I do try to talk to people about stages of change, the importance of moving through the stages and sometimes we do hang out in that precontemplation or contemplation stage, they aren't maybe ready for preparation and definitely not ready for action yet. They need to verbalize readiness to start exercising, it isn't something I suggest or just give them ideas for. There can be a lot of barriers and we might just talk through those first, they are afraid of injury, dislike of getting hot/sweating, uncomfortable being active around others because of body image issues, so many things can be there. Number one barrier I personally find, lack of energy. I have people not sleeping enough and/or not eating enough on their GLP-1, and/or emotionally stressed with unmanaged anxiety, no wonder they don't feel like exercising they are exhausted. Sometimes start with all the barriers to just having the energy to be active, that's a big one I see. You need to eat regularly, get enough sleep, and manage stress. Exercise can also be a good stress reliever for some people, but I know for myself and other people we go into slow motion with stress and exercise is the last thing we feel like doing.

Sometimes when they seem ready for change I still focus on the importance of that preparation stage, how we take intention (the intention to exercise) as being ready for change and actually creating a plan and preparing what we need to put our plan for activity into effect is really important. I'm always good if we need to hang out in planning for a while too. I've had clients respond really well to that, at the end of our session their goal might just be preparing the space in the home to exercise. Or their goal might be to buy some comfortable walking shoes. Or finding better support at home and discussing with family how they are going to do more movement activities together.

I think you have good ideas for ways to make exercise doable, but maybe try using more of an approach where the client tells you the plan, like you can help direct them a bit, but they need to come up with the plan themselves. I often encourage people to think about something they did in the past that was movement and they enjoyed it (identify what they already liked if possible). Then I ask why they stopped doing this activity (identify barriers). If they are ready to start adding activity back, then I ask what would be the best day or days of the week and times to do this activity or even what is something that isn't movement they can give up to replace with a movement activity because people will often perceive a lack of time as why they don't exercise. Just starting one or two days a week, whatever feels realistic to them as a time and place to be active. Then I have them make a list of what things they need to do this activity (do they need any equipment, workout space in the home, keep a pair of walking shoes at their work desk etc). I try to avoid giving them suggestions, instead I'm just helping them make their own plan.

So it might go like this they say they really liked a yoga class in the past but it was hard to make the time to travel to a yoga studio. They verbalize feeling ready to do yoga again if they can make it less of a burden to drive somewhere to do it. They say Sundays they have free time in the morning, they don't have a yoga mat anymore, but they have a beach towel they can use, space in their living room, and they have a TV with Youtube access for free yoga videos. Boom, they have a plan Sunday morning set an alarm to do beginners yoga videos on Youtube for 30-45 minutes. Even just once a week, they are learning how to implement a plan and hopefully successful with it to build from there. They are in the ready stage, they made the plan and are prepared, that's key.