Excuses

Everyone knows that exercise is good for him or her. But for a lot of people, when it comes time to get up and do something, they are too busy, too tired, can’t do it this week or some other poor excuse.

Here is a list of the top 5 lamest excuses and some tricks to counter them:
I don’t have time. This is by far the most popular excuse. The common misperception is you have to workout for an hour or more every time, multiple times a week in order to get any benefit. The reality is you can get a great workout in about 10 minutes. Doing two to three 10-minute high intensity workouts a day, three times a week can be more beneficial than three 1-hour steady cardio workouts. Try a 10-minute workout in the morning, another at lunch and a third while you’re watching your favorite TV at night.

I can’t afford a gym membership. Gym memberships can be a little pricey, but you don’t need a gym or even any equipment to get a great workout. Using just your own bodyweight, a little bit of space and some imagination, you can get the same benefits of a fully-loaded, high priced gym. Throw in a park or playground and you’ve got more than enough.

I don’t like lifting weights or running. Working out is not all about lifting weights or running on a treadmill. There are so many ways you can incorporate physical activity into your daily lifestyle. Think of working out as anything physical that you do that is not part of your activities of daily living. This can be as simple as taking a brisk walk around your office building after lunch or playing pick up basketball with some friends on the weekend. Try to incorporate different forms of exercises so you are not doing the same thing over and over.

I don’t know what I’m doing or where to start. The gym can be a bit intimidating if you don’t know what you are doing. Nobody wants to look stupid, especially in a room full of mirrors and fit people. Most gyms will provide you with a free personal trainer consultation that can help you get started. Also, many members will be happy to help show you a thing or two. Just be selective on whom you’re asking.

I can’t workout because I have bad knees. I have heard this injury excuse many times, yet when I ask what exactly is wrong with the particular body part, I never seem to get a definitive answer. If you are injured then you should be sure to get it properly diagnosed and take care of it with the proper rehabilitation program. But an injury in one area should not stop you from exercising completely unless it’s pretty serious. There are always ways to work around an injury. Most injuries require some form of rehab and even if you have a bad knee or shoulder, there are plenty of one-sided exercises that you can still perform.

Here are a few other excuses that didn’t quite make it into the Top 5 but are pretty common.
• I don’t need to workout, I walk everywhere
• I don’t need to workout, I watch The Biggest Loser
• I don’t want to get big muscles
• I have to lose weight before I start exercising
• My doctor told me not to workout, just to walk

Regular exercise has been shown to positively effect every aspect of your life, so there really should be no excuse for not incorporating some form of exercise every day. Don’t let a poor excuse get in the way of your health and well being.