Common Excuses For Not Exercising (And How To Overcome Them)

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Sitting at home, remote control in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, you look outside your window at the people jogging and running by.

“If only I had the time to exercise,” you tell yourself, as you remind yourself of the number of TV shows you need to get through before the day is out.

“If only I had the strength to keep fit,” you say as you settle back into your sofa.

“If only exercise was more fun,” you say, as you feel pity for the exhausted and sweaty runners bustling past your window.

If only…

These are just some of the excuses you might use to get out of exercise yourself.

Of course, not every excuse is a cunning ploy to avoid keeping fit. Your excuses might be perfectly valid. But whatever the case, the more you live by these excuses, the unhealthier you will become.

Exercise is good for you, which is something you will know already. You will improve your physical health and your mental health. You will increase your chances of a long life, and you might have fun too! So, if you need to exercise more, let’s look at a few common excuses, and in the process, let’s try to hurdle over them.

Excuse #1: I’m too tired to exercise

After a tiring day at work, exercise might be the last thing on your mind. Your sofa or your bed might be more far more attractive to you.

You might also feel tired because of your physical inactivity. If you sit around all day, your energy levels will naturally drop.

But whatever the reason behind this excuse, know this: Exercise will energise you! It will increase your blood flow, encourage movement in your body, and make you feel more alive because of the endorphin rush that is triggered in your brain. It’s a paradox: You might think exercise will make you more tired, but it will actually wake you up!

So, if you’re feeling tired, do something rather than nothing. Go for a walk, a bike ride, try yoga, or take part in other low-intensity workouts. You will benefit from them if you do, and because of your renewed energy, you will be able to do more with your time, other than sitting on the sofa watching TV or sleeping your day away hours before bedtime.

Excuse #2: I’m not physically able to exercise

Going beyond not being physically able because you’re tired, you might have valid reasons to not exercise. If you have a disability, you might assume you don’t have the ability to take part in certain exercises. Or if you have a prevailing health condition, you might think exercise could be risky for you.

Our advice is this: Speak to a doctor or whatever specialist you refer to on a regular basis. They will advise you on what you can and can’t do, so don’t rule out exercise altogether.

There are often community activities for people with a disability, so have a look online at what is available to you. While they might not always be highly active, they will encourage you to get off the sofa. There are often sports teams for people with a disability too, and solo sports activities, so get in touch with your local leisure centre to find out more

And if you have a health condition, such as arthritis or some other joint-related disease, know that exercise can be good for you in small doses. So, seek advice from those medical professionals who can help.

So, don’t let your physical ability hold you back. While you will need to take care, there might still be exercise activities you can take part in if you have been given the green light to do so.

Excuse #3: I don’t have the time to exercise

If you don’t have the time because of your TV schedule, then sorry, this excuse just doesn’t fly. The same applies if you don’t have time to exercise because you’re too busy gaming, hanging out with your friends, or taking part in any activity that requires very little movement.

However, if you don’t have the time because you’re a busy parent, or because you are working most of the day, then your excuse is more valid.

However, the same truth applies, no matter the reason behind your excuse: You need to make time to exercise.

As a parent, you can do those things that will ensure both you and your children can keep fit. You might walk to school together instead of taking the car. You could organise after-school activities that will keep you both fit. And you could walk the dog together, go on bike rides with one another, and play active games at home. There is scope for exercise, so you just have to find ways to fit it into your schedule.

If you’re busy at work for much of the day, you can also fit in times for exercise. Take breaks when you are able to, and go for a walk. If you’re office-based, you could try these deskercise activities. You could stop off at the gym on the way home. And before you start work for the day, you could get up earlier and exercise at home or go for a short walk.

So, make time, even if you think you don’t have time. It is possible, even if you’re a television binge-watcher!

Excuse #4: I prefer to do things that are fun

Sure, we all like to do things that are fun in our lives. And when we watch the weary runners outside, we might assume they are torturing themselves instead of finding enjoyment in what they are doing. But here’s the thing: You won’t be able to have fun in your life if your health takes a turn for the worse, so even if some exercises are boring, they will give you the ability to have more fun in the long-term.

And here’s another thing: Exercise doesn’t have to be boring! There are bound to be physical activities that you enjoy, so look for them. You could go dancing with your friends, for example. You could join a dance or a Zumba class. And there may have been sports that you enjoyed when you were younger, so you could take them up again if there were opportunities for you to do so.

We also suggested doing something with your friends, so other than dancing, you could do any number of things together. Heck, you might even go jogging or running together, as the added company could up the fun factor for these activities.

And if you love nothing more than a night in front o the TV, be that watching shows or playing video games, you can still take part in exercise. You could play those video games that require movement, for example, by they dance games, VR games, or something motion-controlled. You could also buy an exercise bike and workout while watching your Netflix boxsets.

So, take part in those activities that you will enjoy, and remind yourself of the need to exercise, even if some of the activities you do are less enjoyable than others.

Excuse #5: I just can’t be bothered

This exercise is common to most of us, but it’s one that we need to shake off. And if your motivation is low, you need to cast this excuse from your mind as well.

For one, you need to think about the benefits of exercise. When you keep fit, you will improve your health. You will increase your chances of a long and happy life. You will encourage your family members to keep fit. And as we suggested above, you might have more fun in your life if you take part in exercises that you enjoy. So, let each of these benefits act as motivating factors.

You could also track your workout progress to give you the motivation to exercise regularly. By doing so, you will be encouraged to beat your previous times and to meet certain goals, such as losing weight or gaining more muscle.

As we suggested, you could also get your friends involved. They can act as a motivating factor, especially if they are good at encouraging you to lift yourself from your sofa. You could have a friendly competition with them too when you’re working out, as you could challenge one another in various ways.

So, while there will be days when you just can’t be bothered to exercise, try to motivate yourself in some of the ways we have mentioned. You will improve your health if you do, you might have more fun, and you will have the renewed energy to give you more motivation to rise from your slumber.

Finally

Have you related to any of these excuses? If so, follow our suggestions and break free from those things that are holding you back. And if you have any other excuses, follow suit, and try to push them to one side. The more you exercise, the better you will feel and the healthier you will be, so make the effort. Even your best excuses should be set aside when you consider the long-term benefits of exercise.