Excuse Me? #1: I can’t workout, Part 1
Do not get in the habit of making excuses to avoid working out. If you do, failure is likely. There are all types of excuses for not working out. Let’s address as many as we can.
1. I don’t have the money to workout
You can literally start working out with your body weight. Pushups and squats require no equipment. Nor does jumping jacks, burpees or hill sprints. If you have an internet connection, you can view many body weight workouts on YouTube. If you are even slightly handy, there are countless Do It Yourself websites that can give you ideas of how to make items for a home gym far below the normal cost of buying name brand items.
2. I am too tired to workout
Working out will actually give you energy. It sounds counter intuitive I know. And maybe it is purely anecdotal, but talk to anyone who has been working out for any length of time. The vast majority will tell you that they feel better and have MORE energy when they are consistently working out and that they feel sluggish when they skip the gym for more than a few days. Plus, working out helps you sleep better thus contributing to feeling better. You just have to break the cycle and get that first workout in the bag.
3. I am not motivated
What are you waiting for? A diagnosis of a serious health condition? Our society is getting less and less active. It used to be that simply existing was exercise, but now with modern luxuries, we do not have to labor very hard to get through our day. As you age, you are losing muscle mass and bone mass. There is one activity, weight training, that can help you maintain them. If that isn’t motivation, I don’t know what is. Oh yeah, and did I mention that you will feel better physically and emotionally? That should improve your motivation.
4. I don’t have time, I am simply too busy
Who said working out has to be super time consuming? Certainly not me. Can you find time for 10 minutes a day? I bet you can. Do you watch any TV? Do you surf the internet mindlessly on your phone? If you said “No” to both of those questions, are you lying? How about swapping some of that TV and phone time for exercise? It won’t take long and you just may find that you like it.
What if you are a parent? Again, I ask, do you have 10 minutes? Remember, 10 minutes spent exercising will actually be contributing to your health, wellness and energy. And why not include your kids in the exercise and start to build healthy habits in your children. Hold your youngest child and start to do squats, chances are they will think it is pretty fun and your legs and heart will be getting a great workout!
5. I don’t want to workout alone
Why don’t you want to workout alone? Is it motivation? See #3. If it’s not motivation and there is some other reason you want a partner for working out, then start making calls to family, co-workers or friends. Or start getting online to websites that help you connect, such as Meetup.com or Zogsports.com. Make it happen, join a gym and start to attend a group class.
Don’t go looking for excuses!
Stay tuned for #2!
