Too tired to exercise? You’re not alone, UK survey finds

Feel too tired to work out? No motivation to eat your greens? You’re not alone. Low motivation and fatigue are the primary factors keeping people from adopting a healthy lifestyle, a British survey suggests.

The poll of 2,086 adults was conducted online by YouGov on behalf of the World Cancer Research Fund and published Wednesday. It asked people what prevented them from making healthy changes to their diet and being more physically active.

For 38 percent of people, the answer was absence of motivation, while 35 percent reported feeling “too tired.” Many more women — 40 percent — reported exhaustion as a reason, compared with 29 percent of men. The divide was stark among age groups as well.

Almost 50 percent of the younger people (25- to 34-year-olds) said exhaustion was a factor, while 23 percent of 55-year-olds and above cited the reason. (Respondents could select more than one option.)

Lack of time, high gym fees and food prices were other reasons that deterred people from being or eating healthier, the survey said.

“People have busy schedules, and we know that for many, the last thing they might feel like doing when they are tired or lacking in motivation, is to start cooking from scratch or going to the gym,” Matt Lambert, health information and promotion manager of the cancer fund, said in an email. However, he added, taking small achievable steps can help without the pressure of overhauling your life.

Movement can boost energy levels through physiological changes, such as increasing oxygen circulation and producing more mitochondria.

“Mitochondria are known as the powerhouses of cells, because they create fuel out of glucose from the food you eat and oxygen from the air you breathe. Having more of them increases your body’s energy supply,” researchers at Harvard Health have noted.

Source: Washington Post

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