Why You Don’t Want to Workout
People can always come up with a reason to skip their workout. There are three common reasons why you don’t want to workout.
The excuse used the most is that they don’t have enough time. Of course, this is said while they are watching Netflix or scrolling social media. Which is followed by not having the motivation to do it. Yes, it is so much easier to sit on the couch, watch the episode, and scroll on social media. Multitasking, right? Then there is cost. It costs money to purchase equipment or join a gym.
Do you have any of these reasons for not doing physical activity? All of these excuses come from thoughts about exercise and your abilities. You can change those thoughts and move further on your health journey.
Time
Time encompasses a lot of excuses. Such as being a full-time parent or caregiver. Having a long commute to and from work. Responsibilities at home such as cooking dinner or driving kids to practices. True all of these are valid reasons to indicate that you have little free time.
Motivation
Motivation excuses include being too tired. Often due to that lack of time so sitting on the couch with Netflix or scrolling is exactly what you think you need. Additionally, it includes being stressed, not committing to it, not seeing changes in your body quick enough, quitting over and over again, and not enjoying exercise. One of the frequent ones with motivation is not wanting to be seen because of some flaw you believe you have or will show more while you exercise.
All of these are thoughts that your mind throws at you to keep you safe and comfortable.
Cost
Money excuses are definitely valid. You may not be able to buy gym machines or pay a monthly or annual fee to a gym. Although some people use the gym payment as motivation to just go do the workout. But if you can’t afford it that is ok. There are ways to workout without spending money.
Why You Need to Workout
There are many great benefits to being physically active. The key is being physically active which includes all kinds of movement. The traditional aerobics class or weight lifting session is not the only way to have movement in your life.
Clinical trials on exercise impact on the body can not confirm that exercise causes you to be healthier. What it does show is that people who are physically active tend to be healthier people. Although it is not a cause and effect there is definitely a connection between exercise and health.
Physical activity trains your heart which decreases the risk of a heart attack. Muscles cells use blood sugar allowing insulin to do its job which decreases diabetes risk and insulin resistance. There are some cancer risks that are decreased with physical activity including breast, colon, and endometrial cancers. And if you do get breast or colon cancer exercise is helpful in reducing the risk of that cancer returning.
Change Your Thoughts About Workouts
Cost
Let’s start with the easy one. There are so many different ways to be physically active without buying a gym membership or gym equipment. Think about times you have done physical activity without spending any money.
Did you ever climb a tree? Run down the street? Play tag?
Are there things in your house that you can use in a workout?
Weight lifting can be done with cans of soup or vegetables. Especially to start out. Remember the weight you are often carrying around every day when you pick up your baby or toddler. Kids make great weights and often think it is fun to be picked up.
You might have a stable ottoman that can become a step or even stairs in your house or at work.
There are many free workouts on youtube and free apps for your phone.
It doesn’t cost anything to turn on music and dance or play tag with your kids.
From this evidence, you can change your thought to, “There are many no-cost ways to workout. I need to find the ones that are the most fun for me and do them.”
See you can start to change your thoughts. But now you say, “ Ok so there are no-cost ways to exercise but I don’t have the …”
Time
This one is not as easy. Everyone is too busy until you choose to not be too busy. Sometimes that takes creativity. Is your health a priority? If you don’t make time for physical activity then it is not a priority. You can choose to make it a priority by making time for it.
First, decide if it is a priority and tell yourself out loud that exercise is a priority. There doesn’t that feel better.
Next, find where you can fit it in. If you know you have a chunk of time 3 days a week for 30 minutes then schedule that as exercise time. Maybe you only have 10 minutes a couple of times a day. Call that exercise time and do some physical activity.
What about when you are making dinner or watching the tv? You can do bodyweight exercises during those activities. Multitasking works well when one activity is mental and the other is physical. So do some squats, leg lifts, or calf raises while stirring dinner.
But maybe you are a full-time parent or caregiver.
If you are a parent then play with your kids, if they are small walk with them in a stroller, and if they are older then run around the field or do steps during their sports practice.
If you are a caregiver, then plan a way for you both to get some exercise. Maybe your person can walk with you to a bench and sit to look at nature while you do exercises (sit-ups, push-ups, high knees, kick butts, etc. look up bodyweight exercises) nearby where you can still see them. They may even get a kick out of watching your workout. Maybe walk them outside in their wheelchair. Giving you an arm and leg workout.
This will all depend on your person’s abilities and how much attention they need. Get creative and think outside the box. Then verify with their health care provider that the activity you choose is something they can do with you.
This leads to, “Ok now I can find ways to prioritize physical activity, but I just don’t want to do it at the time.”
Motivation
Exercise is too much work, boring, embarrassing, sweaty, or I’m too tired to do it. Yes, all these things are thoughts about it. We just need to change those thoughts.
When has movement been fun and energizing for you? What physical activities did you enjoy as a kid?
When you remember times that movement has been fun you get evidence that it can be fun again as well as awareness of the types of activities you may enjoy.
If you enjoyed a sport as a child then try that sport as an adult. There are many recreational leagues for sports that you can play in.
How about a dance class? You can dance without instruction, take a class, or watch a YouTube video to learn a routine.
Can you multitask to enjoy physical activity more? You can listen to an audiobook, music, or a podcast while walking, jogging, hand washing dishes, or folding laundry.
And if you are too tired, you need to get up and move even more. Movement increases hormones that will give you energy. Especially if there are other things you need to accomplish, moving for 10 minutes will help you to have the energy for those other tasks.
When you are tired remind yourself that moving will help you and get to it.
Tips for Getting in Your Workout
Let’s go through some of those helpful tips mentioned above and more.
1. Exercise if you are tired to get more energy.
2. Find free videos and apps for workouts like dance, yoga, aerobics, lifting, HIIT
3. Workout with a friend or with a podcast, audiobook, or music.
4. Exercise for 10 minutes at a time or when you are doing chores (squats when washing dishes or folding laundry.)
5. Join your kids when they play, suggest races or tag, shoot some hoops, ride bikes, swim, or play catch.
6. Prioritize your health and schedule when you will workout or in what block of your day you will workout.
7. Exercise when you are watching tv or during the commercials.
8. Make a list of exercises you think you might like and try one out every week until you find what you love and fits into your lifestyle.
9. Keep a log to motivate yourself to keep going or post it to have accountability.
10. Take the stairs or walk the long way to the meeting at work and park in the far parking lot to get in a little extra movement.
11. Use cans of food, your child, or other household items as weights to get in strength training.
12. Get a trainer or health coach to help you find the best workout for you and your life.
Get on a free consultation call with me if you would like to see if we fit as a team on your health journey or send me an email if you have specific needs and I can direct you to other coaches that help with those needs.
