Top 3 Exercise Excuses -- And How to Beat Them

Do you consistently procrastinate about working out? Do you do almost anything to avoid going to the gym or hopping on the treadmill at home? If so, it’s time to break out of those excuses once and for all and create the active lifestyle you want.

Excuse #1 - “I’m too tired to work out.”

Feeling tired can be caused by many things - including not enough exercise!  The most common causes of fatigue (beyond physical illness) are not being active, not drinking enough water, not getting enough sleep, and not eating properly.  Consider which of these might be the problem for you (maybe more than one), and then do something about it.

If you have a habit of staying up too late, try going to bed earlier.  Drink plenty of water throughout the day.  Eat balanced meals and snacks so your body has enough fuel consistently during the day.  As you start addressing the causes for fatigue, you may find that nudging yourself to do a workout gets a lot easier.

Excuse #2 - “It’s too hard; I can’t do it.”

Remember that yes, exercise is supposed to be challenging, but if you are finding it TOO challenging - even exhausting - then you are probably pushing yourself too hard.  Step down the intensity of your workouts so they feel more manageable, or alternatively you could lessen the length of time you work out - although some experts say that lower intensity workouts for longer periods of time are more effective than shorter, more intense workouts.  Or, combine the best of both worlds by doing some circuit training, alternating intensity and/or activities throughout your workout.

See: Are You Setting Yourself Up for Failure?

Excuse #3 - “I don’t have time to workout.”

You have the same amount of time that everyone else has each day - you are just filling yours with different activities.  How many hours of television do you watch each day?  How much time do you spend arguing with your spouse or trying to get your children to behave?  How many time-wasting activities do you engage in daily?  Once you start looking at just how much time you spend on activities that truly aren’t a priority, you can easily find a little time for exercise.  You may have to get up earlier or go to bed a bit later, or simply eliminate unnecessary activities from your schedule for a while.  The good news is that usually just small changes are enough to free up time to work out, and will cause little upheaval in your life.

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