How these Canadians found motivation and restored their love of exercise – The Globe and Mail

When was the last time you wanted to move because it felt good, not because someone told you you should?

How these Canadians found motivation and restored their love of exercise – The Globe and Mail

You don’t need permission to want movement that feels like relief instead of punishment. This article gathers stories, practical tactics, and compassionate analysis so you can see how ordinary people in Canada — people who once lost their desire to exercise — found their way back to movement that sustained them. You’ll read narratives, learn what worked for them, and pick up tools you can try in your own life.

Why motivation fades and why that’s not a failure

Motivation is not a single thing that you either have or don’t. It shifts with seasons of life, with grief, with job demands, with injuries, and with how your body and brain are being treated. When your motivation leaves, it’s often reacting to very real pressures and constraints rather than moral weakness.

If you treat fading motivation as a personal shortcoming, you’ll carry shame and that will make moving again harder. Instead, notice the circumstances that made motivation hard, and consider how you might rearrange them so movement becomes possible and even pleasurable again.

Most common reasons motivation wanes

You need to name the problem before you can treat it. Here are frequent causes you might recognize, and why they matter.

Life changes and competing priorities

When you had a job change, a new kid, a move, or a caregiving responsibility, your energy and time get redistributed. You may still value fitness, but your calendar will insist on different priorities and you will adapt.

Mental health and burnout

Depression, anxiety, and burnout make movement feel like a mountain. That’s not laziness; that’s your nervous system protecting you from further overwhelm. Small, compassionate steps matter more than grand plans when your mental energy is low.

Pain, injury, and fear of reinjury

Once you’ve hurt yourself, you may be hyper-aware of pain and its implications. That awareness can make you avoid movement entirely — which in many cases weakens muscles and creates more pain. Gentle, guided reintroduction often helps.

Boredom and one-size-fits-all programs

If exercise felt like punishment or a routine you hated, your brain didn’t sign up for it. People stop doing things they don’t enjoy. You deserve movement that meets you where you are.

Environmental and practical barriers

Weather, lack of safe spaces, limited finances, or no childcare are real obstacles. Motivation can be present but impractical circumstances make action impossible.

Stories from Canadians who found their way back

Stories give you a map without pretending there’s only one route. Read them as possibilities rather than prescriptions. Each person’s path is shaped by context, and yours will be too.

Sarah, Toronto — returning after burnout

Sarah worked long hospital shifts and thought exercise had to be intense to count. After a prolonged burnout, she couldn’t muster energy for the gym. She started with two ten-minute walks after shifts, noticing the air and the city lights. Over months, those ten-minute walks became thirty-minute strolls with a friend twice a week. She didn’t chase “fitter” as a moral target; she aimed for clarity and less muscle tension. For you, noticing the smallest lift in mood after movement can be a better guide than calorie counts or scale numbers.

Ahmed, Calgary — finding movement after injury

Ahmed injured his knee playing soccer and stopped all activity for fear of making it worse. His physiotherapist gave him tailored, low-impact exercises and progress markers he could control. He felt empowered because he could see incremental improvements: more range of motion, less stiffness. When you’re afraid of reinjury, having concrete, measurable steps and a professional who listens will help you move safely and with confidence.

Mei, Vancouver — rediscovering joy through dance

Mei loved to dance as a teenager but had set it aside when she became a parent. When her daughter started preschool, Mei enrolled in a community dance class for adults. The class wasn’t about weight loss; it was about music, laughter, and expression. She regained both stamina and a sense of self that had been muted for years. If you miss the person you used to be, find ways movement can help you reclaim parts of yourself that don’t relate to appearance.

Jamal, Halifax — using community to stay consistent

Jamal had tried solo training plans and always fizzled out. He joined a neighbourhood running group where pace and performance varied widely, and where people lingered with coffee afterward. The accountability wasn’t punitive; it was relational. He showed up because the people did. For you, community can make a practice sticky not because of obligation but because belonging is nourishing.

Priya, Winnipeg — micro-commitments beat perfectionism

Priya was paralyzed by “all or nothing” thinking: if she couldn’t do a full hour, she didn’t bother. Her therapist suggested the “two-minute rule”: do two minutes of movement. She started with two minutes of stretching each morning. Often she kept going. Soon her two minutes turned into twenty; the habit was established because perfectionism was side-stepped. If you feel guilty for not matching your past or some ideal, micro-commitments give you a clean alternative.

Lucas, Montreal — reframing goals away from the scale

Lucas loved sports in university but lost interest in exercise after work obligations and a slow weight gain that he monitored obsessively. He shifted his focus from body size to skill: he set a goal to climb a local bouldering route once per week. The skill focus made training fun and specific, not punitive. When your goals are about capability, you’ll often find curiosity replacing shame.

Aisha, Ottawa — integrating movement with parenting

Aisha found that traditional gym time didn’t fit her schedule or budget. She joined a stroller-walk group and began scheduling “playground laps” where she chased her kids while holding conversations with other parents. The movement was incidental to the social hour, but it added up. If you’re juggling children, consider movement that includes them rather than competing with them.

What they had in common: themes that restored motivation

You can use these themes as levers to change your own habits. Each theme speaks to the why and the how of sustainable movement.

• Autonomy: They chose movement that felt like theirs, not something prescribed with moral judgment. When you choose the how and the when, you’re more likely to continue.
• Competence: They built small, measurable wins so they could see progress. Progress, no matter how small, is motivating.
• Relatedness: Many regained movement through social contact — a group, a friend, a class. Human connection makes habits stick.
• Pleasure: When movement delivered joy, curiosity, or emotional release, it became self-sustaining.
• Flexibility: They permitted small failures and adaptations, which prevented catastrophic abandonment.

A practical comparison: intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation

Understanding the difference will help you create sustainable habits. This table makes it clear.

Practical steps you can try this week

You don’t need a perfect plan; you need a plan you can live with. Below are concrete steps you can adopt immediately.

1. Audit your life for one week. Track energy, mood, time, and barriers. This isn’t judgmental — it’s data.
2. Choose three non-negotiable micro-habits: two-minute morning stretch, 10-minute walk after lunch, or two sets of bodyweight squats before showering.
3. Pick one activity you like. If you’re unsure, try three different things for a week each and see what you want to repeat.
4. Create low-friction access. Keep shoes by the door, a yoga mat rolled out, or a playlist ready.
5. Pair movement with something you already do: call a friend during a walk, listen to an audiobook while cycling.
6. Keep a simple progress tracker focused on what matters to you (mood, sleep, energy, or a capability like push-ups).
7. Schedule movement like any other important appointment. If you wouldn’t skip a doctor’s appointment, don’t treat your time as optional.

A sample 4-week starter plan

This is modest and intentionally forgiving. Each day has two attainable movement windows.

You can repeat or modify based on what felt sustainable. The point is to build cadence, not perfection.

Overcoming typical barriers with concrete solutions

Barrier identification is one thing; practical responses are another. Here’s how people you read above handled common challenges.

Time scarcity

Solution: Micro-workouts, movement sum across the day, or integrating movement with chores. If you have pockets of time — waiting for dinner, a child’s soccer practice — use them.

Fatigue and low mood

Solution: Start with two minutes. Choose restorative movement like stretching or a slow walk. Recognize that movement can improve mood even when it feels like the last thing you want to do.

Lack of money

Solution: Use free resources: public trails, YouTube classes, community centre drop-in sessions. Many community programs offer sliding scales.

Weather and seasonality

Solution: Embrace indoor options: mall walking, stair climbs, or online classes. If the cold feels oppressive, layer and keep sessions brief and intentional.

Fear of judgment

Solution: Find non-judgmental spaces: community classes that emphasize inclusivity, online communities with compassionate moderation, or solo practices at home.

Pain or chronic conditions

Solution: Work with a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, or qualified instructor. Focus on mobility, pacing, and symptom tracking rather than punishment.

Measuring progress without becoming obsessive

You can track without letting metrics colonize your self-worth. Choose measures that align with how you want to feel, not just how you want to look.

• Feelings: energy, stress levels, mood, sleep quality. These are often the most immediate and meaningful changes.
• Function: can you carry groceries, climb stairs, play with your kids without breathlessness? These measures matter.
• Skill: can you hold a yoga pose longer, run a little farther, lift heavier? Skill-based goals are motivating.
• Consistency: number of sessions per week. Celebrate continuity over intensity.
• Avoid overreliance on scale weight as the only metric. It’s noisy and can demotivate.

Building an identity that supports exercise

You’ll likely keep moving if you see the activity as part of who you are rather than something you do to fix a flaw.

• Small identity shifts: Instead of “I’m trying to be fit,” try “I’m someone who moves most days for my health.” The language you use matters.
• Language practice: Use present-tense statements. Tell yourself, “I do something active today,” rather than “I’ll start tomorrow.”
• Ritualize cues: A walk after lunch, a short breathwork before bed — these become signals that reinforce identity.

When to seek professional help

Sometimes, a coach, physiotherapist, or therapist is the exact support you need. You should consider professional help if:

• You have persistent pain that affects daily life.
• You have a mental health condition that makes self-directed action impossible.
• You’re trying to return to exercise after major surgery or significant medical issues.
• You’ve tried multiple approaches and need someone to help tailor the plan to your body and life.

Professionals can give you technical guidance, accountability, and an external perspective that reduces isolation and fear.

Community resources in Canada you might not know about

You don’t need to pay for a boutique studio to access helpful programs. Here are some commonly available types of support in Canadian communities.

• Community centres and municipal recreation programs often offer low-cost classes and drop-ins. You can usually find schedules online for your city’s parks and recreation department.
• ParticipACTION and national health promotion organizations provide resources and campaigns that normalize small, achievable steps toward activity.
• Public health programs and community health centres sometimes run chronic disease management or active-living workshops.
• Local trail networks, conservation areas, and provincial parks give you free or low-cost access to excellent outdoor movement.
• Community Facebook groups, Meetups, and neighbourhood walking groups can offer social motivation without much expense.

Use 211 or your municipal website to find programs if you’re unsure what’s available near you.

What to do when you stall — compassionate course correction

Plateaus and slip-ups will happen. The question is how you respond.

• If you miss a week, ask why rather than punish yourself. Was it sleep, an illness, or life noise?
• Reframe lapses as information. They tell you something about what needs to change: timing, support, or expectations.
• Recommit with a smaller target. The smallest successful action will pull you back into the cadence of the habit.
• Keep a “what worked before” list. When you stall, pick something from that list rather than inventing new extremes.

Long-term sustainability: variety, autonomy, and meaning

Sustainable movement often rests on three pillars. Keep each in mind as you evolve your practice.

• Variety: Rotate activities so your body and your curiosity don’t get bored. Strength, mobility, and cardio each play a role.
• Autonomy: Make choices that align with your preferences and life. If you hate early mornings, don’t force them because an influencer said so.
• Meaning: Anchor movement to values — not to punishment. Want to be able to hike with friends at 70? Want less back pain so you can garden? Those are better motivators than guilt.

Quick tools and practices you can adopt today

Here are easy inserts you can use immediately, even if you’re short on time.

• Two-minute rule: Start with two minutes. Often you’ll continue.
• One-song workout: Choose a song and let it define a mini-routine (squats, lunges, presses).
• Move-first evenings: Take a short walk after dinner before settling in — it breaks the inertia.
• Habit pairing: Brush your teeth, then do three stretches. Link movement to an existing habit.
• Accountability third-party: Text a friend “I’m going for a ten-minute walk” and ask them to check in later.

Final thoughts — moving toward a practice you can keep

You deserve an approach to movement that respects your whole life: your time, your body, your mental health, and your limits. The Canadians you read about didn’t all use the same tools, and neither will you. What they did share was a willingness to be kind to themselves enough to try small things, to measure what mattered to them personally, and to choose community and pleasure over punishment.

If you want one simple starting line: pick one micro-action you can do tomorrow that feels easy and slightly meaningful. Do it. Notice what changes in how you feel. Repeat. Over time, those small repetitions become more than a routine — they become part of the shape of your life.

You don’t have to love every workout. You don’t have to live at the gym. You can, however, return to movement in ways that restore your curiosity, your capacity, and your joy. That’s not a luxury; it’s a form of care.

Source: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMitAFBVV95cUxNZDdXZmgtS1pKS2tHRDBPa1A2SzFfbmY4WFRJRm1GUEd6R1JEOVRpV0pVYU5GMnlna0VTWGN6d2JzTnFURlVfTEpCWkpaUlFoc1cwTFhycjNTMmFIN1M4VGhwVjdkU25vSlZCOFBla3QwZG1pZlEtQW42WXd5UFhJa24wejAxNGdHN0JJaTIya3FFTXRvTUhuSUtxd3FMMTFjbXlMb29nTDFLczNXck5IQkZ4UG4?oc=5