5 Common Obstacles + Ideas and Opportunities to Add Movement to Your Day - Elaine Watkins

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Adding physical activity is a common goal this time of year that’s not always successful, so let’s look at 5 common obstacles and opportunities to add movement to your day.

If you’re like me, you probably know you want to increase your level of daily physical activity. You probably have already heard how it can contribute to better health, weight loss, increased energy, a positive attitude, and more.

There’s definitely plenty of research that backs that up including:

2010 study with a focus on the damage being done due to increasing sedentary lifestyle and how just 20 minutes a day of activity could greatly impact on health
2012 study reporting connections between inactivity and chronic diseases including arthritis, hormone issues, dementia, anxiety, depression, some cancers, many cardiovascular issues, and more

But there still seems to be those pesky obstacles that still get in our way and keep us from moving more.

What Are Your Obstacles

Your body has been built for movement, but just in case you’re starting to listen to the “I Can’t Because” list that might be going off in your head, let’s start by listing what might be your most probable obstacles:

Health challenges
Time constraints
Budget constraints
Confusion about what to do
Obstructive thoughts

Are any of these a challenge for you?

It’s great to identify what’s holding you back, but now what?

Now you have to decide what to do next.

Are they legitimate obstacles that you truly do need to consider or more like something you are comfortable with as is or not sure about venturing out of your comfort zone? Is there something that needs to be done to attend to or eliminate the obstacle? Is it something that might sort of dissolve as an obstacle if you think “creatively”?

To help, let’s look at those 5 obstacles a little more closely, consider possibilities, and then wisely and objectively consider your next steps and move forward.

Obstacle #1 – Health Challenges

There can be very real reasons why you should consider checking first and/or regularly when adding or changing your exercise routine. Two personal examples I can share are:

when I gained 30 pounds in just a few months, while on an internationally popular weight loss program and tripling my already aggressive exercise plan only to eventually learn I had significant hormone imbalances and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
when I was redirected to different moves and strategies to avoid aggravating a back injury and to strengthen weak areas to support my health

Lack of movement can definitely be a contributor to health issues, but unwise movement can also hinder health.

When you’re ready to integrate more movement into you day, choose wisely, start small, and pay attention.

Also realize the exercise doesn’t work alone when it comes to health. What you eat, what you do, and what you think are all work together for your health.

Obstacle #2 – Time Constraints

We are busy. We wear many hats and have many responsibilities.

But if you choose to neglect what supports your health, expect to be or become unhealthy. And that will affect your ability to keep up with wearing those hats and taking care of those responsibilities.

Ever heard the plane safety speech where they talk about the oxygen masks dropping down from the overheads and how to put yours on first and then that of your child or other dependent?

This is what I’m talking about.

Can you imagine what would happen if you didn’t put yours on first then you passed out or something…

Okay. I’m stopping there, but you get my point.

If you would refer back to the 2010 study I mentioned above recommending that even 20 minutes a day made a difference, can you find 20 minutes? Some questions you might find helpful to consider are:

are you planning your day and prioritizing what you Must, Should, and Would Like To Get Done
have you prioritized exercise and movement to help you succeed
what isn’t on your schedule that takes time that could be minimized or eliminated
do opportunities already exist where you can add or increase physical activity
what can you decide now as your plan for those inevitable “things” that pop up daily, so they don’t cause you to miss your planned priorities

Obstacle #3 – Budget Constraints

There is almost always some sort of substitute or alternative to the paid version of what you want to do, at least temporarily. I first realized this when preparing to leave the hospital quite a while back when my doctor told me I couldn’t carry my purse and guessed it weighed about 20-25 pounds.

What? With just a little imagination, I’ve got some weight resistance training already with me. While I haven’t deliberately exercised with my purse as a weight, down the road this really got me thinking as I tried out different exercise options or add-ons before buying anything that really wasn’t going to work for me.

To just get your creative juices flowing on ideas to consider:

Walk – just walk outside or look up free walking exercise videos online
Resistance training – use your own weight, water bottles, canned foods etc.
Dig out or uncover the bike, skates, treadmill, rebounder or other forgotten tools
Build a playlist of music you already own and get moving while you’re cooking, cleaning, playing with the family, or can plan in some time for a workout
Add or increase physical activity with fun family-friendly or friend-oriented activities
- join the kids/grandkids on the swingset, in the nerf-gun battle, or building the ultimate fort under the dining table
- suggest lasertag, miniature golf, scavenger hunts, and escape challenges for outings with friends
- walk the block or do a lap while the kids are in dance or sports practice

Don’t forget the free resources available at your local library and online that, at a minimum, can help you explore options. Just a few free online resources for exercise and movement ideas, information, and workouts include:

Caroline Jordan – a great collection of online workouts
Leslie Sansone Walk at Home – Lots to choose from
Faithful Workouts – another great resource with multiple levels of exercise options

In addition, here are even more suggestions with a minimal price attached:

- Hand weights
- Resistance band
- Exercise mat – (thick)
- Exercise Ball
- Rebounder (mini-trampoline)
- Exercise videos like T-Tapp, Leslie Sansone, and So Many More

Obstacle #4 – Confusion about What To Do

While some might just tell you to pick something and start, and that can be all you need to hear at times, other times you might need more to push off.

So start by considering What you might like to do and then narrow down your options to try as a starting point including:

Dance
Stretch or strength
Walk or run
Bike or climb
Sport or fun

Also consider How you would like to start including:

Alone or in a group (family, spouse, friends, etc.)
Inside or outside
Home or somewhere else
One activity or a variety

If you try something and decide you don’t like it, you’ve still taken a step forward. Evaluate what you liked and didn’t like about it, and make adjustments. If you don’t like it, redirect your attention to your second most tempting physical activity, and go for it.

You might even decide you most like a combination of choices. A few ideas I enjoy regularly include:

a few early morning stretches while outside with the dog
mid-morning and afternoon breaks away from the desk to exercise while playing with the dog
daily jumping on our rebounder (mini-trampoline) (preferably without the dog’s help)
aerobic dance/movement (enjoying my favorite tune’s of course)
arm strengthening with hand weights
strengthening with exercise ball

It might take a little time, and maybe a little creativity, but don’t give up. I’m sure you’ll find something that you like that also fits you where you.

Obstacle #5 – Obstructive Thoughts

Now including thoughts as an obstacle can seem odd, but bear with me.

There’s a long list of studies about the beneficial effects of physical activity on depression, anxiety, mood, and cognitive function. Heart health, digestive function, and more including studies in 2006 (chronic disease), 2012 (cardiovascular health), and 2010 (diabetes).

Oftentimes we have harsh accusations and judgments from others tell us and we accept as truth. Other times we tell ourselves a lot of garbage that we would Never allow to be said to our family or friends.

So let’s take a breath, and please allow me to suggest that you:

Consider the negative talk that ends up circulating regularly in your thought-life
Pick just one negative thoughts that you end up repeatedly spending energy and time on and:
- Evaluate logically and objectively (minus the harshness and hurtfulness)
  - Identify and eliminate unrealistic judgments and/or expectations relating to the negative thought
  - Without the unrealistic judgments and/or expectations, is there something real that needs to be addressed?
    - If so, make a realistic, health-supporting plan to address the need
    - If no validity, then either reframe it to a positive thought that rebuilds or dump that thought completely and move on
Then start again with the next most frequently repeated negative talk topic and go through the same steps

The goal here is to move closer to a more realistic, encouraging, and productive self-talk. Plus you have the added bonus of spending that freed-up time and effort on productive and enjoyable thoughts.

When negative thoughts try to reenter your thoughts, remember you’ve already spent time evaluating them truthfully and thoroughly. They Are Handled!

Everyone is different and everyone’s circumstances are different, but please allow me to encourage you to start this today.

While we are, of course, talking about increasing physical activity, this really applies to any area that you might be struggling with negative self-talk.

I can personally attest to the power of negative self-talk. Whether coming from others and accepted as truth or unrealistic expectations that I’ve placed on myself, both are still obstacles.

Holding negative thoughts up against the light of truth has been the only way I could recognize and reclaim my strengths and value.

Don’t let this obstacle keep you from seeing your true strengths and value.

Goals

Incorporating movement can really make a difference in your life, and, in turn, make a difference in the lives of those close to you. Once you’ve conquered, or are making good progress on getting your obstacles out of your way, you’re ready to set goals. Don’t forget to:

Set reasonable goals that will give you reachable opportunities for where you are to celebrate as you progress safely
Determine your “why”. Be sure to keep this positive and avoid anything that is measured by the judgment of others
Decide upon 2-3 strategies to have in place just in case you are tempted to quit or skip
Have preset “grace” options just in case a need, like sickness for example, comes up

With that said, get creative. Create a plan that fits you where you are, brings you enjoyment, and safely stretches you slightly beyond your comfort zone.

In Summary

You might be in a place where one or more of these obstacles can be really challenging, but know that each can be worked around or even conquered and you can thrive in a lifestyle that is more and more beneficially active and health supporting.

For even more information on health-related topics, here are a few other posts that you might find interesting and helpful: