrier: My neighborhood does not have sidewalks.
Solutions:
Find a safe place to walk. Instead of walking in the street, walk in a friend or family member’s neighborhood that has sidewalks. Walk during your lunch break at work. Find out if you can walk at a local school track.
Work out in the yard. Do yard work or wash the car. These count as physical activity too.
Barrier: The winter is too cold/summer is too hot to be active outdoors.
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.
Barrier: I do not feel safe exercising by myself.
Solutions:
Join or start a walking group. You can enjoy added safety and company as you walk.
Take an exercise class at a nearby fitness or community center.
Work out at home. You don’t need a lot of space. Turn on the radio and dance or follow along with a fitness show on TV.
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