No More Workout Excuses
Everyone tries to get out of things from time to time. Even if it’s an activity which they were at one time enthusiastic beyond belief about. There’s simply times when we don’t feel like doing something and it’s perfectly ok, for the most part, not to. Fitness and health is no different of a consideration than any other. There’s times when we simply don’t want to meet our trainer, go to the gym, eat the healthier choice on a menu, wake up early for a run, etc. So we come up with any number of workout excuses as to why we’re skipping the workout.
In my 20 years as an Austin personal trainer, I’ve heard my fair share of workout excuses as to why people can’t make it in to the gym, either for their appointment with me, or just to come in on their own. Some are genuinely heartfelt, some are due to situations completely beyond their control, while some others are just plain funny. The latter category examples often remind me of when my perfectly healthy 6 year old son tried to plead his way into staying home from 1st grade due to the fact that he had a very bad disease and a broken arm. Miraculously, he made a full recovery moments later and went on to have a great day.
We too, as adults, have to make that same miraculous recovery when the urge to abstain comes knocking. Naturally, scheduling conflicts will occasionally arise, as will illness, and just general life happenings which may prevent us from fulfilling an obligation, be it either one to ourselves, or one to others. The key to success, however, is not letting the problems and obstacles become too plentiful, thus creating a pattern of avoidance and rationalization. That’s the most common as well as the quickest derailer of fitness agendas, other than injuries, of course.
What should you do then when the urge to play hookie on your gym time arises? Forget the workout excuses and go anyway. Anytime you skip a workout for any reason other than a legitimate one, you’ll be setting yourself up for failure down the road as after the first excuse happens, the subsequent ones flow faster and easier until you won’t even bother resisting. That’s the tipping point when you realize that you’ve likely wasted almost all of your progress and the though of starting over again is not only unappealing, but overwhelming as well.
Consistency is the key to results with fitness, whether you’re looking to gain muscles, lose weight, tone, become more flexible, etc. Without a consistent effort in place, you’ll fall short of your goals in anything you pursue. Yes, it’s perfectly acceptable to miss a day occasionally, even if it’s just because you feel like taking a day off. The important thing, however, is to minimize those days whenever possible and keep your momentum going. Be human, relax and take a break on occasion, but if you really want to succeed in the realm of health and fitness, forget workout excuses and get busy.
Ready to Get Started?
Andy
Latest posts by Andy (see all)
- Workout Motivation: How To Get Motivated To Work Out - March 9, 2022
- Body Fat Types: Subcutaneous and Visceral Fats - June 1, 2019
- Why Diets Work If You Stick With Them - April 1, 2019
