Obstacles to Physical Activity and How to Overcome Them

As part of my current postgraduate studies in clinical exercise physiology, I am reading all kinds of articles and books that emphasize the importance of physical activity. A particular quote that struck me this morning was “high levels of sedentary behavior are associated with increased risks for incidence of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, as well as increased risks for mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.”

This comes from the American College of Sports Medicine’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, a book that opens with a history of all the recommendations that have been made over the years regarding minutes of daily physical activity required to maintain health status and reduce the negative effects of aging. The book laments that despite releasing these guidelines repeatedly, more than 30 percent of adults worldwide are physically inactive, which, based on current estimates of the world population, means that roughly 1.6 billion adults are likely to experience the above-named negative health consequences from lack of physical activity.

While I have always found the history and statistics of noncommunicable diseases intriguing, the thing that really irks me is that clearly continuing to make recommendations and yell at people about the physiological benefits of exercise is NOT WORKING. What’s the saying that crazy is doing the same thing but expecting different results? I have been working in some aspect of public health since at least 2008. And from the start of my entry into health promotion circles, the prominent perspective has generally been that if we just reinforce the value of actions that benefit population health loudly enough, people will just go do them.

But if I have learned anything from more than 10 years leading organizational change management initiatives, shouting instructions at people with a “trust me, it’s good for you” mindset is about the least effective way to inspire a new behavior. And the proof is in the results: more than 1 billion people are not moving at all. So the important question, that it seems we aren’t asking ourselves, is WHY. It’s so patronizing to assume that people aren’t living up to physical activity recommendations simply because they are too stupid to know what’s good for them.

Unfortunately, I don’t think the health and wellness world is going to drop that tone any time soon, so the materials we read and the messaging that makes it to the news is going to continue to be, “Hey, guess what?! Physical activity is beneficial for your health! Aren’t you glad we told you?!” Then, it’s the job of curious and self-reflective movement educators like myself who, once knowing better, can do better. (Thank you, Maya Angelou.)

I think there’s a lot of things that get in the way of regular physical activity for most people, but here’s the four I think matter most.

Obstacle #1: I can’t figure out what to do!

Social media of course acts like a fishbowl lens, projecting everything in extremes: people are either not moving at all, or climbing Mt. Everest. And the tips from fitfluencers aren’t any better. It’s either more important that you soothe yourself with a sound bath every day or that you train for a Hyrox competition. It’s either essential that you take 453 supplements or that you commit to growing your own spelt. It’s not just you: I receive these widely swinging messages, too. The result: Analysis Paralysis.

As it is, most adult persons are having to hold down at least one job, manage a relationship with at least one loved one, and potentially care for themselves and someone else. Having to weed through incessant marketing messages to decipher the essential health advice that will make a difference in longevity and quality of life is incredibly daunting. So, we give up. Or maybe we just put it off until we have more space in our brains–which turns out to be never. It is totally natural and understandable and if you are out there getting ready to beat yourself up. STOP. You are only human. And we did not evolve to process so much information every minute. In fact, pat yourself on the back for making it this far. You are already winning.

The short answer is that you should move a little bit every day. What kind of movement? Whatever you will be most likely to do consistently, ideally because you enjoy it.

Obstacle #2: Moving Hurts

The next major obstacle we have to address is that many people in the world (roughly 20-30 percent of adults globally depending on the study) experience recurring pain. And when your body hurts, it is really difficult to feel motivated to get active. This is for good reason: pain immobilizes us because it is a signal from our brains that there is danger.

It’s not your weakness but rather a well-functioning nervous system that keeps the pain coming in response to perceived threat. And this experience can be really confusing when it comes to physical activity guidance because exercise may either increase pain in the short term or it may cause a great deal of alarm (more threat) due to the fear of the potential for increased pain. In reality, I find that most people with persistent pain actually feel better once they are moving, but it requires a particularly supportive environment and a structured approach to get there.

The short answer is that while physical activity might seem scary, so long as you have been cleared for exercise by your doctor, you should be able to move your body safely in a way that benefits your health without worsening your pain in the long term. You just need a skilled instructor to get you there.

Obstacle #3: Our Lives Are Built Around Sitting

This is not one you and I are going to solve on our own. Unfortunately, the magic of modern technology has led to one unintended consequence: almost all of our daily activities require being seated for long periods. Please understand that I am not here to romanticize the back-breaking labor that preceded the industrial revolution. That came with its own challenges and was typically rooted in systems of oppression none of us should want to ever repeat. However, there are things that we can fix about our environments that will make being more physically active just part of how we go about our daily lives, thus eliminating the need to figure out how to “fit it in”.

Employers can adjust work schedules and office structures to encourage more activity throughout the day. We can improve public transit in our local areas to promote getting around without a car. We can advocate for person-scaled development that puts our groceries and doctors and other essential services within walking distance from each other. To chastise human beings for their sedentary lifestyles without recognizing the infrastructure that upholds that lifestyle is utter hypocrisy. We cannot act surprised that the advent of the car, the increase of urban sprawl and the general acceptance of responding to work demands 24 hours a day have together combined to create a life spent mainly in our seats.

The short answer is that we can use our power as voters and workers and community members to promote infrastructure that aligns with a less sedentary lifestyle.

Obstacle #4: How Much is Enough?!

All-or-nothing thinking is common – but especially so among people with chronic pain. I have had countless conversations with clients who felt that if they didn’t do “enough” exercise it wouldn’t “count”. First of all, we will all be healthier when we remove intentional weight loss as the goal of exercise programs. That is a whole different topic and there’s lots of people who are more articulate on this topic than I.

So if “enough” is not about weight loss but rather about health benefits, the answer is that any amount of movement is better than sitting. In fact, it used to be believed that aerobic exercise had to be in increments of at least 10 minutes in order to have positive health effects, but research is now showing that people see positive results in their strength, mobility and longevity even with exercise increments of less than 10 minutes. We need to stop setting this unachievable standard of activity, not only because it is inaccurate but also because it is actually preventing people from moving at all.

There is no minimum necessary threshold when it comes to physical activity, and the more that you can learn to listen to what your body wants rather than seeking validation externally, the more fulfilling your movement practice will be.

The short answer is that any amount of time you spent moving when you would have been sitting will positively affect your health. If you can move up to 30 minutes total in a day, broken up in whatever increments you like, you are doing better than most.