Nike makes a great point. Those three simple words—just do it—really sum up a lot of things in life. Even when we know something is good for us or that we should be getting our butt in gear, it can be extremely hard to motivate. We, as a species, have become masters of creating excuses, whether it be “the dog ate my homework,” or “I had a hard week and therefore deserve to eat a whole bag of Chips Ahoy,” we find ways of procrastinating and getting out of so many seemingly basic “have to,” “should” and “need to” situations.
Unfortunately, the more often we make excuses, the easier it is to perpetuate. Creatures of habit, we get used to things whether they’re good for us or bad for us. A procrastinator myself, I thought it would be good to talk about excuses that are commonly used to get out of exercising. The five excuses below are pretty common, but I’m sure there are tons more out there to poke holes through.
#5: I don’t feel well. Okay, if you’re in the hospital, are excessively nauseous, or have a fever, you probably shouldn’t be running a marathon. That said, a cold, allergies, a headache, menstrual pains, or just “not feeling great” shouldn’t stop you from breaking a sweat. As a matter of fact, exercise can sometimes cure some of the most common ailments, including hangovers and colds. Sweating is a form of detox and it allows you to release toxins that are guilty of making you feel under the weather. So next time you have a sniffle, get out there and sweat your sniffles away.
#4: I’m too tired. This used to be my excuse. When I got home after work, the idea of putting on my workout clothes and heading to the gym was a very painful concept. So painful, I sometimes would rationalize that I didn’t need to exercise. Granted, missing a day or two can be okay, but sometimes I rationalized that I didn’t need to go for several days in a row. Not good. The reality is, that exercise can get you over “being tired.” Exercise is helpful with improving and maintaining stable energy levels throughout the day, regular sleep patterns, and overall mood. Exercise also improves regularity (yes, I do mean your digestive tract) and reduces incontinence, which can contribute to a feeling of sluggishness and being tired.
