I didn’t exercise today because…

Top ten answers on the board. Survey says…
1. I don’t have time
2. It’s too expensive
3. It’s too hard with small children
4. I don’t know where to start
5. I’m so out of shape and I’m embarrassed for people to look at me while I work out
6. I’m waiting for a better time to get started -when my kids start full day school, after vacation/Christmas/pumpkin spice season 🙂
7. It’s too hot/cold/dark/rainy
8. I’m tired and just want to relax
9. I’m too old
10. It’s boring

Have you heard these excuses? Have you used these excuses? Now please know that I get that some of these are valid reasons that exercising is challenging. No doubt about it. But challenging doesn’t have to equal impossible. The old saying “If it’s important to you you’ll find a way, if not you’ll find an excuse,” is repeated so often because it’s true. It’s T.R.U.E., true! The choice is ours to make. Will we encounter one of these reasons not to exercise and find a way around, over, under or through it OR will we stop short and let the challenging nature of the situation excuse us from facing it? If you want to look better and feel better there’s really only one choice.

Conquering these excuses is mostly a mental endeavor. Here are three strategies that can help:
1. Discover and remember your “Why.” Why do you want to get fit? Be very specific. Is it because your health is compromised because of your excess fat? If so, how? High blood pressure? Diabetes? Do you want to get fit so you can keep up with your kids at the park? Do you want to be able to go clothes shopping and find things that look good on your body? Whatever your reason or reasons are write them down and put that paper where you’ll see it often. When you find yourself making an excuse not to exercise, read your “Why” list.

2. Brainstorm solutions. Think of the top 2-3 excuses you typically make for not exercising on any given day. Write those down. Underneath write every idea you can think of to overcome that challenge. Pick the combination of solutions you think has the best shot of working, make a plan and then do it. If it doesn’t work, head back to your brainstorming list and try again.

​3. Do something today. Sometimes what we need is just a little momentum. We need a small victory to kind of get the ball rolling. So today; that’s right-today(!) I challenge you to to pick any form of exercise and just do it for 20 minutes. Who doesn’t have 20 minutes? Go for a walk, a bike ride, or a swim. If you have a gym membership and just haven’t been going- go today. It doesn’t even matter what you do once you’re there. Just do something! I’m a big believer in the power of planning as far as fat-loss success is concerned. Meal planning and calendaring workouts are great tools, but while you’re getting that planning going, just get moving. Whatever workout you do today is a million times more effective than the best laid plans for a workout another day!

Be stronger than your excuses ladies! If you’ve found this article useful, please pass it on to another woman in your life who could also benefit from it. And, as always, I’d love to know how these strategies work for you or how I can be of help to you in your fitness journey. You can comment here so others can learn from your experience or message me privately. In the next few weeks I’ll be blogging and vlogging about some more specific solutions to the challenging obstacles that keep us from making the nutrition and exercise related changes we know we need to make.  Now, get out there and move your body!