We all know that we should get in shape. But the Center for the Advancement of Health says two-thirds of Americans do not engage in regular exercise, and one-quarter are sedentary. Lack of time, money, energy or just a sidewalk for walking in safety may present a barrier to everyday exercise.
Nico Pronk, Ph.D., says "a lot of these barriers can be overcome with adequate support from friends or family members." A talk with your doctor can have a profound impact says Pronk, senior director for the Center for Health Promotion at HealthPartners, a managed care organization.
Bess H. Marcus, Ph.D., studies how to get people to increase their physical activity. Marcus, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University, says couch potatoes "tend to focus more on the barriers to being active … than on the benefits." Tip the balance, she says, "by suggesting ways to overcome the barriers and making the benefits more personal and immediate for them."
Infomercial king Tony Robbins has some insights on staying motivated. In the January issue of Men's Fitness, he said, "The problem is that change is often a should and not a must. Or it's a must, but it's a must for 'someday.'" This master motivator says, "The only way we're going to make a change now is if we create a sense of urgency so intense that we're compelled to follow through."
Robbins says people who want to change must focus positively on what they want to achieve, and associate massive pain with failure to change. Then it's a matter of altering psychological behavior. And, oh yes, an exercise buddy or a trainer/coach can be an invaluable help.
If you're exercising to get fit, try setting a specific goal, like entering and completing a 5K race. Take the same approach to a weight loss regime. This 50-year-old reporter found it hugely motivating to buy an expensive, slinky gown -- one size too small -- for a family wedding. Six weeks was all it took to shed 6 pounds so I could not only breathe, but boogie, in "the dress."
