How many times have you made an excuse not to exercise? That time last week, yesterday, maybe even today? If you need motivation to moving, here are some simple steps.
How many times have you made an excuse not to exercise? You may have a weakness when it comes to making excuses about exercise, so how can you stop saying “tomorrow” and start doing today?
There are many weaknesses that you may have, whatever it is, that soft spot you have for giving in could be causing you more harm than good—specifically if it is affecting your ability to exercise and lose weight.
Here we will look at some of the top excuses not to exercise, and how you can alleviate these problems.
“I’m too busy to exercise.”
Always a top favourite. The person working overtime, the mother with a houseful of kids, the teacher with tests to grade. Everybody is busy to some extent, but do you have time to watch TV? Or to read a book? If you have time for those things, than you certainly have time to exercise!
“If you’re complaining about a lack of time, where would you rather be spending your time? What are you spending all your time doing? Falling into our habitual patterns that help prevent us from our priorities is a big issue,” says Life Coach Ley-Ann Clarke, a certified Solution-Focused and Fearless Living coach from North Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Solution: Clarke says to “Decide what your current priorities are—this often comes upon reflecting on where you are currently focusing your time and attention.” Is exercise something that you really want to make time for? If so, with a free hour after work and before dinner, why not hit the gym for a 45-minute workout? Try a fitness class if you can’t motivate yourself. If your current priorities are to go home and watch TV for two hours after dinner, the excuses are going to just keep coming while the workouts take a backseat to reality TV.
“I’m too tired to Exercise”
Another crowd pleaser—the old excuse of not having enough energy.
Solution: If you’re low on energy, exercising can actually give you back the energy that you’re missing; you just need to give it a try. Can’t muster up the energy to get off the couch by yourself? Why not enlist a workout buddy to train with? “The number one reason that people fail is that they lack support in their life,” Clarke says. “Even if the other person doesn’t want to exercise, at least having someone that you can ask for support from can make the person more committed.” It could be your spouse, a friend or even a co-worker. With someone to answer to, you’ll be more apt to hit the gym or go for that hike. Before you know it, you’ll be overflowing with energy.
“I just had a baby”
Postnatal exercise can be tough, especially for a new mother trying to balance her household, her baby’s needs and her time to exercise.
Solution: If your baby is still quite small, you can always bring her with you in a front pack or stroller while you hit the trails. Pre mobile babies love to be close to mom so why not include them in your work out plans? A brisk walk can burn just as many calories as a moderate jog- so get on your running shoes and hit the pavement.
Excuses and complaints go hand in hand; you may complain about how you look or feel, but what are you doing to change those things? “If you understand the things that are holding you back, you can absolutely overcome them,” Clarke says.
So, no more excuses; get out there and achieve your dreams!
