by Michelle Wilkinson

Created on: April 21, 2009

Probably the most significant stumbling block to building exercise into your regular routine is yourself. You get so used to sitting down in front of the television as soon as you get in from work that you don't even think about what you could be doing instead. It seems that people in general have become lazier and are paying less attention to their health and fitness than they ought to. Everybody is looking for ways to save time, from convenience meals to labour-saving devices, but in the process they have lost sight of the fact that in order to remain a healthy weight and to stay fit requires you to invest more time into looking after yourself.

You don't necessarily have to join a gym to build exercise into your life; you could simply decide to make slight alterations so that exercise becomes an integral part of your everyday routine. Instead of driving to the shops you could choose to walk, and instead of using an escalator or lift to get to the next floor you could walk. If you take public transport you might decide to get off before you reach your destination so you can walk the extra distance. Walking tends to be an underutilised activity, which is a shame when walking has many of the same health benefits associated with other more physically demanding activities.

When you've had a hectic day at work you might just want to sit down in front of the television to relax, but exercise can be just as effective at helping to relieve you of tension or anxiety, as it stimulates your brain to release chemicals into your body which can improve your state of mind. You might even be able to find activities to do whilst you are watching television, such as if you choose to buy an exercise bike or fitness stepper. It is therefore possible to exercise without leaving the comfort of your own home and without needing to pay exorbitant gym membership fees. If you are the kind of person who gets embarrassed exercising in front of other people, you cannot make excuses, as there are still activities you can do on your own.

Sometimes people regard their age or lack of fitness as potential stumbling blocks to regular exercise. If you are old or unfit, or both, it can be easier to maintain your lack of fitness out of fear that if you do start an exercise programme you might do yourself some serious damage. Yet, it surely makes sense to get into a regular exercise routine, as you will soon start to notice the health benefits, and although you might want to start off slowly and build your activity levels up, there is nothing to stop you from eventually becoming as fit as someone who has been exercising regularly for years.

In general there are no real stumbling blocks to incorporating regular exercise into your routine; many people simply want to find ways to avoid the need to exercise, even when it is in their best interests to become more physically active. Therefore the main obstacle people need to overcome is their own reluctance to exercise.

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