Top 8 Excuses for Not Working out – And How to Fix Them

Getting in shape requires dedication and commitment. Especially at this time of the year, going into the New Year, people often set some goals for hitting the gym, becoming fitter, healthier, etc…

Once these goals are set, it should be easy to get to the gym and hit them, right..?

Not necessarily.

Things creep up, and if you’re not careful, excuses can keep you from getting the body you want.

Below are our top excuses or ‘reasons’ for not getting a workout in, hitting the gym or not following your meal plan.

If you’re thinking: “Mike has lost his mind! He’s GIVING us excuses not to workout” – Think again, because we have just as many fixes for overcoming these ‘reasons’

Enjoy!

1. “I’ll start Monday/Next Month/ New Year” Excuse:

You’ve had a bad weekend on the booze and takeaways and instead of making sure you eat right the next day, you feel that your body is craving the Mc Donalds, Take Away for the next couple of days.

As everyone knows, you can’t start eating right on a SUNDAY or Middle of the Month!

Fix:

Don’t completely fall off the wagon. Think of it this way: if you dropped your phone once and it had a minor scratch on it, you wouldn’t think, ah well, I may as well jump on it and break it completely. That’s crazy! So, the same goes for your workouts and healthy eating.

It’s much harder to make up for days and weeks of skipped workouts and empty calories, than it is to come back from one bad day.

If you make a mistake, had that cake, accept it and move on.

Get back on track straight away. Don’t wait for a “Fresh start”, as there’s no such thing.

2. “My partner likes to eat out and doesn’t like to work out”

Excuse:

If you have a significant other in your life, your discussion of not working out/not eating healthily will definitely come up in conversation.

It’s likely that one partner will want to work out more than the other and then excuses like “Let’s go on a date tonight, instead of going to the gym” – I get it. Life is for living. It’s so easy to put a nice meal, drinks, and cinema ahead of a killer cardio HIIT training in the gym.

Fix:

Talk about it. Make time for your dates, but also make sure your partner knows that some time has to be made for your workouts.

Make sure that they know how important it is for you to stay on track with your fitness and nutrition goals. Invite them to workout with you (Sometimes people working out together find that it improves their relationship, but then doesn’t work for others) Communication is key.

3. “The football/rugby/Olympics/favourite TV programme is on”

Excuse:

Your favourite team or programme is on the TV and you really want to watch it, or you will find out who won, who scores or what happened in your programme. With social media these days, it’s difficult to avoid finding out the score or what happened, so…

Fix:

Watch the game/programme. You just have to work around it. Plan ahead. Find out when the game or programme is on and plan your workouts either for off days or mornings. If you are going to the pub to watch the game, either set that up as an opportunity for your once-a-week cheat meal or minimise the damage by making smart decisions. Most places will have healthy options on the menu. And also, fit in a quick 20-minute HIIT training session at home before you go.

4. “I am just too lazy”

Excuse:

You are being weak and you are OK with that.

Bit of tough love.

You have a long list of ‘valid’ reasons why you can’t make it to the gym – To be honest; I have used a couple of these in the past...

“It’s too early…”

“It’s too cold outside…”

“It’s too hot outside…”

“The gym is too busy…”

“I’m too tired…”

Such reasons, my friends, are weak. They are just excuses. You are being lazy.

Tough love. You just don’t want it enough.

Fix:

Take a moment and remind yourself why you want to workout and become a better version of yourself.

What were those goals you set out to achieve?

Don’t be another statistic of people quitting.

You are not a quitter.

Set goals and smash them!

Get yourself together, get out of bed and go workout.

Your body will thank you, I promise!

5. Fear.

Excuse:

“I might get hurt if I push myself too hard, go too heavy or try a new exercise”

I agree.

What if you try something new and injure yourself?

But, what if you try something new – safely, under the supervision of a qualified trainer – and you find that it’s just the boost you needed to help you achieve your goals? If you try something and you injure yourself, you aren’t doing the exercise right. Make sure you know the proper technique and if in doubt, ask.

Fix:

Believe in yourself.

You are a lot tougher and more resilient than you might give yourself credit for. Get out there, try new stuff and push yourself – No one is going to do it for you.

If you want something, you’ve got to be the one to go for it.

You’ll be amazed at how you can transform your body by just going a littler further or heavier or by trying a new combination of exercise.

6. Work. Excuse:

“I’ve had to spend more time than I planned at work”

We all have to work to earn money. If we don’t work hard, we lose our jobs.

Sometimes, you have to work on late, weekends, go into the office early. Especially this time of year, when it gets hectic in our City Centres, retail staff especially has to work ridiculous hours (I used to be one of those members of staff)

But should working 10+-hours day keep you from workout out?

Fix:

Be flexible. You plan your day out, and it all goes pear-shaped. If this happens, you have to be able to adjust to make sure you hit your goals, nutritionally and physically.

Instead of a 10 mile run after work on Monday, aim for 5-8.

Something is better than just skipping it altogether.

I promise you that you’ll feel much better if you do something rather than nothing. And if your schedule doesn’t allow a long session in the gym or a run as planned, you could always do a quick HIIT and resistance session in the comfort of your own home.

7. No supplements.

Excuse:

“I can’t workout because I don’t have my protein/BCAAs/Pre-Workout powder”

You don’t have to rely on supplements to really blast in the gym or have optimal recovery after a session.

Is that really a valid excuse for skipping a workout?

Fix:

If you run out of your favourite protein powder, you’re your body with some good chicken or tuna. For a great pre-workout boost, try a cup of coffee. Crank up your favourite motivational music to put you in the right frame of mind.

8. Dirty Gym Clothes

Excuse:

“I don’t have any clean gym gear”

No clean clothes means no work out.

Fix:

You know when you are running out of clean clothes. I know some people who would train in their dirty pants, so that they won’t miss a workout.

I’m not suggesting you do the same, as some gyms may ask you politely to leave, but a bit of organisation will help.

This is really not a valid excuse.

Be stronger than your excuses!!

You don't need a New Year, new month or even a new week to start your fitness journey

Just start NOW

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