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There’s no shortage of excuses that keep you from exercising. Unfortunately, when you want to live a healthy lifestyle, excuses only hinder your progress and hold you captive. You can break free from excuses, but you have to combat them with truth.
Here are some of the top excuses we use to not exercise. Which ones are you using today?
1. I’m too busy
This one has to be the excuse that’s used most often.
Let’s be real here…. When you use this excuse, what you’re really saying is “I’m too busy for that” or “It’s not a priority in my life.”
Truth #1 - We make time for the things we want to do.
Want to go to lunch? Sure, I’ll rearrange my schedule.
My favorite show comes on at 8pm each week. I can’t miss that.
I have to get my nails done.
Watch the grandkids play ball? Of course, I’ll be there.
Where do your priorities lie? Are they in line with living a healthy lifestyle? Have you laid them at the Lord’s feet and prayed about it.
Consider doing this Bible study to help set priorities that honor God and serve you.
Truth #2 - We waste more time than we care to admit.
How much time do you spend doing these things each day?
Social media and surfing the web
Watching TV/Netflix/Hulu
Playing games on your phone or tablet
Watching YouTube videos
These can be some of the biggest time wasters!
You need to be honest with yourself. A good place to start is with tracking how you spend your time. This simple exercise will be very enlightening. You’ll be surprised at how extra time can be found in your days.
Truth #3 - a 30-minute workout is only 2% of your day. You can make the time.
‘Nuf said.
2. I’m too tired
Who isn’t these days?
We’re on the go all the time and/or we’re too sedentary. Both can cause us to feel tired.
Truth #1 - Our minds can be the culprit.
Our minds give up before our bodies do. They like to convince us to take the path of least resistance. And once we give in to their whining, they know they have us hooked. We must train them like a little child and develop healthy mindsets that work for us, not against us.
Truth #2 - Exercise actually gives you energy.
I know it seems counter intuitive, but this is one of the benefits of exercise. It releases endorphins which help you get moving and improve your mood. Endorphins are our ‘feel good’ hormones. They are our friends!
You may also need to look at other reasons why you may be feeling tired during the day, such as your sleep schedule, eating habits and hydration.
Unless you just ran a marathon, cut wood for a few hours or are suffering from jetlag, don’t use this excuse. Get up and get moving.
3. I’m too fat, old, out of shape
Maybe you are older. Maybe you are carrying around excess weight. Maybe you get out of breath. All of this may be true, but these are not valid excuses for not exercising.
Truth #1 - Everyone can do something.
Start small.
Walk for 15 minutes.
Ride a bike to the end of the road and back.
Do 15 minutes of stretching.
Exercise using a chair or while seated.
Truth #2 - You won’t know until you try.
Putting aside these excuses and taking a small step will show you that exercising is possible regardless of your health or fitness level. You can start small and build up from there.
Not every workout has to be an hour long and end up in a pool of sweat. It doesn’t have to be a hard-core, bootcamp workout to make a difference in your health. But you do have to do something.
Exercise is the solution to help you lose weight, feel better and live a longer, vibrant life. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Make it an active one.
4. It’s too hard
Truth #1 - Starting out is hard.
Period.
You are doing something you haven’t done in a long time, or maybe ever. It’s going to be hard. You have to learn a new way of thinking. You have to do things your body hasn’t done. Your mind and body will resist change and you will have to push through. There’s no way around it.
But just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s not worth it or that you shouldn’t do it. In fact, the exact opposite is true. Your health is worth it.
Truth #2 - It doesn’t get easier, you get better.
Just like anything else, the more you practice the better you get. And the things that used to be hard start to seem easier. But in reality, you have become stronger. You are moving past those things and are taking on more challenges.
One push-up on your knees was nearly impossible before, but now you can do 10. Did the push-up itself change and become easier? No, you became stronger.
Doing a 30-minute exercise class left you shaking and out of breath before, but now you can do the same class and feel refreshed afterwards. Did the class itself get easier? No, you became stronger.
There will always be something that is hard if you are challenging yourself and growing. In fact, you should embrace the hard, because doing the hard things is how you improve.
5. I don’t like exercising alone
Truth #1 - You don’t have to!
Partner up with a friend and exercise together.
Go for a walk with your family.
Join an exercise group.
It’s definitely more fun to exercise with a friend, and there are benefits to having a workout buddy. But what if you don’t have anyone to work out with?
Truth #2 - Online workouts are just as good as in person workouts
You can join an online fitness class so you are connected to people even when you can’t be together. You’re still able to interact and share and all from the comfort of your own home.
Truth #3 - Sometimes you have to do it anyway.
There will be times when no one is able to work out with you, but you still have to do it anyway. You can’t let being alone derail you from your goals.
So put on some good tunes and get it done no matter what!
6. I’ve tried before and can’t stick with it
How many times have you started and stopped a fitness program? Did you sign up for a gym membership and only show up a handful of times? Did you buy a workout DVD set and do one workout and there it sits on the shelf or in a box?
The simple desire to exercise isn’t enough to get you to stick with it.
Fact #1 - You need to find your WHY.
Your WHY is the reason you want to be healthy. It’s the thing that sits way below the surface. It goes far deeper than wanting to lose weight or to fit into your favorite jeans. It strikes at the core of who you truly are and what you value. It can and should bring you to tears. It should conjure up emotions that compel you to do whatever it takes to bring about the changes needed to realize your why.
This may not be something you can pull from the top of your head. You may need to spend some time developing your WHY. This is time well spent, because it’s the foundation you need to stick with exercising and living a healthy lifestyle. It is the compass that will lead you.
Fact #2 - You have to set goals and develop a plan.
Once you know your WHY it's time to set your health goals.
And, like your why, your goals are unique to you.
Many people fail at setting goals because they either have unrealistic expectations or they focus on the wrong things. Check out these 10 tips for setting healthy goals.
Once you know your GOALS, you must have a plan of action.
Simply saying you will exercise three times a week isn’t enough.
When will you exercise?
What will you do?
What obstacles do you need to overcome?
What is your backup plan if you can’t do this?
Your plan is your roadmap. Without one you will find yourself lost on a dead-end road.
Creating an exercise plan that works for you will take a little effort but the dividends of strength, feeling better and improving your health are worth it.
7. I just don’t feel like it
Truth #1 - If you wait to do things until you feel like it, you’ll never improve your health.
Do you feel like being overweight?
Do you feel like being tired?
Do you feel like not being able to do the things you want?
Regardless of how you feel about exercising, the alternative is to feel even worse physically.
You can’t wait until you feel like exercising. You have to do it regardless of how you feel.
Truth #2 - Feelings are fickle.
They can trick us and tempt us to doing things that aren’t good for us and prevent us from doing things that are. They cannot be relied on when it comes to taking care of our health.
So even when you aren’t “feeling it,” do it anyway.
8. It’s too boring
Fact #1 - Not everything has to entertain you.
Do you find showering, fixing your hair, putting on makeup, getting dressed and brushing your teeth to be highly entertaining? No? We do these things because we have to, and they are a part of life.
Exercise is no different. To improve your health, you have to do things that aren’t as fun as binge watching your favorite show or playing games on your phone. That’s just the way it is.
And complaining about it is really pointless. Will it change the fact that it needs to be done?
Fact #2 - You need to work out differently.
If you have no sense of enjoyment in exercising, you don’t stop exercising completely. You find a different way to exercise.
Don’t like going to the gym and using weight machines? Take a strength and stability class.
Feel like the time goes by too slowly on a treadmill? Take your walks outside or in the mall.
Don’t like exercising alone? Partner up with a friend or take a class.
Not everything in life is entertaining. But you can choose things that are enjoyable and not use boring as an excuse to not exercise.
9. I feel intimidated or embarrassed
Being the ‘new girl’ can be unsettling. You attend a class or go to the gym and everyone there looks like they know what they are doing and appear to be in better shape than you. You feel self-conscious and don’t want to look like a fool. Will they judge you because of how out of shape you are? Will you ever be able to do the things they are doing?
Fact #1 - Everyone starts out as a beginner.
I get it! It’s not easy starting something new. It takes courage to step out of your comfort zone.
Everyone experiences these feelings. It’s easy to look around and compare ourselves to others who look like they are in shape and have their act together. But they were once in your shoes and had to take the first step.
And after the first day, you aren’t the new girl anymore. You build upon the knowledge you learned, and you become stronger and able to do more than you did the day before. Before you know it, you’ll be the person the new girl is looking at thinking ‘she has it all together!”
We all progress along the journey to health, and we are all at different places on the path. But we do move forward, getting stronger and more confident. I promise you, you will too.
Fact #2 - What other people think doesn’t matter.
We spend far too much time in bondage to the thoughts and opinions of others. We worry about what people are saying about us or if they are judging us because of our weight. Do they think we are less of a person because we have let ourselves go?
Really…. What does it matter? They don’t live your life. They don’t know your struggles. They don't have your goals. They don’t make your decisions. They don’t even know you! Why let them take up that much space in your head?
Their thoughts and opinions are just that-THEIRS. They own it and it shows their character, not yours. You cannot allow them to project that onto you.
And realistically, they aren't even thinking about you at all. They are more focused on what they are doing, or on their phone, to even pay attention to you.
Keep focused on your goals and do better than you did yesterday. Before you know it, others will see your progress and that will give them something new to think about.
Instead, think about those you are inspiring. They look at what you are doing and believe they can too.
10. I don’t know what to do or where to begin
Cardio, dance, lifting weights, circuit training, Pilates, walking, HIIT training, water aerobics….. With so many options, how do you know what they all are and what to choose?
Truth #1 - You don’t have to know it all.
Don’t get trapped in analysis paralysis. Just pick something that will get your heart rate up (cardio) as well as build muscle (strength training) and increase your flexibility (stretching).
There are recommendations for women over 50, but here are some ideas to get you moving.
Take a brisk 20 to 30-minute walk for cardio
Participate in WholyFit classes to increase your strength and flexibility
Go for a 20 to 30-minute bike ride for cardio
Do body-weight exercises to build strength and endurance
Spend 20-30 minutes swimming laps or water walking for cardio
Truth #2 - It’s ok to ask for help.
Find out what your friends like to do and give it a try. Chances are you’ll like it too and they can help walk you through it.
Reach out to a fitness instructor (like me!) I can provide you with options that will work for you and offer support and encouragement.
As you can see, we have a big repertoire of excuses in our back pockets. It’s time to get rid of them for good. They don’t serve us and the healthy lifestyle we are living.
No more excuses, friend.
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