The reasons people don’t exercise tend to be the same. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) page on overcoming barriers names eight — time, social support, energy, motivation, fear of injury, skill, cost and facilities, and weather — and suggests what to do about each. If you lack time, it says to track a week and find at least five 30-minute slots. All eight are set out below.
1. No time? Track a week and find five 30-minute slots.
2. No motivation? Put it on the calendar — with a friend, on both calendars.
3. No money? Walking, jumping rope, push-ups and squats need almost no equipment.
Eight barriers — CDC
| Barrier | CDC suggestions | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Lack of time | · Track your activities for 1 week and find at least five 30-minute slots · Walk or bike to work or shops, walk the dog, take the stairs · Activities that fit the time you have, even a few minutes: walking, jogging, stairs · Use workplace facilities and programmes; walking meetings · Stand, stretch or walk during phone calls | 5 suggestions |
| Lack of social support | · Tell friends and family and ask for support · Invite them to be active with you · Plan social activities that involve moving · Make friends with active people · Join a gym or group, such as a hiking club | 5 suggestions |
| Lack of energy | · Schedule for the times you feel most energetic · Start slowly and build up | 2 suggestions |
| Lack of motivation | · Make it part of your schedule and write it on the calendar · Exercise regularly with a friend, on both calendars · Join a group or class | 3 suggestions |
| Fear of injury | · Learn to warm up and cool down · Learn exercises suited to your age, fitness, skill and health · Choose activities you feel safe doing · Increase gradually as confidence grows | 4 suggestions |
| Lack of skill | · Choose activities needing no new skills: walking, stairs, jogging · Take a class | 2 suggestions |
| High cost and lack of facilities | · Activities needing minimal equipment: walking, jogging, jumping rope, push-ups, squats · Cheap, convenient community resources such as park and worksite programmes | 2 suggestions |
| Weather conditions | · Have a set of activities for any weather: dance, indoor swimming, stairs, mall walking · Or bundle up and go outside | 2 suggestions |
No time: write out a week — our example
Use all five 30-minute slots the CDC suggests and you have 30 × 5 = 150 minutes, the adult aerobic target (our arithmetic). Fewer slots? The CDC says pick activities that fit even a few minutes. The target is in adult activity guidelines.
| Day (example) | Slot found | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Wed, Fri | 30-minute walk before work | An example schedule |
| Tue | 30 minutes of stairs and walking at lunch | — |
| Sat | Walk to the shops, 30 minutes | — |
Days and activities are our example. Bodyweight work at home is in home workout basics; strength and flexibility in strength and flexibility.
Checklist
- ☐ Which of the eight barriers is yours?
- ☐ Track a week and find 30-minute slots
- ☐ Write it on the calendar, ideally with a friend
- ☐ Warm up and cool down
- ☐ One or two indoor options for bad weather
Questions that remain
Do a few minutes count?
The CDC says to choose activities that fit the time you have, “even a few minutes”. How many minutes start to help isn’t stated on this page.
What if I’ve been injured before?
The CDC says learn to warm up and cool down, choose exercises suited to your age, fitness and health, and build up gradually. The NHS guidelines add: with a medical condition, speak to a doctor first.
Sources
- CDC — Overcoming Barriers to Physical Activity — source (updated 5 February 2025; checked 19 October 2026). Eight barriers and the suggestions for each.
- Not read. The linked CDC pages on getting started and places to be active.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean everyday gloss.
Where to check further
- Local health centres and sports facilities — low-cost programmes.
Written on 19 October 2026. The content is from the source; the glosses are ours.
