Top 6 Reasons People Stop Working Out (And How to Fix Them)

You’ve managed to keep up on an exercise routine for the past while now, when suddenly you just can't seem to work up the strength or willpower to get in another workout. So what happened? Everyone has their own reasons for stopping, but the key to overcoming this problem is to figure out what your reason is and to figure out a strategy to conquer it.

Reason #1: You can’t Seem to Find the Time

This is probably the most common complaint. You have your career, a mate, and possibly kids to attend to--not to mention your friends who want to spend time with you. Demands on your time will always be there, working against your need to stay fit and healthy.

What you can do:

• Schedule your workout time into your day just like you would for any other important appointment. Once it's written, commit to your workouts by scheduling other things around them.

• Schedule shorter sessions. If you only have 30 minutes, you can still get a great workout, so long as you push yourself hard. If you don’t even have 30 consecutive minutes, studies have shown that three 10-minute workouts throughout the day can be as effective as 30 continuous minutes. Remember its quality over quantity

• Make the most of your workout time by doing compound exercises that will work many muscles all at once (e.g. dumbbell chest press, squats, etc.). You can also superset exercises that alternate between agonist and antagonist muscle groups like biceps and triceps, or between upper and lower body exercises. This way you can work one muscle group while the other is resting and cut that "dead" time out of your workout.

• Make the location of your workouts convenient by finding a gym that is on your way home from work or simply work out at home.

Reason #2: You Don't See Results

You've been working out for a while and haven’t yet seen results, so you become discouraged and unmotivated. This means that you need to re-evaluate your workout routine.

What you can do:

• Get help from a personal trainer. Professional trainers will be able to pinpoint areas of weakness in your program and help motivate you and push you beyond your plateau.

• Make sure your goals are realistic. Whether your goals are for weight loss or weight gain, slow and steady wins the race. Try to get out of the instant gratification mind trap that is so common in our culture. If your goal is a large one, break it down into smaller goals so that you are continuously making small achievements.

• Eat healthy. When your diet is on track, your efforts in the gym will be much more noticeable.

Reason #3: You Are Self-conscious or Intimidated

If it has been a while since you last worked out, you may feel out of shape, especially compared to other people in the gym that have been there for years. Or, if you're a newbie and don't understand many of the basic concepts, you might feel intimidated by all the different equipment and machines.

What you can do:

• Talk to a personal trainer. If you work out at a gym, a personal trainer can show you how to use the machines at your gym and set up a basic program for you. You could also hire an in-home personal trainer to help you get to a level of fitness where you feel comfortable joining a gym.

• Do your workouts during non-peak hours at the gym so there will be fewer people around.

• Keep in mind that we all have to start somewhere, and that it's a matter of time before you see improvements.

• Work out with a friend--preferably one who is more experienced. Your workouts will be more enjoyable and you'll have a spotter.

Reason #4: No one Supports Your Efforts

Whether it stems from jealousy or a lack of appreciation for the benefits of exercise, you may feel pressured by your loved ones to not work out. Your mate may be angry that you're cutting into your “couple time”, and your friends may become slightly resentful of your rapidly-improving body and the fact that you're making them look bad.

What you can do:

• Invite your mate and/or friends to work out with you to try to get them interested in fitness.

• If they are not interested in joining you, then make it clear that you are working out to feel better about yourself, and improve your overall well being.

Reason #5: You’re Bored

Using stationary cardio equipment like a treadmill or doing the same weight-training exercises can get boring. Not only can it get boring, though, but your body adapts to the same type of exercise over time and you will end up at a plateau.

What you can do:

• This is probably starting to sound repetitive, but a personal trainer can teach you a lot of new exercises and can add that extra “oomph” to motivate you during your workouts. Research the specific skills the trainer might be able to utilize to keep you interested in his/her style of training

• Read a fitness book or magazine and try some new exercises. Or try a whole new form of workout such as boot camp or a kickboxing class.

• Take your workouts outside. Jogging, cycling, or rollerblading outside will change up the scenery for you and keep things more interesting. Plus the fresh air and being closer to nature can do wonders for a dampened frame of mind. Training outdoors releases more serotonin resulting in overall positive feeling

Reason #6: You’re Burnt Out

Everyone experiences a bit of a burnout or a psychological barrier from time to time.

What you can do:

• Take a break. It’s important to take a week off every couple of months to let your body rest and repair itself. It can also help you refresh your spirit and re-motivate you to get active again.

• Motivate yourself by visualizing the results you hope to see.

• Reward yourself by buying something you really want after a given amount of successful sessions. Or treat yourself to your favourite snack on your cheat day. (providing your meal plan calls for one)

Try not to stress too much if you find yourself losing interest in working out. Most people at one time or another will experience the same thing you’re going through. What you need to do is take a good look at the underlying factors that are pushing you away, then come up with an action plan to beat these factors out. As long as you are not passive about the things that hold you back from your goals, you will be successful in reaching them. Keep in mind the ultimate goal and potential you want to bring your mind and body to and remember what your purpose of it all is.