By ECE OZDEMIR
Many of us postpone starting to work out with the same phrase: “I will start next Monday.”
When we have more time, when we are going through a less stressful period, when life settles down a bit…
As if working out is a habit that is only worth when everything is going well. Yet, it might be one of the things we need most precisely when things are not going well.
The idea that working out is healthy is almost universally accepted. It’s good for heart health, strengthens muscles and helps with weight control.
These things are true. But they’re also incomplete. Because defining working out solely as a physical activity doesn’t explain why we find it so difficult to start. Perhaps the problem isn’t that we’re starting exercise too late; it’s that we’re placing it in the wrong context from the very beginning.
Most people think that working out requires being motivated. They also think that thinking to start working out when they “feel like it” or when they “ready” is going to make it better. However, researches and people’s experience’s show the opposite: motivation is not a prerequisite for action but rather a result of it.
In other words, we often act first, and then the desire follows. There is no motivation waiting for you to start exercising; there is a momentum that builds as you move. When we ignore this fact, exercise becomes increasingly daunting and gets postponed.
Another often overlooked fact is this: sports are not just about the body; they directly affect the mind. Regular physical activity increases attention span raises the threshold for coping with stress and strengthens decision-making mechanisms.
In other words, sports are associated not only with being “fitter,” but also with a clearer, more focused mind. Despite this, reducing sports to merely an aesthetic goal or a display of discipline makes it inaccessible for many people.
Additionally, exercise is often viewed with an “all or nothing” mentality: If you can’t do an hour, it’s not worth it; if you don’t go regularly several days a week, it’s pointless. However, even short bursts of activity have positive effects.
Even 10 or 15 minutes of exercise can be part of the process. But, when exercise is presented as a major decision rather than a natural extension of daily life, it loses its sustainability.
For many, the real challenge isn’t starting but being consistent after starting.
The thought of “I’ll just quit again” makes staying inactive seem safer.
This raises an important question: Are we too late to start exercising or are we approaching it from the wrong perspective? Does exercise have to be a turning point? Can it be done without completely overhauling one’s life?
Perhaps exercise isn’t a habit added after everything is good but rather a small piece that gradually builds structure into one’s life.
“Being late” is often a mental concept not a biological one. Things left undone in the past devalue the present, while the body is only concerned with the present moment.
There is no specific age for sports; we only act as if there is because of the meanings we attach to it.
We’re not late to start working out. We’re just squeezing it into an all or nothing mindset.
But working out isn’t about a perfect start; it’s an irregular but repetitive practice. Perhaps the issue isn’t starting, but rather approaching sports with less pressure on ourselves.
J.R. Holder Wellness Center located on our campus provides free services to students and also serves the public for a reasonable membership fee.
Wellness Center hours: Sunday 4-8 p.m.; Monday-Friday, 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m.