The 3 Most Common Reasons People Stop Exercising (and what you can do to change)

No matter how determined you are to reach your health and fitness goals, you can start to lose your motivation after a while. You’re not alone if this is the case.

You only have to head to a busy gym in January that is packed full of people who had ‘get fit for summer’ on their new year’s resolution list, only to return a few months later and find that most of these people have already stopped going.

Almost two-third of adults in America do not achieve the recommended amount of daily exercise. There are lots of reasons why people stop exercising, ranging from time constraints to financial issues to fatigue. In fact, it’s easy to come up with reasons not to exercise! Here are three of the most common reasons that people stop exercising and some simple solutions that will get you back into an exercise routine in no time.

Boredom

If you’ve been doing the same workout for a few months or more, it can get stale very quickly. To fix this, switch up your workouts. Try a new cardio machine, grab some weights, try resistance training, and join a local sports team. Keep your workouts varied and avoid doing the same thing over and over again to increase your motivation and enjoyment around exercise.

Lack of Time

A better title would be ‘lack of perceived time.’ Many people use the excuse that they have no time to exercise.

In reality, most people have plenty of time to squeeze a workout in, even if it’s just a quick HIIT session at home. But instead of working out, the majority of people choose to chill out after a hard day at work. Before they know it, the evening has come to an end, and it’s time for bed!

If you’re struggling to find time for exercise, try and multitask. If you’ve arranged to see a friend one evening, ask them if you can get a workout done together. On your way home from work, stop off at the gym for a quick 30-minute workout, so you truly relax when you get home. If you have children and you’re finding it difficult to get reliable childcare, try to find a health facility that has a daycare center attached to it, or do a fun yoga session with your kids!

Lack of Money

We all have bills to pay, and sometimes buying a gym membership is not financially viable. However, there are lots of ways you can exercise for free outside of the gym. Here are some super easy workout methods that don’t require any payment.

• Take your dog for a walk around the park
• Grab a friend and go for a run
• Head to the community swimming pool to do some laps
• Do some HIIT training in your back garden or park
• Follow a workout video in your living room