Research shows that most people quit the gym within the first year of joining. A decade-long study that tracked over 5,000 gym members found that 63% of new joiners stopped attending within the first three months, and less than 4% stayed active for more than a year.
However, our struggle to keep exercising isn’t simply due to laziness. Health problems play a big role, with more than half of U.S. adults facing some kind of chronic condition. Long work hours and constant stress add to the pressure. And those with lower incomes often live in areas lacking safe and pleasant spaces for physical activity, making regular workouts even harder.
One surprising obstacle that discourages us from being more active is our own brain. “That disinclination, that reluctance, that voice that says, ‘I don’t want to [exercise],’ is completely normal and natural,” says Daniel Lieberman, a human evolutionary biologist and author of Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do is Healthy and Rewarding.
Throughout human history, physical effort was crucial for survival tasks like finding or growing food. Humans evolved to handle high levels of movement but also to rest when possible, conserving energy for essential activities. In simpler terms, our ancestors weren’t jogging to burn extra calories. From an evolutionary perspective, “that would be a stupid thing to do,” Lieberman explains. “You’re wasting energy on something that’s not going to give you any benefit whatsoever.”
Today, we no longer need to move as much for survival, but the instinct to conserve energy persists. This makes it hard for us to find the right motivation to stay fit.
Beyond biological instincts, many people subconsciously carry negative feelings toward exercise from childhood, says Jackie Hargreaves, a senior lecturer on sport and exercise psychology at Leeds Beckett University in the U.K. For instance, experiencing embarrassing gym class moments at school can lead to avoiding workouts well into adulthood, Hargreaves notes.
Confidence can also be a big factor. Individuals who see themselves as capable exercisers are more likely to maintain a regular routine, while those who don’t may struggle with consistent motivation, says behavioral scientist Stefanie Williams.
Despite all these challenges, there are ways to encourage yourself to exercise, according to fitness experts. “My best advice for staying motivated to workout is to remind yourself of your goals as much as possible, and integrate this into your schedule,” says Jessie Jones Williams, personal trainer at OriGym Center of Excellence.
Emma Vincent, a personal trainer at PureGym, adds that planning your week ahead can be very effective. Seeing your plan visually can help keep you accountable. “Put inspirational quotes somewhere like your mirror to look at every day,” she suggests. “This alone can give that little burst of motivation you need to get to the gym or to workout.”
Vincent also recommends documenting your progress. “You can look back to see how far you’ve come,” she explains. “This will show you why you’re doing it in the first place, and back up the reason for keeping going, even when you don’t want to.” Using before-and-after pictures or tracking how many reps you can do provides tangible proof of your achievements and keeps you inspired.
As tempting as it may be to work out every day for quicker results, Jones Williams emphasizes the importance of taking breaks. Being well-rested enables you to maintain your routine for longer.
“You’ll see the best results the more you workout, but you need to be mindful of including enough rest,” Jones Williams says. “You should start by doing two to three days per week, for at least half an hour each time, and build up to four or five days. This will get the best results and make sure that you don’t hinder your future workouts by burning out, overtraining, or getting an injury.”
The best thing you can do is find an exercise that you actually enjoy. If you like swimming, sign up at a local pool. If dancing is your thing, check out a nearby studio. Enjoy running? The park is always available. Whatever works for you.
Vincent reminds us that variety is also important. “Mix up your routine,” she says. “Try different classes and different training styles. Change scenery from home workouts, gym workouts and outdoor workouts.”
However, even if you’ve found a workout that suits you well, there might be times when it still feels draining. In these moments, having something exciting to look forward to during exercise can really help. Physician Megan Roche, for example, loves taking photographs, and running gives her an opportunity to look for interesting things to shoot, especially while traveling. “These photos carry me through my running journey,” she says.