How Do We Get Past the Excuses

I didn’t want to run today, but now that it’s done, WOW, it was great.

This is not a new thought nor am I alone in having it, but this is where your true commitment comes through; do it anyway.

I went to bed last night with great plans for the next day, sound familiar? But, when I got up this morning, I heard a very familiar sound, rain in the gutters. I actually love the sound of rain. Here on the west coast, if you let a little rain get in your way, you will get very little done outside. Besides, it was quite warm, 7c, for January. This week the east coast of the U.S. in particular, got thumped by a huge snow storm. So, I am not going to complain about a little rain. But the rain is just an excuse really, and there will always be excuses. I am quite sure in places like Scottsdale, the heat is the excuse sometimes. In Minneapolis, the cold will be the excuse. I bet in places with big mosquitoes like Winnipeg, the people use that. Although, I can’t imagine what the people in southern California would use as an excuse, maybe smog. There will always be an excuse.

Need shoes, no time, don’t know what to do, don’t want to go alone, nothing close by, it’s dark, it’s hot, it’s cold, it’s wet, it’s humid, it’s going to make my hair a mess, I will sweat, or even I just don’t feel like it.

Guess what sunshine, so what?

Other than injury, you should always try your best to make it happen. Yup, I have those days where it doesn’t matter how hard I try, I can’t fit a workout in, but I can’t let that drag me down. I just need to focus on tomorrow, what can I do to prevent that from happening, or can I? Sometimes it just happens. Move on. But other days, when I think back to the day, I find that I didn’t really try too hard to fit it in. But again, move on. If we dwell on the things that we didn’t do, we will tend to live there instead of just doing it.

So, how do we get past the excuses? How do we fit in a workout to our routine?

Write it down.
There is something about putting it in print that makes it real.

Put it in your calendar.
Treat your workout like an appointment with Mr Gym. Nobody else needs to know who your appointment is with. If your time is your own, make yourself an appointment.

Be prepared.
If it’s gym time you are carving out, put your clothes in a bag and have them ready to go.

Make your time realistic.
If your class is 30 min long, make sure you carve out time to get there, change, and shower afterward. Don’t shortchange yourself.

Take a friend.
Taking someone with you will make you more likely to stick with your commitment.

Make sure you actually like what you are planning on doing.
If you hate boxing classes, you will make every excuse to go, so don’t. Instead, pick something that you do enjoy. Unless, you are the accountability partner, then do your best for your friend. True friends do that.

Just do something.
When all else fails, just do something. Walking is great, swimming is good for the joints, golf works lots of areas, yoga has lots of benefits, even walking up and down your stairs is great for your butt. Just move.

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else. – Benjamin Franklin

Loading Facebook Comments ...

Stay in Touch

To follow the best weight loss journeys, success stories and inspirational interviews with the industry's top coaches and specialists. Start changing your life today!

spot_img

Related Articles