Exercise: Motivation and overcoming blockers

When it comes to exercise, the biggest challenge is, often, sticking to it.

You might start your fitness journey on the right foot, but then the all-too-common ‘blocker’ sets in. The point when your motivation decreases and you hit a wall.

Here, we explore practical, effective ways to move beyond blockers and stay motivated as you work towards your fitness goals.

There are lots of ways to move through an exercise blocker, and it usually comes down to what works best for you.

But, when things aren’t going to plan, it can help to use some tricks.

Whenever you’re working towards a goal, it can help to break it down into long-term and short-term goals.

For instance, if you’re trying to lose weight, your long-term goal might be a target BMI (which you can monitor over longer intervals), while your short-term goal may be the day-by-day steps that will get you there (like diet and exercise).

It can also help to ask yourself if your goal is ‘SMART’. That is:

• specific
• measurable
• achievable
• realistic
• timely.

Of course, it’s important to keep your main goal in mind as you stride towards it. But, it can also help to reframe the thing that’s motivating you in the first place.

For instance, if you’re trying to lose weight, exercise alone won’t help you achieve it.¹

The truth is, losing weight largely comes down to diet. Specifically, you need to consume fewer kilojoules than you use each day. This will usually involve limiting your portion sizes and avoiding things that are high in salt, saturated fat and added sugar, while prioritising things like protein and fibre.²

So, instead of thinking about exercise only in terms of burning calories, think about the other motivating benefits that you can get from it, like increased flexibility and that hit of endorphins (all of which can also assist in your weight-loss journey).

Research shows that when you enjoy exercising, you’re more likely to stick to it long term.³

So, if you’re struggling to power through your current workout, it might be time to mix it up with different activities that you actually enjoy.

It can also help to think about other less-intensive physical and wellness activities that you can add to your current routine, for extra motivation. This might include a massage, sauna or even cold plunge.

You might also get your friends involved for group activities, such as playing a sport or teaming up for a walk.

We all experience low-motivation days, and there will always be times when you’re sick, injured or overwhelmed by life’s responsibilities.⁴

If you have an occasional off day, don’t beat yourself up about it or look at it as something you need to overcome with willpower. Tomorrow is always a new day.

If those off days have become frequent, though, it may help to work on other areas of your life that could help overcome the blockers. This might include getting enough sleep, working on your mental health or consuming the right amount of protein and carbohydrates before your workout.⁵

And don’t forget to celebrate your progress as you go, even when you’re not hitting your exact goals every time. At the end of the day, it’s the small steps that count.