5 Reasons Why People Struggle
to Reach Their Fitness Goals

Striving to achieve your fitness goals can be a frustrating and emotional process. We make up excuses on why we can’t get over the hurdle to achieve our fitness goals. Some of us lack motivation; others lack accountability. Maybe you can’t afford a gym membership or a personal trainer. Maybe your body has adapted, and you’re bored with the same monotonous workout routine. Or maybe you just don’t have the time to commit to workout consistently and meal prep.

Sound familiar? let us assure you, you are not alone! We believe in you and know that you have what it takes to overcome these problems, but you must be willing to take action. The first step to overcoming a barrier is to acknowledge the problem and find a solution that works for you.

Here are 5 common reasons why people struggle to reach their fitness goals and ways to improve them.

5. Monotonous Workout Routines

You have been doing the same old workout routine for months and months because you got results initially. It’s easy, it’s comfortable, and you don’t have to think about what to do next. If this is you, we commend you for being active, getting in a routine, and trying to do things the right way. However, it is important that you understand how our bodies react to exercising.

While working out, our bodies trigger an alarm signal that an external stress is being imposed on our bodies. Our sympathetic nervous system activates a fight or flight response so that we can overcome that stress for the time being. If we are consistently exposed to the same workout, our bodies will no longer trigger the alarm signal because it knows how to deal with the stressor since it has encountered it before. This is when an adaptation occurs.

If you’re doing the same workout, your progress will come to a halt and you will hit a plateau. To prevent this from occurring, switch up your workout routine regularly, every four to six weeks, to continue to get the results you are working towards.

4. Lack of Support and Motivation

You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. If the people around you live an unhealthy lifestyle or condemn you for wanting to invest in yourself, it may be time for you to change your top five.

Having a great support system is crucial to your success. You need to surround yourself with people who are willing to grow with you on your fitness journey. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you work out together or eat the same meals. You just need people around you that will encourage and motivate you to become the best version of yourself.

There are going to be days that you are frustrated and negative thoughts of self-doubt will creep into your head saying “give up” or “what’s the point of doing all this hard work? It’s not even worth it.” It is important that your support system gives you positive reinforcement so you can have the energy and motivation to keep pushing on.

What if you don’t have family, friends, or coworkers that support your lifestyle change? We recommend meeting new friends by joining fitness communities online, group fitness classes, boot camps, working with a personal trainer, or consulting with a fitness professional.

3. Not Enough Money

There are a million other things you would rather spend your hard earned money on other than paying to be tired, hot, and sweaty right? The most effective way to get results is working with a professional who knows how to properly demonstrate and teach exercise technique as well as provide fitness and nutrition tips. The problem is that working with fitness professionals like personal trainers, performance coaches, or dietitians, can be expensive.

The good news is, today there are several training options besides costly personal training sessions that can rack up to over $100 per session. Group fitness is a cost effective option, plus the community aspect helps hold you accountable which is key for long term results. Online training as another efficient option if you have a hectic schedule or can’t commit to a gym

The best investment you can make is in yourself. The return on your investment will come from more energy to do the things you love, inspiring other people with your success, more spare time from increased productivity, and enhanced quality of life. Let’s face it, you can’t afford not to.

2. No Accountability

Working out consistently and eating healthy without getting off track can be extremely difficult. How many times have you been through the vicious cycle of losing a few pounds and gaining it right back? There are a lot of factors that could play into the roller coaster ride but typically the main problem is lack of accountability.

What if you had someone watching over you before you ate a whole roll of Oreos? Do you think you still would have done it? Most likely not. What if you had someone cheering you on after a long day at work and motivating you to hit your fitness goals? Would you still skip your workout session? Probably not. We need people to hold us accountable because we take pride in living up to the expectations of others. A big reason why working out with a friend, in a group fitness class, or personal trainer works, is because they hold you accountable. They make sure you show up, take care of business, and hold up your end of the bargain.

1. Lack of Time

There are never enough hours in a day. There is always something we need to do from driving kids to and from school, studying for an exam, meeting a project deadline at work, and the list goes on and on. By the time you actually take a moment to sit down and take a breath, it’s almost time to hit the pillow. This is a barrier that prevents many people from exercising.

The best way to find time is to make time. Working out is something that needs to be prioritized or it will never happen. This means being more efficient during day-to-day tasks, working on time-management skills, and choosing to work out instead of binge watching your favorite Netflix show. Try these tips to make time to invest in yourself:

• Get organized
• Schedule workouts on a calendar
• Develop a routine and create good habits
• Get an early start to your day
• Give yourself a time limit to complete tasks throughout the day
• Say no to tasks that are unimportant or delegate them to someone else

We all face barriers that prevent us from reaching our goals. We challenge you to identify your barriers, seek a solution, and take action.  At N1 Motion we support you and will empower you to break through barriers to achieve your personal goals!