So we are a few days into the New Year already, how are you doing with those resolutions to eat right and exercise? After taking NINE days off from the gym during Christmas and indulging in an abundance of cookies, pumpkin gingerbread cake, cocktails, special breakfasts and delicious holiday meals, I thought it was going to be difficult to get back to my healthy habits in the New Year.
Instead, on Sunday while we were in Louisiana for New Years Eve, I found myself checking Instagram and seeing all of the healthy food people were preparing and longing to get home so I could start cooking in my own kitchen again. In fact, I made Trey stop at the grocery store so I could have some snacks for us during our trip instead of relying on eating out at restaurants.
We got home Tuesday night and on Wednesday morning, I was up at 5 AM getting dressed for the first day of my new boot camp class. Yesterday I packed my workout clothes in my new pink gym bad and ran three miles at the gym during my lunch break. We have been eating healthy foods again the last several days and it actually feels good to get back to my normal exercise routine.
I will admit, I wanted to enjoy the holidays with my family and get some rest while I was off work the week of Christmas. My husband and I slept late every day, which meant until about 8 AM when the kids would come into our room complaining that they were hungry and wanted to watch TV. I cooked a big holiday meal without trying to lighten-up the recipes, my kids and I baked Christmas cookies and I made Trey some homemade butter bars (also known as chess bars). I know I mentally needed a break from my everyday routine, but I also found that I did not feel like myself the entire week. I was tired, lethargic and unmotivated.
Even though I was getting enough sleep each night, I did not have any energy because of my poor diet and lack of exercise.
This month, I am signed up for a 5:30 AM boot camp that meets three times a week and every other Saturday. I am also registered to run two races this month, the Hotcake Hustle 10K and the Hypnotic Donut Dash. Basically, I have NO excuse to NOT exercise!
A few weeks ago, I asked my fans on Facebook to share the most common excuses people use to NOT exercise. Here are some of the excuses:
- It is too far to drive to the gym
- I am too tired to exercise
- I don’t have time, I am too busy
- I have already blown it this week, I may as well not even go
- I don’t see results fast enough
- I am too fat to go to the gym
- I don’t have anything to wear
- I need to get in shape before I go to the gym
- I don’t care how I look anyway
- It is too hard
Source: SparkPeople.com
I know that this time of year, the gym is packed with new people who want to get in shape. In fact, I saw lots of new faces when I went to the gym at lunch yesterday and the treadmills were busier than usual. Within a few weeks, a am sure that some of those people will start to disappear and go back to their old habits. I wonder what their excuse will be to STOP exercising?
Are you still saying that you need to get in shape but haven’t made the commitment to get started? Have you bought some new exercise DVDs but haven’t opened them yet? Do you have a gym membership but the person working the front desk would not recognize because you haven’t been inside in about six months? What excuse are you using to NOT exercise?
Well it is time to STOP making excuses and start making an effort to make exercise a part of your life. My personal healthy living mantra is Make an Effort, Not Excuses. I guarantee that exercising will make you feel better than sitting on the couch every day, wishing you had more energy. Sometimes I am not in the mood to go to they gym but now that it has become part of my routine, I don’t make up excuses to skip a workout. I have never gone to the gym and wished I had stayed home instead.
Source: SparkPeople.com
So tell me, What is Your Excuse to NOT Exercise? Share the best excuse you have heard or one you have used in the past. Do you have any exercise mantras or quotes that keep you motivated to exercise? Share it in the comments.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
I so agree with you….I way over indulged during the holidays. I kept working out, but I still felt blah and a little guilty for all the yuck I was eating. It has actually felt great eating super healthy this week and getting to the gym everyday….NO EXCUSES!
kim@hungryhealthygirl recently posted..Loves Lately via the iPhone
It helps when the entire family is board with eating right and exercising. My husband and I are encouraging each other to go to the gym every day and he is helping me out by cooking more while I am trying to catch up at work. My daughter got new running shoes and has been asking me every day to go running, so I hope to sign her up for a 1 mile fun run in the next month or two. We all feel better now that we have gotten back in our healthy habits!
Yep. I’ve made almost all of those excuses at one point. I just need to commit. Thanks for this post!
(hopped over from the BlissDom FB page!)
Mandy@ a sorta fairytale recently posted..Reflecting back on 2012!!
I have also used several of those excuses. After I had kids, I realized that I had to make time for exercise. Now I get up early in the morning so my workouts are finished before the kids are even out of bed. Looking forward to meeting you at BlissDom!
I am with you one hundred percent. I was sooooo happy to get back into my regular exercise and eating routine after the holidays. If ever I am feeling an excuse coming on not to exercise, I immediately put on my exercise clothes. If I am going to get up and exercise in the morning, I put them on the second I get out of bed and then there is absolutely no excuse. If I am still feeling unmotivated, I say I am going to go out and run or walk for only 15 minutes. I know as soon as I get out and get going I feel so great that I keep going.
Ps – recently discovered your blog. Love it !
Hi Karen, thanks for stopping by and commenting. You are doing great with keeping motivated to exercise, I like the idea of just going out for at least 15 minutes. I have to pack my gym bag or lay out my workout clothes the night before to make sure I don’t have an excuse the next day. I also have some accountability partners who make sure I show up for boot camp every week. My blog readers also keep me accountable!
Time management can definitely be a challenge for me. I am NOT an early rise exerciser. I wish I was. I am learning to leave the dishes and folding laundry until AFTER my workout is done! I am also not getting on my own case if I need to do a shorter workout. Even 20 minutes is better than none!
Jenn @comebackmomma recently posted..Best Body Bootcamp – Week #1
Hi Jenn – so glad you stopped by and commented. Early morning exercise has always been a challenge for me too, so I am grateful to have two neighbors who are taking an early morning bootcamp class with me. They keep me accountable and motivated, although I still enjoy my lunchtime runs. However I have found that whenever you choose to exercise, you just have to make it part of your routine and stick with it. Yes, that may mean leaving dishes and laundry until later but you are doing something more important, which is putting yourself and your health first. Glad to hear you are coming back to the blog world and hope to meet you at Fitbloggin this year.
Your arms look awesome in that picture! Thats motivation right there!
Thank you (*blushing*). Working out with weights really does make a difference, so does holding my three year old with one arm while I try to cook dinner at night!