3 Exercise Excuses Busted!

As a personal trainer, I have heard every excuse in the book about why people can't stick to a fitness program.

"I don't have the right clothes."

"The weather is too nice to workout."

"The dog ate my program."

Okay, maybe not that last one, but people will come up with every reason in the world not to get active.  

Well, in the time it takes for you think of that reason and justify it to yourself and those around you, you could have fit it a pretty decent workout.

Here are my all-time favourite excuses and what you can do when these thoughts creep into your mind.

"I can't afford to join a gym."

It can be costly to join a gym and many of us are pinching our pennies.  However, if you are actually going to use the gym, it is money well spent.  

This may require a little tweaking in your budget (much like choosing where to spend your grocery dollars), but the investment in your health is priceless.  Shop around at your local gym as many of them offer free week passes so you can decide which one is the right fit for you.

Alternately, if you would rather work out with some privacy, you can exercise at home.  For less than $100, you can buy a stability ball, resistance bands, a mat and some light hand weights and set yourself up with a home gym.

"I don't have time to exercise." 

We have all used this excuse at one point.  Lets face it, our lives are busy.  Between work, family commitments and everything else, it can be easy to think that we have very little room for an exercise program.

But the truth is that most of us DO have time, we are just not making fitness a priority.  How many hours a day do you spend on the computer?  Watching TV?   30 minutes a day is all you need.  

The key is to have a plan.  Here are a few tips:

• Have a look at your current schedule and see where you can fit in fitness.  You are going to find that extra 30 minutes somewhere in your day.
• Schedule your workouts right in your day planner.  Treat them like any other appointment that you can't miss.
• Set up a time to meet with a friend to workout.  Having someone else rely on you is a great motivator.

"I have no idea where to begin."

Embarking on an exercise program can be very intimidating if you are not sure where to start. Fear not, there are many fantastic resources out there to get you going.

• Think about which kinds of activities you enjoy.  Swimming? Running? Sports?
• Consult a few of your favourite (and reputable) magazine for inspiration.  Many of them have fitness programs for you to follow.
• Consider investing in a few sessions with a personal trainer to help you with technique and to ensure that you are performing exercises correctly.
• Talk to your friends.  See what kind of activities they are doing and why.  Ask to tag along for one of their workouts and try it out.

What exercise excuses have you heard (or used)?  How do you combat them?

Stay Healthy, 

Tracy