How To Get Rid of the Top 5 Excuses For Not Working Out
2020 — the year that pushed us to our couch potato limits, shattering all norms and standards of sluggardness — is finally behind us! Fitness may not have been a priority last year, but this year can be different. This is a NEW year, and with it comes an opportunity to make NEW excuses to avoid working out…
But no, that’s where Dr. YOU comes in!
Like we’ve said before, the only person who can empower yourself to be healthy is…YOU.
So it’s time to argue with the toughest opponent you’ll ever encounter: YOU.
It’s time to motivate the one person that needs to get fit and healthy this year: YOU.
Because in doing so, it will reap benefits beyond the present, beyond just the aesthetics, and lead to a long, healthy life for YOU.
You’ve definitely heard it before. “You need to exercise more.” “You need to start an exercise program.” But in today’s busy world, it can feel overwhelming with thoughts of “where do I begin?” or “where am I supposed to get the time to exercise?” or “what can I do easily to exercise?” We previously discussed the dangers of being sedentary and how it can impact your health in ways most people don’t realize.
The good news is that you don’t need to begin with an intense, 6-days-a-week exercise routine. You don’t need to wake up at 5 am with your gym shoes on. Let’s begin with a reminder of the current exercise recommendations from the World Health Organization: they say that adults should get at least 150 minutes — that’s 2.5 hours — of moderate to vigorous physical activity a week. Now, bear in mind that this is the minimum, the range they’ve provided is 150 to 300 minutes. So that’s anywhere between 2.5 hours a week or roughly 30–40 minutes a day at most.
Research has shown that regular exercise improves factors linked to heart health, resulting in lower blood pressure, healthier cholesterol levels, and better blood sugar regulation. And while you may know all these facts, and reading them again will just make you feel guilty, the truth is that you aren’t alone in your struggle! Unless fitness and exercise are turned into a lifestyle, it will be hard to sustain the drive and motivation required to keep you going. This is why we’ve compiled the top 5 excuses for not working out, and supplied you with a way to work around them.
Excuse #1: “I know I should, but I can’t motivate myself!”
Make sure you set a realistic goal. If it’s been a long time since you last exercised regularly, it may not be realistic to say that you are going to walk 60 minutes for 5 days a week starting on Monday (we’ve all done that before!) Start with a more doable and easy plan, and work up to your ultimate goal. Think about what you’d like to do and more importantly, where you can fit it into your routine. Here’s an example of a more realistic exercise goal to get you started: try walking 3–4 days a week for 15–20 minutes after lunch.
Excuse #2 : “I can’t afford to buy fancy exercise equipment!”
Although it may be trendy to join a gym, attend classes, or have a personal trainer, there are plenty of free exercise options. Remember that walking counts! You can walk in your neighbourhood, in a local park, or if the weather is unfavourable, you can even walk around a parking lot.
Excuse #3: “I find exercise so boring!”
There are more options than just running, lifting weights, or doing endless squats. What sounds fun to you? There will almost certainly be a way to convert an activity you enjoy into an exercise. For example, are you babysitting your grandkids this weekend? See if they want to go for a bike ride with you; it’s okay to go slow. Are your kids getting irritable about being inside all the time? Grab a cricket ball or badminton rackets and play outside. Have you and a friend been trying to find time to catch up? Why not suggest a walk around a nice neighbourhood. Sometimes you forget you’re even exercising when there’s someone there to talk to!
- Examine your daily activities and routine. Identify two or three available time slots of about 15- or 20-minute blocks for physical activity.
- Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. Choose activities like walking, jogging, or stair-climbing that you can do based on the time that you have available (e.g., 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes).
Excuse #4: “I’m busy all day, and get so tired in the evening!”
Think about this: when do you feel the most energetic? Is it in the morning before the chaos of the day sweeps you up? Is it late at night? Although some people exercise at the end of the day, it doesn’t mean you have to. If you’re an early riser, try exercising early in your day. And again, remember, start slowly and choose a realistic goal.
Excuse #5 : “My friend injured their knee working out, and I’m worried it’ll happen to me!”
Again, it’s important to take it slow, especially at the start. Prioritize stretching and cool down when working out in order to minimize the risk of injury, and if you need to, discuss your workout routine with your doctor or trainer, and pick activities based on your fitness level, age, and health status.
Remember, the only person who can keep YOU the healthiest is YOU!
DISCLAIMER: Dr. YOU aims to bring you the latest evidence-based science, and our content is for informational purposes only. The content is not medical advice or guarantee of an outcome. You should always consult a doctor or qualified healthcare professional if you need further clarification and before making any changes to your treatment plans and lifestyle, or that of others.
Dr. YOU is a one-stop platform to address the health information needs of health consumers. Our goal is to arm people with the information necessary to make meaningful decisions regarding their health and nudge behaviour change.
With our combined experience of two decades in research and healthcare, we built the Dr. YOU platform around the WHO-endorsed “Best Buy” intervention design for preventing and managing chronic diseases.
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