Busted! We've all done this before: we make New Year's resolutions and drop off after two months; we plan to go for a run outside but get caught up binge watching Fuller House; we make plans to go to the gym but end up meeting with a friend for dinner. For every reason that exercising is good for you, there seems to be 10 other reasons not to do it. Here are 10 of the most common excuses that people seem to make:
1. I don't have time
This is probably the most common excuse we make, and I'm guilty of it. Do you have time to watch TV? Do you have time to browse the internet? Then you have time to exercise. During your shows (or at least the commercials), lift some weights, or walk in place, or do some stretches. Can't get a break from the kids? Take them with you, or exercise with them -- go for a bike ride, walk to the park, play some active video games, kick a ball or throw a frisbee around. If you don't have a long stretch of time to do a full workout routine, break it up into 10 or 15 minute sessions throughout the day. Some activity is better than none. Add even more into your day by parking your car farther or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Yes, we're all busy, but if something is a priority, you will make time for it. Incorporate exercise consistently into your routine, and you will naturally schedule everything else around it.
2. I'm too tired
This is not a legitimate excuse, and it can create a vicious cycle. The more sedentary you become, the more tired you get. If you're too tired to work out, change your sleeping habits, not your workout habits. Working out actually gives you more energy. If you're too tired after work, try doing it before work, and you'll feel more energized throughout the day. Plus, people who exercise tend to sleep better than those who don't.
3. Exercise is boring
Do you consider brushing your teeth, taking showers, getting dressed, and driving to work highly entertaining? No, nobody likes running on a treadmill for an hour everyday. Don't stop working out; just work out differently. Find an activity that you enjoy doing. Like the outdoors? Go for a walk or hike, go canoeing or kayaking, go for a bike ride. Not an outdoor person? Go rock climbing, try martial arts or boxing, join a group fitness class, go dancing, watch some fitness videos at home. If you don't like exercising alone, get together with some friends, or join a group. It always helps to motivate each other.
4. My back/hips/knees hurt
Get moving! You're not exempt from exercising. In fact, exercising will help to strengthen your bones and muscles and remove strain from your joints. It'll also keep you at a healthy weight and decrease the stress on those joints. People with hip and knee arthritis may benefit from starting with pool-based exercises and progressing to other types.
5. I don't see any results
Rome wasn't built in a day. You don't gain 10 lbs in a week, so don't expect to lose 10 lbs in a week. Do you think you'll get results by stopping? You don't see results because 1) you're not exercising regularly, 2) you're eating too much, and 3) you expect results too soon. Have some patience. Give your body time to adjust, and wait a few months to see whether you're making progress. I hate to tell you: it's extremely quick and easy to become unhealthy, but it's a much tougher and longer process to become healthy again. It also helps if you don't set unrealistic goals for yourself.
6. I don't know how to exercise
In the world of internet, this excuse just won't fly. "Exercise" is not a big, complicated set of movements. Just move. There are many sites that offer not only exercise tips and advice but also fitness and workout videos. If you're still in doubt, try working with a personal trainer to get you started.
7. The gym is too expensive/far away
If you think you need to join a gym to achieve your fitness goals, you've seriously been living on the wrong planet. The world is your playground -- find some ducks to chase, some wood to cut, a tree to climb. There are plenty of bodyweight exercises that you can do without any equipment whatsoever.
8. I'm too embarrassed
The gym can be an intimidating place. This feeling is normal, and everyone feels the same way when they first start out. There is really no solution to help you overcome feeling self conscious. However, just think: these super fit people probably didn't always look that way. Most of them have probably been training for a long time to get in that shape. They all started somewhere, and many of them must have felt the same way when they first started. Stick with it for awhile, and your confidence will improve. You'll be the one laughing a few months down the road.
9. I'm not in the mood
PMS, work drama, fights with a significant other, feeling sick, etc., etc., can make exercising the last thing on your mind. Figure out what your symptoms are, and decide what may be the most beneficial for you. Yoga may help you with stress and anxiety; kickboxing may help you release your anger; cardio or light stretching may help with muscle soreness. At the end of the day, exercising causes your body to release endorphins (feel-good hormones), so while you may not be in a good mood before exercising, you sure will be afterwards.
10. I don't need to exercise
Most people associate being overweight with being unhealthy and being thin with being healthy. There's a difference between being physically fit and having a healthy weight. The term "skinny fat" is used to describe people who look thin and healthy on the outside, but due to a lack of exercise or a poor diet, they typically have several health problems on the inside (i.e. high blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, inflammation, etc.). These people have a low muscle mass and a high percentage of body fat, causing them to look soft and shapeless. Combined with proper nutrition, exercising will help increase muscle tone and decrease fat. Additionally, exercises have other benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, etc.
Don't be so hard on yourself -- we're all human. If you fail to follow through one day, just start afresh the next day. It's never too late to start exercising!
