What’s Your Excuse for Not Exercising Regularly?

It seems most people have a difficult time committing to regular exercise. When I ask people if they would like to be physically fit and enjoy all of the associated benefits, such as looking better, feeling better, higher self esteem, more energy, more strength, more endurance, better flexibility, less stress and on and on, they almost always say YES!  And yet only a small percentage of the population is actually doing it. I have spent many years considering all the excuses people use for not getting fit. Guess what? I have found there are no good reasons to support a rationale for this destructive behavior. Let’s look at the main excuses people give for not exercising.  

Excuse # 1: Not enough time. 
This is the excuse I hear most often and it is also the very worst. If you don’t have time for preparing yourself to do your best in such things as your job, taking care of your family, attracting the opposite sex, serving others, then you are right; you really don’t have enough time. You are definitely a candidate to live a short, stressful, unhappy, unfulfilled life. Being fit is about having the energy and the stamina to enjoy a long, productive and happy life and to succeed in whatever is important to you. Not making time for exercising is saying I don’t want to be healthy, have energy, be successful, have fun, look and feel my best. This may sound pretty harsh, but it’s the truth. Not taking good care of your body is a choice, a very poor one I feel. Also when one honestly analyzes their daily schedule, they will find a lot of wasted time. For example, how many hours do you waste each week watching senseless TV? Regular exercise is guaranteed to produce results. Making it a major priority in your life is a very logical and beneficial decision.  
 

Excuse # 2: Exercising is Not Fun

This is almost as bad as not enough time. Where did this ever come from? What do we naturally want to do as children?  Run, jump, play and move our body. One of the great joys of having a body is to be in motion. As a matter of fact the reason we have a body is so we can experience the joy, satisfaction and fun of movement. Are dancing, swimming, horseback riding, in-line skating, walking, bicycling, gardening and having sex fun?  Of course they are and they are all a form of exercising. How about breathing? Try not breathing for a few minutes and you’ll appreciate how much fun and good it feels to breathe, which of course is the most important exercise of all. So you see most things we do are a form of exercise and they are all fun. Think about how much better you will be able to do the things that you think are really fun when you are fit.  The fitter you become the more fun you will have. I guarantee it! 

Excuse # 3: I don’t have enough energy. I’m too tired

If you are a construction worker then you probably are physically tired when you come home from work. I would recommend for you something relaxing like swimming, stretching or yoga. However if you are an office worker your fatigue is from using your brain, which requires a lot of energy without the muscular and respiratory activity to expel the waste products from your body. You need to get some physical activity and your fatigue will vanish and you will have energy to enjoy the evening.  Energy is like money; you have to spend some to make more. The fitter you get the more energy you will have. You will just have to experience it for yourself and then you will be a believer.  

Excuse # 4: I don’t know what to do and I’m afraid of injuring myself.

There are so many books, videos, health clubs, multi-faceted exercise studios and personal trainers available today that ignorance is a lame excuse. Nearly everyone in the fitness field today, agrees that you do not have to strain yourself to get into good shape. It is consistency not intensity that pays off in the long run. If you have been sedentary for a period of time, it is best to ease into all types of exercise, whether it be dancing, gardening, hiking or yoga. Take your time and enjoy the journey. The key is to get yourself as fit as you need to be to suit your desired lifestyle.  

Now that you are aware of the many benefits of exercising and you know there are no excuses for not getting fit, are you ready to get started?  

If Not What’s Your Excuse?