My Top 5 Crappy Reasons for Not Working Out

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1. I am too tired.

I use this one a lot... since you know - I am always tired. But most of the time, it is just mental fatigue. Once I get off my arse and get outside and start doing some exercise, my mood and motivation picks right up. Other times, maybe I am really exhausted, so I just cram in a quick 15 mins, have a nap, then finish up later.

2. The weather sucks.

Around here we probably have some of the nicest weather in North America. A small problem here in the winter though is that it rains a lot and is very, very cloudy resulting in some depressing, overcast, moody blues kind of days. They definitely don't inspire a workout. But you know what? Even getting outside on days like that ends up being better than a day inside in front of the computer. The motto? Just get out there and get some fresh air. Your mother told you to do it, and it's generally good advice.

3. I am not seeing any progress

Sometimes progress takes time or you need to break through a plateau. Times like this I just switch it up. If I am running, I take up cycling, if I am sick of cycling, I try some rowing, etc. There are tons of different ways to get in a good workout and cross training (in my opinion) is a great way to fight off homeostasis and to break through plateaus.

4. My [insert bodypart here] hurts.

Injuries are a sometimes debilitating fact of life and can keep you from participating in your favorite sport or activity. Often though, injuries (especially sports injuries) are localized to one specific muscle group or body part, and with the advice of a physician, other exercises can be performed that don't involve the injured bodypart. For example, if I had tennis elbow, I might still be able to go running, hiking, etc, and do activities that don't involve my elbow. Once year when I broke my foot, I couldn't walk very well, but I could still ride my bike and perform upper body strength training. I don't believe very many physicians would recommend completely abstaining from all exercise or activity if you had a mild injury that could be isolated while performing other activities.

5. I don't have time for exercise!

Well guess what? Heart disease and related cardiac ailments are North America's #1 killer. Every year thousands of people die from diseases that may be prevented with a combination of diet and exercise. As an entrepreneur and new parent, this excuse is at the top of my mind all the time. My previously immaculate training regimen was in the proverbial toilet for months. However, I realized that even with the limited amount of time I have, I just had to restructure my time and priorities better to give myself more opportunities for exercise and fitness. Part of the strategy was breaking up my workout into smaller time increments i.e. 20 mins of cardio twice a day, followed by weight training in the evening.

Anyhow, as I write this, my time is up and I have to run out the door for another urgent work issue. So thanks for reading!

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