How to Deal with Your Excuses for Not Working Out

[Anonymous]

Some people really enjoy working out. They hop out of bed, and first thing, they quite literally hit the ground running. For that many more people, working out can seem like a boring, annoying chore that they 'must' get done somehow. For those of you in the latter category,

1. I really don't have time to workout

The number one tried and true excuse. I believe that you don't have time to workout every once in a while, but everyday, every other day, highly unlikely. Be honest with yourself here on this one. How much time are you dedicating to your cell phone, social media sites, Gag, television, Netflix? On average, studies show that you're spending a lot of time just on social media with 18-34-year-olds reporting spending 3.8 hours a day; 35-49-year-olds report spending 3 hours per day; and 50-64-year-olds report spending 2.4 hours per day on social media. You only need one half hour to an hour per day of exercise. Pencil in your hour for exercise, and then make your reward time spent in social media land if necessary.

2. I don't have a gym membership

Not actually an excuse. There was a time on this planet before gyms ever existed, before weight machines, and step classes, where people still managed to stay healthy by running, walking, lifting and pushing heavy objects, or playing with their children and pets. You can always walk. You can go for a swim in the local public park, you can ride a bike or a skateboard. A weight can be lifting a heavy book, or pushing and pulling against your own body weight which makes for excellent workouts.

3. I don't know how to workout or what to do

You are on the internet right now and since the internet wasn't invented yesterday, I'm pretty sure you know how to get on Google and look up, how do I workout or what exercises can I do to build great arms and a nice butt. If you are a visual learner, youtube is an excellent resource to literally show you how to achieve good form and for some free workouts you can follow along with.

4. I just get bored with my workouts

Most people will get bored if you do the same thing every single day. When you get bored, one of the greatest things you can do for not only your mental state, but your body, is to completely do a 180 and switch up your routine. If you say run everyday, and that's boring, try signing up for a dance class or do a dance workout for free online. Try taking a different route than you normally do or try adding in some stairs with your workout. Invite a friend to workout with you for some company. Go play a basketball game with your friends. You may find yourself bored every 3 months so don't be afraid to completely switch things up.

5. I hate working out, it's not fun

People often assume that the only way to workout is on that treadmill or lifting weights at the gym. This is completely untrue. The trick is to try and try and try new things until you find something that you love or like doing. If you're an outdoor person and you love nature, make hiking your thing or snowboarding. If you love the beach, make swimming laps in the ocean or running alongside the beach your thing. If you love to dance, sign up for dance classes. A soccer game, jump roping with your kids, a bike ride...all of these are exercises that are good for your body that won't have you staring at a wall in a gym if that's not your thing.

[Avenuewriter]

Here's a major mistake many people make when they plan to work out: they aspire to big goals.

"I'm gonna lose 20 pounds by whenever."

"I'm gonna run two miles every day from now on!"

This is the wrong way to go about it. Making big goals to aspire to is only setting yourself up for failure because when you eventually hit that roadblock, or fail to reach that goal, you feel even more defeated and eventually will give up.

Instead of making goals, try and form habits. Try and make exercising a habit that you can't ignore. It is said that it takes 30 days for a habit to become wired into our brains, so if you just get out there and do something, anything, and keep it consistent you're already on the right track. Once you have that habit established then you will feel compelled to exercise even on those days when you'd normally not want to. Once its become habit, you can start to add to your regimen and start increasing how much you work out and what that exercise takes the form of be it weight lifting, running, or piyo.

[myTake Owner]

Well said

[ConsultantIsBack]

Hell yeah! Great stuff. So many excuses, like time? are you kidding me? just play less video games, spend a little less time on facebook/IG/gag/tv lol. And being patient with results.

[myTake Owner]

absolutely! I mean, if someone is reading this on GaG, they clearly have some time to burn in their day. No excuses.