Addressing Barriers to Physical Activity

1. Addressing Barriers to Physical Activity Module B: Lesson 4 Grade 11 Active, Healthy Lifestyles

2. Barriers to Physical Activity • Personal barriers • Insufficient time • Inconvenience • Lack of self-motivation • Non-enjoyment • Boredom • Lack of confidence • Fear of being injured or having been injured recently • Lack of self-management skills • Lack of encouragement, support, or companionship • Non-availability of parks, sidewalks, bicycle trails or walking paths

3. Top Three Barriers • Time • Energy • Motivation

4. Other Barriers • Cost • Facilities • Illness or injury • Transportation • Partner issues • Skill • Safety considerations • Child care • Uneasiness with change • Unsuitable programs

5. Barriers to Physical Activity • Environmental barriers • Environment in which we live has a great influence on our level of physical activity. • Accessibility of walking paths, cycling trails, and recreation facilities. • Traffic • Availability of public transportation • Crime • Pollution • Social environment, such as support from family and friends • Community spirit • Changes environment? • campaigns to support active transportation, legislation for safer communities, and the creation of new recreation facilities

6. Barriers to Being Active Quiz • Identify the types of physical activity barriers that are undermining your ability to make regular physical activity a part of your life • Analyze the results and determine the key barriers to your physical activity participation • Identify personal barriers that are not part of the quiz

7. Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity • Brainstorm realistic ways of overcoming barriers to physical activity

8. Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity • What strategies have worked best for you in overcoming your own barriers to become more physically active?

9. Suggestions for Overcoming Physical Activity Barriers Lack of skill • Select activities requiring no new skills, such as walking, climbing stairs, or jogging. • Exercise with friends who are at the same skill level as you are. • Find a friend who is willing to teach you some new skills. • Take a class to develop new skills. Lack of resources • Select activities that require minimal facilities or equipment, such as walking, jogging, jumping rope, or calisthenics. • Identify inexpensive, convenient resources available in your community (e.g., community education programs, park and recreation programs, worksite programs).

10. Suggestions for Overcoming Physical Activity Barriers Weather conditions • Develop a set of regular activities that are always available regardless of weather (e.g., indoor cycling, aerobic dance, indoor swimming, calisthenics, stair climbing, rope skipping, mall walking, dancing, gymnasium games). • Look on outdoor activities that depend on weather conditions (e.g., cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, skating, outdoor swimming, outdoor tennis) as “bonuses”—extra activities possible when weather and circumstances permit. Travel • Put a jump rope in your suitcase and jump rope. • Walk the halls and climb the stairs in hotels. • Stay in places with swimming pools or exercise facilities. • Join the YMCA or YWCA (ask about reciprocal membership agreement). • During gas station stops, take exercise breaks. • Bring your favourite music that motivates you.

11. Suggestions for Overcoming Physical Activity Barriers Family involvement • Exercise with your brother or sister when babysitting (e.g., go for a walk together, play tag or other running games, get an aerobic dance DVD for kids and exercise together). You can spend time together and still get your exercise. • Find ways to be active around your home with others (e.g., shoot hoops on the driveway, play tennis at a nearby tennis court, go for a bicycle ride with a friend, play with siblings, do household chores such as mowing the lawn). • become more physically active?