When we don’t feel like doing something why is that we make excuses? We are especially good at making excuses when it comes to exercise – how often do we say “ I’ll start tomorrow ” or “there’s always tomorrow “?
Eventually these excuses start to add up, our willpower and motivation to change decreases.
If we really want to do something, for example start eating healthier or exercising more, then we will make time and stop making excuses. No one else can do this for us other than ourselves.
Here are a few examples of excuse people use to not exercise.
I Haven’t Got Time
Keep trying, but remember you’re not the only one who is a wife/husband/parent that works and has numerous things to do. We all do. There are 24 hrs in a day and 30 minutes of that day is just 2% of it! If it means getting up at the crack of dawn to workout then set the alarm early and get started. After a couple of early morning workouts you’ll soon get used to it and once you’ve done it you’ll feel energised and set up for the rest of the day ahead.
I’m Exhausted
Undoubtedly you’re tired, we all are after a hard day at work or looking after the children, but believe it or not exercise unquestionably boosts your energy levels! So if you can make time to exercise you will accomplish more during your day without feeling as exhausted.
I’m on my Feet All Day at Work & That Counts as my Exercise
This a challenging excuse to prove wrong, for the reason that most people are convinced their job involves some form of exercise. Aside from an exercise instructor or personal trainer who works out with his or her clients or in fact any other fitness related job that involves sweating, then it’s unlikely that your job strictly involves exercise. For example if you wear a pedometer to work and walk a fair few miles during your working day, that only counts as activity not exercise!
Exercising Makes Me Hungry
It’s catch twenty two, we exercise to help keep fit and to lose weight, but after exercise we’re generally starving and want to eat everything that’s in the fridge! To avoid this make sure you eat something like a piece of fruit before your workout and drink plenty of fluid before, during and after your workout.
A majority of the time our brain gets confused with hunger and thirst, most of the time it’s actually your brain telling you that you need to drink to rehydrate yourself. When you first start your new exercise programme, working towards the new healthy you, this can be a problem, but over time your body will adapt, the hunger will go away and your body will adjust to the loss of calories.
I Never See Results!
This is just a feeble excuse! The top three reasons why you’re not seeing results are a) your not exercising regularly b) more than likely eating too much unhealthy food c) expecting to see results far too soon. When you think about it, it has taken months/years to gain the weight so it’s not going to be quick to lose the weight, it will take time and dedication.
Keep an eye on those between meal snacks, you’re probably eating more than you realise and they are no doubt high in calories. For example something that has around 350 calories and takes you about 5 minutes to demolish, would take you at least 30 minutes jogging at a steady pace on a treadmill to burn off.
As a rule of thumb, wait about 3 months to see results. If for some reason still not seeing results, then maybe you could consider a Personal Trainer or a nutritionist to help you. You may just need to change your exercise routine or your eating habits.
I Can’t Find Motivation
This is an actual problem, some people really do suffer with motivation, whether it is starting to exercise or continuing their routine. You need to find out what is keeping you from exercising, could it possibly be the idea of going to a gym that kills your motivation, or not seeing results quick enough?
We all need to set ourselves a goal. Break down your long term goals into short term ones so you can keep an eye on progress. Your goal could be to lose a certain amount of weight or to gain weight/muscle. An ideal way to keep motivated is to write out your goals and put them somewhere where you will see them each day, for example the fridge door. Another good motivational idea is to take a “before” photo and then take a progress photo every month wearing the same clothes so you can compare.
