Age-friendly Primary Health Care Centres Toolkit - World Health ...

AGE-FRIENDLY PRIMARY HEALTH CARE CENTRES TOOLKITOvercoming barriers to exerciseBarrierExercise is hard work.I do not have the time.I am usually too tired forexercise.I hate to fail, so I will notstart.I do not have anyone towork out with.There is not a convenientplace.I am afraid of beinginjured.The weather is too bad.Exercise is boring.I am too overweight.I am too old.Suggested ResponseStart with ordinary walking, or an exercise that is notwork for most people. See where it might lead.That may be true, but you will never know for sureunless you try to make it.Tell yourself, "This activity will give me more energy."See if it doesn't happen.Physical activity is not a test. You will not fail if youchoose an activity you like and start off slowly. Settingreasonable, realistic goals reduces the chances forfailure.Maybe you have not asked. A neighbor or a coworkermay be a willing partner. Or you can choose an activitythat you enjoy doing by yourself.Pick an activity you can do at a convenient place. Walkaround your neighborhood or a nearby mall, or doexercises with a TV show or a videotape at home.Walking is very safe and is excellent exercise. Choose asafe, well-lighted area.There are many activities that you can do in your ownhome or at a shopping mall in any weather.Some ways to make exercise more fun are: listening tomusic, exercising with a companion, varying the exercisewith the season, setting a non-exercise related goal suchas getting an errand or two done in the course of it, orgiving yourself a reward periodically.You can benefit regardless of your weight. Pick anactivity that you are comfortable with, like walking.It is never too late to start. People of any age, includingolder people, can benefit from physical exercise.Source: Jonas S. The Exercise Recommendations in Clinical Practice. Presented at the16th Annual Medical Seminar, ISC Division of Wellness Role of Exercise and Nutrition inPreventive Medicine, 1997. Originally adapted from: Project PACE. Physician-basedAssessment and Counselling for Exercise. San Diego, Calif: San Diego State University,1991.• Convenient: Encourage participation in activities that can be enjoyed with aminimum of special preparation, ideally those that fit into daily activities.31