Although many well-intentioned people make it their goal to begin exercising as the New Year kicks in, not everyone can make it as far as, say, the month of March. There are some who quickly throw in the towel the moment they experience difficulties and so they later come up with the most creative excuses not to hit the gym again.
Kirsty Godso, known by fitness buffs as a Nike master trainer, has heard all different alibis why some people aren’t exercising as much as they should.
Photo credit: Lawrence Smith/Stuff
Stuff.co.nz recently sent her 10 of the “lamest excuses” and she gamely shut down each down.
1. I’m working long hours and so I’m too busy to visit the gym.
Kirsty believes that the busier you are, the more you need “some ‘you’ time to break up your busy days.” She goesn to explain:
“You don’t need an hour in the gym, you don’t even need 30 minutes and you actually don’t even need the gym itself! Get creative with your surroundings and smash out a 10 minute sweat session that will get your heart rate up, muscles firing and endorphins flowing.”
2. It’s raining so I can’t go outside.
As with her answer above, you really don’t have to head outdoors in the first place. “Don’t let the weather rain on your fitness parade,” she said, recommending that you can always work out indoors.
3. I haven’t exercised all week. I’ll just start again next week.
“If we adopted this attitude to everything in life, we would never get anything done,” Kirsty puts it frankly. She encourages that you “start as soon as you can.” Kick the procrastination habit if you want to reap the benefits.
4. I’ll just go on diet instead of exercising.
While diet indeed plays a huge role in your physical well-being, one should never discount the importance of exercising on a regular basis. Just think of them as two sides of the same coin.
“Eating right will help you change the general overview of your body and have you feeling more energized and motivated so take that energy to your workouts and tone those muscles,” Kirsty adds.
5. I don’t look good in my workout gear. I’ll hit the gym when I look better.
Sure, that sounds like an unreasonable excuse but yes, there are some people who do subscribe to that mindset. “The quickest way to start feeling and looking good in your workout gear is by going to the gym,” Kirsty emphasizes. “Wear them confidently by making a commitment to yourself to get to the gym, the park, the studio! Don’t speak it, just do it!”
6. I have a hungover.
Being hungover, according to Kirsty, isn’t even a valid excuse. Although you probably shouldn’t hit the gym yet, you can instead go out “for a walk with your friends” and make “good food decisions” so you can get your body back to 100% and be able to recover fully the next day.
7. I have an expensive hairdo and I don’t want to ruin it.
“Embrace fitness hair trends such as braids and messy buns to show off your fresh locks,” Kirsty suggests. “Or if you’re really worried about your hair try a less sweaty workout such as reformer pilates so you can still get your workout in and keep your hair flawless.”
8. I’m too sick or too tired.
There are, of course, some days when your body or mind isn’t ready to exercise and that’s okay.
Kirsty says, “Taking a rest day once a week is just as important as all the training sessions you’re putting in. This gives your body a chance to take onboard all the changes you’ve been working on and will see you hitting your workouts on the following days with more energy and power!”
9. I’m really late for the class so I won’t go anymore.
Most of the time, gym etiquette says it’s not good to walk into class late and disturb other people’s workouts.
“However,” Kirsty shares “this is not reason enough to derail your workout plans. Depending on the workout, if you’re within 5-8 minutes of the class starting get in there and catch up quickly. Otherwise, have a Plan B on hand so you can still get your workout in!”
10. I’m going out for a drink with my friends.
Once in a while, your friends will ask you to go with them for a drinking session. “If a drink is solidly locked into the schedule, condition it on the premise that you can only go if you’ve got your workout in first,” encourages Kirsty.
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