Executive Dysfunction and Fitness: Making Exercise Work for Your Neurodivergent Brain

By Rhiannon Cooper – Not So Typical Fitness, Neurodivergent Personal Trainer in Wolverhampton

If you've ever found yourself unable to start a workout despite genuinely wanting to exercise, you're not alone. And no, it's not about motivation, laziness, or willpower.

For many neurodivergent people, the biggest barrier to fitness isn't the workout itself. It's executive function.

What Is Executive Function?

Executive function refers to the set of mental skills that help us plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and juggle multiple tasks.

For many people, especially those with neurodivergent brains (autism, ADHD) or certain mental health conditions, these skills can be challenging to access consistently.

Executive function includes abilities like:

• Task initiation – starting activities

• Planning and organisation – structuring tasks

• Time management – estimating and tracking time

• Working memory – holding information in mind

• Self-monitoring – tracking your own performance

• Emotional regulation – managing feelings and reactions

• Flexible thinking – adapting to changes

When these skills are impaired, even simple tasks can feel overwhelming.

When Executive Function Gets in the Way of Fitness

Many people think the hardest part of fitness is the actual workout—the running, lifting, or training itself.

But for those with executive function challenges, the biggest barriers often come from unexpected places.

Common Fitness Barriers Related to Executive Function:

1. Task Initiation Simply starting the process of going to the gym can feel impossible, even when you want to go.

2. Transition Challenges Shifting from one environment (like work) to another (like the gym) requires mental energy that may not be available.

3. Planning Remembering to pack gym clothes, prepare your bag, or eat beforehand becomes another cognitive load.

4. Sequential Tasks Managing the chain of events needed, like getting ready, traveling, working out, showering, getting home, can be genuinely exhausting.

5. Sensory Overwhelm Dealing with gym environments that can be noisy, crowded, or overstimulating adds another layer of difficulty.

If you struggle with gym anxiety, executive dysfunction may be a major contributing factor.

The Showering Problem: A Real Example

As I shared in my podcast, one of my biggest fitness barriers isn't the workout itself, it's showering afterward.

What seems like a simple task to many becomes an energy-draining challenge that can prevent me from exercising altogether.

This illustrates an important point about executive function; it's not about being lazy or unmotivated. It's about certain tasks requiring disproportionate amounts of mental energy and creating genuine barriers to activities we want to do.

When people ask why I don't just "push through it," they're missing the point entirely. The executive function required to coordinate showering (temperature regulation, sensory input, time management, transition back to the next activity) is a real, measurable energy cost.

Five Strategies for Working With Your Brain

When it comes to executive function challenges, the goal isn't to "fix" your brain, it's to work with it.

Here are strategies that actually help:

1. Reduce Decision Fatigue

Pre-pack your gym bag and leave it in your car or by the door. The fewer decisions you need to make in the moment, the easier it is to follow through.

Why this works: Every decision you make depletes your executive function capacity. By deciding once (when you pack your bag) instead of multiple times (what to bring, where things are, did I forget anything?), you conserve mental energy for the actual workout.

2. Break Down Tasks into Micro-Steps

Instead of thinking "I need to work out today," break it down:

• Get in the car

• Drive to the gym

• Go through the door

• Put your bag in a locker

• Walk to the equipment

Each small step becomes its own achievement, making the overall process less overwhelming.

Related: How to build sustainable habits without relying on motivation

3. Find Workarounds for Your Specific Barriers

For me, shower wipes became a game-changer for days when I train before work.

Identify your specific barriers and look for creative solutions that work for you—not what works for neurotypical people.

Some examples:

• Can't handle post-workout showers? Use body wipes or dry shampoo

• Forget your gym bag? Keep duplicate basics in your car

• Struggle with transitions? Build in 10-minute "buffer zones" between activities

• Overwhelmed by equipment choices? Use the exact same machines every time

Understanding your neurodivergent fitness needs is the first step to finding solutions that actually work.

4. Create Visual Reminders

Use calendar alerts, notes by the door, or laid-out clothing to provide visual cues that trigger your memory and routine.

Why this works: Visual reminders reduce reliance on working memory—one of the executive functions most affected by ADHD and autism.

5. Celebrate Behaviour, Not Just Outcomes

Going to the gym once is better than not going at all.

Showing up three times this week when you usually manage one is progress, even if the scale doesn't reflect it yet.

Non-scale victories matter more than you think.

The Connection Between Mental Health and Executive Function

It's important to recognize that mental health and executive function are deeply connected.

When our mental health suffers, our executive function often declines as well. This isn't a personal failing—it's how our brains work.

During periods of stress, depression, or anxiety, be kind to yourself and adjust expectations accordingly. Sometimes maintaining is progress.

If you're experiencing burnout, your executive function will be even more impaired. This is when accommodations become essential, not optional.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Traditional Fitness Approach: "Just set your alarm earlier and go to the gym before work!"

Executive Function-Aware Approach:

• Night before: Lay out workout clothes on a chair by the bed

• Pack gym bag and put it by the front door

• Set out breakfast (or pre-made shake) in fridge

• Set alarm with specific instruction: "Put on workout clothes"

• Have backup plan: If morning doesn't work, 10-minute home workout counts

See the difference? The second approach removes decision points and reduces cognitive load.

Final Thoughts: Progress Over Perfection

Executive function challenges don't define your ability to succeed with fitness goals. The path might look different than for neurotypical people, but different doesn't mean impossible.

Remember that even thinking about making a change is progress. Planning to go to the gym is progress. Making it to the parking lot is progress.

By understanding your brain's unique needs and working with them rather than against them, you can build a fitness routine that works for you, not despite your neurodivergence, but in harmony with it.

Ready to Start?

If executive dysfunction has been holding you back from fitness, you don't have to figure this out alone.

The Gym Confidence Starter Package is specifically designed to address executive function challenges with structured support, visual resources, and realistic expectations.

Or start with the Sensory-Safe Strength System—a complete program that breaks everything down into manageable steps designed for neurodivergent brains.

What executive function challenges impact your fitness journey? Share in our community and connect with others who understand.

Related Resources

• New to understanding executive dysfunction? Read about why neurodivergent brains work differently in fitness

• Struggling with gym anxiety? Complete Guide to Overcoming Gym Intimidation

• Need help getting started? Book a free discovery call to discuss your specific challenges

Continue the conversation: Listen to the full podcast episode where I discuss executive function and fitness in depth.