Remember when you were fit, or at least more in shape than you are right now?
If it’s been more than a few years since you felt healthy and had energy to burn, maybe it’s time to get back in the driver’s seat and regain control of your personal fitness. Make today the day you stop finding excuses to not work out and get yourself back on track to a healthier you!
These are some of the top excuses given to fitness experts for not exercising; to help get you motivated, I’m including strategies for getting past them.
“I don’t have time” is the number one excuse we use for not exercising. Here’s how to find 20 minutes: a one-hour TV show saved for later via Tivo will be reduced to 40 minutes giving you the remaining 20 to work out. No way to save your favorite shows? Overlap by spending the hour on a treadmill, elliptical or using resistance bands while watching TV. The hour will slip by anyway and you will be making it a completely productive one.
If work is taking up every valuable minute of your day, blend fitness with the job. Walk rather than ride, take the stairs rather than the elevator and whenever possible stand rather than sit. You’ll be surprised how many steps you walk in a day, track them using a pedometer; ten thousand steps a day is a widely recommended goal toward achieving better health.
“I’m too tired” is another top excuse for not fitting exercise into a day. The good news is that as you’re working out, your circulation is increasing and endorphins (the feel-good hormones) are released causing fatigue to dissipate. If you’re just too drained after a day at work, try working out in the morning or during lunch hour. A brisk walk in the park or to a destination 20 minutes away from the office will equal 40 minutes of exercise in the middle of the day, and don’t forget the pedometer!
“I can’t get a break from the kids” – the solution is to multitask and exercise with them! The kids will enjoy your company at the park and while they’re climbing on the jungle gym you might skip rope or walk laps around the playground. A game of tag with the kids will burn a surprising number of calories and you might also recruit them for bike rides and walks around town. On rainy days, there’s Wii Sports plus any number of get-off-the-couch type family video games to get your circulation going and rev up the metabolism.
“I start out fine but end up quitting” – the best way to combat this urge to quit is to do exercises you enjoy and set reasonable goals for yourself. Start by adding 10 minutes worth of exercise a day into your routine; chances are the following week you’ll feel like doing 15 and the ball will be rolling! Keep a personal log of your daily exercise and make yourself accountable to others by posting it on the fridge or bulletin board. Recruit a friend or exercise buddy for support and once you’ve got momentum, exercise will become a daily highlight.
Select an activity that you love and make it your workout; exercise shouldn’t be boring or tedious. Create playlists of upbeat music or eBooks to listen to during walks and jogs, sign up for a Karate or dance class, join a sports league or get a group together for a regular exercise outing. With the sincere desire to make a lifestyle change the possibilities are endless. You already know you need to improve your lifestyle and the decision to give yourself the gift of fitness is the first step to a healthier future.
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