How to overcome a sedentary lifestyle

January 31, 2023

A sedentary lifestyle is considered to be one of the main problems of modern society, representing a primary factor for multiple health conditions such as metabolic disease, heart disease, cancer, and musculoskeletal conditions to name a few. This is why leading an active lifestyle is key to a longer and healthier life.

Move more often and do physical activity regularly, it seems quite simple, right? Not always…we see many patients in clinic that struggle to achieve this due to barriers such as lack of time, lack of confidence, or lack of awareness about the real reasons why exercise isn’t a priority for them.

If this sounds like you, here are a few tips to help you overcome these challenges:

Lack of time

We all have the same number of hours in the day to spend as we wish. If you ‘don’t have time to exercise’, this means that you’re choosing to prioritise other activities above your health. We understand that not everyone can afford to spend 1-2 hours working out every day, especially if you have a full-time job, children, and other responsibilities. That’s why we recommend regular movement breaks. This can vary in form and intensity whether it be a 1-minute walk, 10 squats, or lifting something moderately heavy a few times a day.

This helps to break up your day whether that be sitting at a desk, commuting in your car, or binge-watching your favourite TV series.

However, bear in mind that this isn’t a substitute for exercise. We still recommend finding time in your schedule to do 20-30 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise, 2-3 times per week. But if other priorities take precedence some weeks, at the very least, make time for regular, daily movement breaks.

Lack of confidence

This is a common barrier to regular exercise and one we see often in clinic as it’s especially true for people that have suffered from musculoskeletal pain for a long time or haven’t exercised in a while.

It’s not easy getting back into action having been sedentary for a long time. However, the only way to overcome this is to start exercising, as improving your physical health will, in turn, improve your confidence.

We recommend starting with a form of exercise that feels comfortable and gradually exposing yourself to more challenging activities and movements.

The great news is, you don’t have to do this alone. Our team of experts are here to support you along your journey to better health in a safe and comfortable environment.

Lack of awareness

A common human trait is to avoid the real reason for not doing something we don’t want to do. Being honest with yourself and taking the time to identify the real reason why you’re avoiding exercise is key to making a positive change.

Whatever the reason may be, we are here to help. We understand the challenges that come with living a sedentary lifestyle and we can provide you with the advice and support you need to make exercise a part of your life and fit it around your schedule.