Have a Chronic Condition? Here's How to Stop Letting Your Fears Stop You from Exercising (4 Steps)
Key Takeaways:
Feeling afraid of exercising is normal when you have a chronic condition.
Common exercise fears include 1) fear of injury, 2) fear of looking foolish, 3) lack of time, and 4) being unsure where to start.
The first step to overcoming your fear of exercise is to really think about what you’ll gain and/or lose from exercising/not exercising. Put it in terms that are immediately relatable.
Next, identify your exact fear. This empowers you to seek out solutions and take action.
Ultimately, remember that “perfection” doesn’t exist; strive for consistency and progress instead.
What are your thoughts on exercise?
When you live with a chronic condition, your response may be a real mixed bag. You recognize that it benefits your physical and emotional health, but at the same time, the thought of working out fills you with fear.
So, you don’t. Exercise, that is.
If you went, “Huh, that’s me,” first, just know that there’s nothing shameful about being afraid to exercise.
It’s a common prevalence among healthy individuals. And it’s even more so among people with a chronic illness, where there’s an additional, justifiable layer of fear exacerbated by worries of pain and over-exertion that would “worsen” the condition.
Second (and more importantly), understand that as much as your fears of exercising are understandable, they’re neither well grounded in evidence nor helpful.
This brings us to step #1 of how to stop letting your fears stop you from exercising.
#1: Really understand what you’ll gain or lose
You’re familiar with exercise’s beneficial impact on:
Obesity: Research suggests a dose-response relationship between exercise and weight loss (i.e., the greater your physical activity, the greater your weight loss). Physical activity is also associated with improved long-term weight loss and the prevention of weight gain following initial weight loss.
Type 2 diabetes: Improves HbA1c levels (blood glucose control) and reduces cardiovascular risk factors.
High blood pressure: Lowers blood pressure, thereby preventing the development and progression of hypertension.
High cholesterol: Improves lipid profiles (e.g., increase HDL or “good” cholesterol and decrease LDL or “bad” cholesterol) independent of diet.
But let’s be honest. Did any of those clinical terms motivate you? No, right?
At the root of it, “prevents weight regain”, “improves HbA1c levels”, and “lowers blood pressure” aren’t convincing enough to make you want to pluck up the courage to face and conquer your fear of exercising. (Even though they should.)
Why?
Because, as the 18th-century polymath Jeremy Bentham once wrote, “Pain and pleasure govern us in all we do …” and scientific terms like “preventing the progress of hypertension” just aren’t powerful enough to trigger those visceral emotions.
Let’s change that. Now, there are two types of motivation:
Positive motivation: Fueled by the expectation of a reward. Think of this as “pleasure”.
Negative motivation: Fueled by the avoidance of undesirable outcomes. Think of this as “pain”.
Neither is better; instead, which works best can vary from individual to individual. So, depending on which you respond best to, sit down and have an honest conversation about what you’d gain and/or lose if you exercise/don’t exercise. Put it in terms you can relate to.
We’ve provided a few examples below for an individual with obesity, but please take the time to come up with your own answers, personalized to your lifestyle and chronic condition.
What will I gain from exercising? (Pleasure)
Energy to spend time with loved ones
Confidence; a better self-esteem
Ability to focus better; enhanced performance at work
What will I lose from not exercising? (Pain)
Money, from the additional doctor’s visits and treatments
Mobility to carry out basic activities, such as climbing the stairs and cleaning the house
Additional years that could be spent traveling or seeing your children or grandchildren grow
#2: Identify your fear
Now that you’re all motivated, it’s time to identify the exact fear holding you back from exercising. As in The Conjuring Universe (and nearly all exorcism-themed films), knowing the name of your “demon”, which, in this case, is your fear, gives you control over it.
It empowers you to seek solutions and take action rather than resign yourself to fear. There are four common exercise fears:
Fear of injury: “I’m scared of hurting myself — pulling a muscle, herniating a disc, or aggravating an old injury.”
Fear of looking foolish: “I feel like people are looking at me and saying, ‘Oh, they don’t know what they’re doing.”
Lack of time: “My schedule is busy enough as it is. Where am I going to find the time to exercise?”
Unsure of how to start: “HIIT, slow-state cardio, resistance training … and within resistance training alone, there’s weightlifting, yoga, calisthenics … which should I choose? And how much should I exercise weekly?”
#3: Come up with a game plan
Named your “demon”? Congratulations. The next step is to come up with a game plan that’ll help you tackle your fears head-on.
Here are tips tailored to each specific type of fear.
Fear of injury
Getting injured during weightlifting is a legitimate concern — and that’s where proper form comes in.
Whether you’re performing heavy compound exercises (such as deadlifts and squats) or “safer” machine-based movements, you should learn to do these exercises safely and with good form.
A good option is to hire a personal trainer. They’ll help guide you through the basics and provide individualized help.
What about other sports? You can minimize your injury risk by easing into a routine, investing in the right gear (e.g., comfortable, well-cushioned running shoes), and warming up before your workout.
Fear of looking foolish
Everyone starts somewhere.
Think of yourself as a toddler taking their first step: would you judge yourself for stumbling and falling? No, it’s your first step, after all. Also, look at how well you’re walking now after years of practice.
If you’re still afraid of being judged, here are a few gym-specific tips.
Ask a gym staff for a tour. Get acquainted with where to find specific machines and how to use them. Spend some time people-watching; soon, you’ll realize that everyone is in the gym for themselves and aren’t paying attention to what you’re doing.
Outside the gym, you could sign up for beginner-friendly group classes to overcome your fear of looking foolish.
Everyone would start at the same place as you, and you’ll all figure it out together.
Lack of time
Monitor your activities for a week.
You might find you have more downtime than you say you do (e.g., those 30 minutes you spend scrolling through social media after waking up).
And even if you don’t, there’s good news.
As it turns out, you don’t have to approach exercise in a rigid, structured, must-exercise-for-at-least-30-minutes manner to reap its benefits.
Research shows that exercise “snacks”, or short bursts or vigorous exercise performed intermittently throughout the day, could provide the same cardiometabolic benefits as a longer workout.
How short? Just one to two minutes. Now, that’s something anyone’s schedule can comfortably accommodate.
Examples of exercise “snacks” you could do throughout your day include playing around with bodyweight exercises (e.g., squats and push-ups), taking the stairs instead of the escalator, and doing chores around your home.
Remember that something is better than nothing, and that every little bit counts.
Unsure of how to start
There are endless types of exercise, but the important thing to know is that the best workout for you is the one you’ll actually do and enjoy.
So, you may wish to try different sports and classes — yoga, badminton, Pilates, Zumba, pickleball, cycling, etc. — until you find something that resonates.
Once you find a type of workout that works for you, avoid the “too much” trap. Start once or twice weekly and only increase the frequency and/or duration once you feel ready, and it’s become part of your regular life.
#4: Implement
Once you have an idea of how you’ll slay your “demon”, i.e., your fear of exercising, it’s time to implement it.
Now, at this point, here’s something crucial to keep in mind: don’t strive for perfection. Don’t make showing up for your workouts 100% of the time your goal.
Because that’s unrealistic; life happens — an urgent work deliverable will pop up, you’ll get sick, or you’ll have to care for a loved one who’s down with the flu.
“So,” you may wonder, “What should my goal be then?” Answer: always getting back on track after a setback. Ultimately, as with all things in life, consistency is key.
A final parting note: exercise is a single piece of the chronic condition management puzzle.
And sometimes, when you’re going at it on your own, it can feel a little “desynchronized” with your prescribed treatment plan and/or intended dietary changes.
If you’re overwhelmed with juggling all the different aspects of chronic disease management and trying to make them work together, NOVI Health’s “all-in-one” services combining specialist doctors, registered dietitians, and health coaches can help:
NOVI Magnum (Type 2 diabetes)
NOVI Optimum Plus (Weight loss with medication)
If you have already signed up for our holistic NOVI Optimum or NOVI Optimum Plus weight loss programs and would like to maintain your weight through a health coach-guided exercise and diet plan, NOVI PT Plus is for you.
NOVI PT Plus helps through:
Creating and guiding you through personalized exercise routines and dietary plans that prioritize your safety and well-being, while helping you achieve your goals.
Holistic guidance and genuine care, using the NOVI Method. With our ongoing remote support, you will be motivated throughout the program.
Data-based program adjustments to help you achieve your goals in a quicker time.