Why People Stop Exercising

Here at Leriken Functional Fitness we offer both private and group classes and we're very conscious of keeping the training different so our clients don't get bored and stop training, because that's a no-win situation for everyone.

I've made a list of the top 10 reasons why people stop exercising and included some remedies that might work for you.

1. No motivation- Feeling unmotivated will make it hard to start or complete anything, let alone a physical fitness regime. Lack of motivation can not only stop you from your overall, long-term training routine, it can even stop you from finishing a training session.

Remedy: Set goals for yourself. Setting goals will give you something to work towards, for example, you could set a goal for the amount of chin-ups you want to be able to do in the next 3 to 4 weeks. Visualize yourself doing it, especially when you don’t feel like training or finishing your session.

2. Setting Unrealistic Goals- If you set goals that can’t be achieved you’re pretty much setting yourself up for failure. You can get really get discouraged and stop your training altogether.

Remedy: If your goal was to increase the amount of chin-ups you can do, an unrealistic goal would be going from an ability to do five chin-ups to setting goal of fifteen chin-ups in 10 days. A more realistic goal would be increasing from five up to, say, eight to ten chin ups in 2 to 3 weeks. The goal you set should be tough enough to make you have to work for it so that you feel a sense of accomplishment, but realistic enough that you can see yourself improving.

3. Not having a clear plan- This is a huge reason why people stop exercising. Deciding to become physically fit without a plan is like trying to build a house without blueprints. Sure, it can be done, but it’s a hell of a lot easier with the plans.

Remedy: Figure out what your goals are and find the best way to achieve them. Learn about the 5 Components of Physical Fitness and how they relate to the goals that you set for yourself, or find a professional who can help you. Then sit down and work out some training ideas and take some body measurements so you can chart your changes. This will help on the motivation front as well.

4. Doing too much too soon- You’ve set your goals, done your homework, and you started your first week of training by working out 6 days in a row, an hour and a half each day, without a day off. This is a great way to get injured and wind up in the category of "why people stop exercising." Sure, you have good intentions but all of the good intentions in the world won’t amount to a hill of beans if you can’t train.

Remedy: Start slowly, make sure you rest and take days off. Rome wasn’t built in a day and there’s good reason why. In the beginning less is better.

5. Pain- It’s important to recognize the different kinds of pain that you can encounter. Pain from injury or a known condition is something you should have a professional look at before you continue training. On the other hand, if the pain you’re experiencing is because you haven’t trained in a while or are trying out a different training routine then that’s completely normal and it really shouldn't be a reason to stop exercising.

Remedy: Assuming it’s not an injury take a day off and then get back at it.

6. Not seeing any results- This can be disheartening and it's a major reason why people stop exercising. If you’re looking for results in the first couple of weeks it’s too early. I tell my clients in 2 to 3 months you can start to see changes, though for some people it will happen sooner. You should also be honest and ask yourself you’re doing everything that you should be doing in terms of exercise and your eating habits.

Remedy: If you’ve been at it for at least 3 months and you’re training 2 or 3 times a week without results, and there are no underlying health problems, then you need to re-evaluate your diet and double-check your training regiment. Your diet may have hidden (or not-so-hidden) calorie bombs in it, and you may need to put a little more elbow-grease into your training.

7. Not having any fun- Another major reason why people stop exercising; if it’s not fun, why do it? Especially when it makes you sweaty and sore.

Remedy: If you find your training boring the easy answer is to change it up. It could be as simple as changing your environment: train outside once in a while or change up your exercises all together. At my facility we mix boxing and kickboxing with conventional strength training so that our clients don’t get bored.

8. No time- This is one of the biggest reasons why people stop exercising, “I have no time.” Thirty-five to forty minutes is all you need, and if you don’t have that how about ten to fifteen minutes of high intensity training? If you can’t spare 15 fifteen minutes then you’re not ready to commit to training. All I can say is, “get back to me when you’re serious.”

Remedy: Prioritize. On a scale of 1 to 10 how important is your health? If it’s 7 or higher but you’re not exercising you’re pretty much lying to yourself. Fifteen minutes in the morning or evening is a great place to start, and you don’t even need to go to the gym. You can buy videos and train at home, use the exercise programs you find here, or do some research on your own, using free resources like UTube.

9. Can’t afford the gym- One of the rare, legitimate reasons why people stop exercising. Economic downturns and companies downsizing or closing all together means certain things have to be put on the back burner.

Remedy: Who says you need a gym membership to stay fit? There’s hundreds of websites like this one that can help you stay fit, no gym membership required. Just because your bank account is getting slimmer doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be.

10. You’re embarrassed to train in front of people- You break into a sweat imagining the bodybuilders laughing and snickering at the gym. You think everyone will stare at you in horror.

Remedy: Get over it. It’s normal to feel self-conscious when doing something new. But just remember: spandex and tank tops are NOT fitness center regulation. Besides, most people are too busy with their own shit to notice you anyway. So wear what makes you feel comfortable. If you’re really not up for it then start training at home. Try my beginner’s routine, go for a walk, just re-introduce yourself to your body and when you see a change or simply feel more comfortable step it up a notch and join a fitness group or start a physical activity that interests you.

There are a lot of reasons why people stop what they're doing, but I've found that these are the top 10 reasons people stop exercising. I've also found that knowing that these things happen and being ready for them if and when they do occur is a big part in getting over it and on with it.

Luck favours the prepared and there are many reasons why people stop exercising so do everything you can to make sure that you’re one of the ‘lucky to be physically fit’ people walking around out there.

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