How to overcome top 10 excuses for not exercising

Follow these simple tips to beat laziness, stay motivated and make regular exercise an unbreakable habit.

We try think of hundreds of excuses whenever we do not want to exercise. At times, we tend to blame it on time and at times we just lack the motivation to do it. Here is a list of 10 common excuses that people give for not exercising. Let’s look at each one of them and find out ways to overcome them.

Excuse 1: ‘I don’t have any time left for exercise’

Tip: Between work, everyday activities and the usual demands of life, it might seem difficult for you to squeeze in time for exercise. To avoid letting time to be an obstacle, you have to schedule your exercise in your plan. Look at what is consuming your time and eliminate unimportant things from your schedule. You can also simply get up 15 earlier in the morning or stay up that late in the night and work out in that extra time. Remember exercising for even 15 minutes a day is better than not exercising at all. Slowly increase this time to 30 minutes and so on.

Excuse 2: ‘I am so exhausted by the end of the day’

Tip: An entire day of work and errands can leave you very tired. Exercise at a time of the day when you have more energy. Take a walk at lunch time or hit the gym before you get home and call it a day. Exercising will actually give you more energy. It will improve your circulation and cause your body to produce a chemical endorphin which will make you feel good and energetic. Exercise will actually make you less lethargic.

Excuse 3: ‘I am not inspired enough to work out’

Tip: If you think you have no reason to exercise, you won’t be motivated. Turn your attention to the benefits of exercising and you will stay motivated long enough to make regular exercise an unbreakable habit. You can also look at fitness idols and make someone you adore your inspiration to work out for. Keep that goal in mind and work towards it to see results.

Excuse 4: ‘I am not fit enough to exercise right now’

Tip: Perhaps you are obese, you have had a heart attack or you might feel that you are too old to exercise. You may have to first consult your doctor, but everyone is allowed to perform some sort of physical activity regardless their age, size or condition. Just be sure to start gradually with walking swimming, and other exercises that do not involve pounding.

Excuse 5: ‘I am in pain’

Tip: When you are hurting too much, it is difficult to find motivation to exercise. But exercising is actually a great way to ease and avoid pain. Aerobics and cardio exercises including jogging and taking the stairs can ease your pain. Stretching will help you to prevent injury by making your muscles flexible.

Excuse 6: ‘I don’t have access to a gym’

Tip: You always don’t need a gym or fancy equipment to exercise. You can easily afford to exercise at home with a set of dumbbells to keep you going. You also have the option of exercising without equipment using your body weight. If you don’t know the technique, use an exercise DVD or find appropriate exercises in a book or online.

Excuse 7:  ‘I don’t get desired results’

Tip: When you don’t see desired results, you may get discouraged. But various factors such as diet and lifestyle may negate the effects of exercising. It is thus important to be patient and wait for a few months to judge your results. If you are still not seeing visible results after few months, consider seeing a nutritionist, getting a personal trainer or altering your exercise routine.

 Excuse 8: ‘I don’t have money!’

Tip:  When price is an issue, there are plenty of alternatives to the gym or personal training. You have unlimited options like walking outdoors and running up and down the stairs. Other exercises such as sit-ups, push-ups, squats and crunches all come for free.

Excuse 9: ‘I don’t want to change my eating habits’

Tip: You might not have enough energy to workout, if your diet lacks nutrition. Cut down on fast foods and ditch the sweets. Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories, and are nutrient-dense which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. Start slowly by eliminating one junk food at a time.

Excuse 10: ‘I am already very thin’

Tip: Being lean is definitely associated with better health, but exercise has numerous other benefits that you can’t reap in simply by keeping your weight down. Even if you are in a healthy weight range, you may have an excess percentage of body fat. Exercise can boost your strength, give you more energy, improve immune system and keep you stay slim.

To always stay motivated to exercise remember the famous quote ‘Those who do not make time for exercise, will need to make time for illnesses’.

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