Barriers to Starting a Fitness Journey
Fitness Barriers to Getting Started
Welcome to “Fitness for Thought” These blogs are my opinion on topics in the fitness industry and will not always be backed by what science says. Instead, it is my thoughts as a fitness coach and gym owner. I believe it is extremely important to share personal perspectives on topics because there is so much information out there and it can be really difficult to sort through the muck and find things that you agree with.
This post is about what stops people from getting started with fitness. Maybe you will read something and agree, maybe you will get a new perspective, or maybe you will think my opinions are completely wrong. Either way, here is some Fitness for Thought.
Tons of people think about starting a fitness journey but never actually get one going. Why is that?
An individual won’t start a fitness journey because of their misconception of the amount of time it takes. You do not need to have an excess of time to make a positive impact on your life through fitness. No matter your goal, all you need is a couple of minutes per day to get started. Get out of the mindset that you need to spend an hour in the gym or even 30 minutes for that matter. Let’s take weight loss as an example. If you currently don’t exercise wouldn’t you agree that doing 10 minutes of an activity is better than 0? The best part is that once you start carving out 10 minutes, it becomes easier to make that 15 minutes and beyond. Doing something is better than doing nothing so time should not be an excuse. Get something in and start from there.
You won’t start because you don’t know what to do. This one is an easy fix and leads me to the next one so we will talk about them both together. You won’t start because you are scared to ask for help. It is simple really if you don’t know what to do. Ask someone who does. Hire a coach. Read online. Find a routine to follow and follow it! Now this answer is likely not what someone in this boat wants to hear, but it is the truth. If you are worried about asking for help for any reason, maybe you don’t want to admit you don’t know what you are doing, or maybe you are just not comfortable asking. The professionals in this industry are always there to help. There is absolutely 0 shame in asking for help. I for one should have asked for a program or a trainer when I started. You will make better progress from the start and learn along the way.
You won’t start because you are self-conscious in the gym/are worried about people looking at you. I will be honest, a lot of people will tell you no one is looking at you. I say that yes, people will see you in the gym. But you know what. They see you in the GYM. Everyone is there for the same reasons and seeing someone working hard in the gym is a positive thought. I do understand if you feel awkward or feel like you don’t belong, and for this, I have a couple of solutions. #1 Don’t go to a big box gym. Find a privately owned gym. The communities at these gyms are fantastic and supportive. These gyms can be harder to find sometimes since they don’t have the advertising budget of a big box but look around and you will find them. #2 Ask someone for help. Working with a trainer, a friend, or another gym goer can definitely help ease the feeling of prying eyes. #3 Start with training at home. There are plenty of home routines to get started and learn the ropes. My number 1 pick? Find a private gym and sign up with a friend.
No matter your barrier to starting a fitness routine I am confident we can find you a solution. Always feel free to send us an email at nextleveltwf@gmail.com and tell us your barrier. Let’s work through it together!
