By Karen Springen
WebMD Feature
You know you
should be
exercising. You also know that physically active people are healthier. They're less likely to develop
heart disease,
diabetes, and some
cancers. They
sleep better,
feel happier, and have more energy. Of course, a fit body looks great,
too. So what’s keeping you from working out? Whether it’s too little
time, not enough energy, or just hating to exercise, we have an answer
for every excuse in the book. Get ready to get motivated.
Exercise Excuse No. 1: "I Don't Have Time."
Walter Thompson, PhD, professor of kinesiology and health at Georgia State University, asks, "How much television do you watch?"
During your shows, use resistance bands or walk in place. Or use Tivo so
you can skip the commercials and see a one-hour show later in just 40
minutes, says James Hill, PhD, co-founder of the National Weight Control
Registry: "That's 20 minutes right there." Better yet, turn off the TV
and spend your newfound time working out.
If it's work that's sapping all your spare time, try exercising on the
job. Close your office door and jump rope for 10 minutes, or walk in
place, Thompson suggests.
Your exercise doesn't have to be a formal workout either. Try making
small lifestyle changes that help you move more: take the stairs instead
of the escalator, don't drive when you can walk, and get a pedometer
and try to increase the number of steps you take throughout the day.
The U.S. Surgeon General recommends at least 150 minutes of aerobic
activity per week, which may sound daunting but actually works out to a
little over 20 minutes each day. The good news is that three 10-minute
exercise sessions work just about as well as one 30-minute one and can
be much easier to fit into your schedule.
People who exercise regularly "make it a habit," says Hill, who is
director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of
Colorado, Denver. "They haven't bought any more time during the day than
anyone else. What we've done is prioritize it. We find time for things
we value."
Exercise Excuse No. 2: "I'm Too Tired."
It may sound counterintuitive, but working out actually gives you more
energy, says Marisa Brunett, a certified athletic trainer in Orlando,
Fla. Once you get moving, your
fatigue will likely disappear.
"You're getting the endorphins [feel-good hormones in your body] to
release,” says Brunett. "And you're getting the circulation going -- as
opposed to coming home and crashing on the couch."
It may help to work out in the morning before you get wiped out by a
demanding workday, says kinesiologist Lynette Craft, PhD, assistant
professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University.
But if you're just not a morning person, don't worry. Brunett, who likes
to work out in the middle or at the end of the day herself, recommends
doing it whenever you feel best.
Exercise Excuse No. 3: "I Don't Get a Break From the Kids."
The answer is to multitask, experts say.
"Take the kids with you," says Hill. While they're swinging, you can walk around the
playground or
backyard or jump rope. Walk the kids to school instead of driving them.
During their soccer games or practices, walk briskly around the field.
Use your family time for active pursuit, Brunett suggests. Go biking
with your kids, put up a badminton net in the yard, sign up as a family
for "fun runs," or just walk around the neighborhood with your children.
When the weather's bad, try active video games like Dance Dance
Revolution, Wii Sport, and Wii Fit.
And remember that your fitness is good for your kids as well as you.
"When mom or dad is more fit, has more energy, the whole family
benefits,” says psychologist Christina Recascino, PhD.
Exercise Excuse No. 4: "Exercise Is Boring."
"Exercise should be like sex," says sports physiologist Mike Bracko,
EdD, FACSM. "You should want it and feel good about it before you do it.
And it should feel good while you're doing it."
So how do you get there? First, find an activity you love. Think outside
the box: try inline skating, dancing, or gardening. Join a sports
league. Or, if you love music, try ballroom dancing. "There's an
exercise for everyone," says Recascino. "It doesn't have to be onerous
or unpleasant."
If it makes exercise more enjoyable for you, it's OK to watch TV or read
while you're on the exercise bike or treadmill -- just don't forget to
pedal or run.
Working out with a group also helps many people. "Not everybody's cut
out to put on their iPod and go on a six-mile run by themselves," says
Peter Nierman, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry at the University
of Chicago.
To find a group, look through local sports publications or on the web. Or simply recruit several friends.
And, every once in a while, try something totally new. “Mix it up so you don't get bored,” says Brunett
Exercise Excuse No. 5: "I Just Don't Like to Move."
"There are people who really enjoy not moving," says Gerard Endress,
fitness director of the Duke Diet & Fitness Center. They prefer to
knit, read books, or watch TV. "I work with those people on, 'Can you
walk in the mall?'" he says.
If it's sweating you don't like, you can get a good workout without perspiring excessively, Endress says.
You can work out indoors where it's air conditioned. You can swim so you
won't notice any perspiration. Or, try a low-sweat activity like gentle
types of
yoga.
If exercise hurts your joints, try starting by exercising in water,
recommends Brunett. The stronger your muscles get, the more they can
support your joints and the less you'll hurt. If your physical
limitations are more serious, check with your local sports medicine or
rehabilitation clinic, or find an athletic trainer who can help you
figure out exercises that are still safe and easy to do.
If you don't like to move because you’re uncomfortable with your weight,
start with an activity that's less public, like using an exercise video
at home. Walk with nonjudgmental friends in your neighborhood while
wearing clothes that provide enough coverage that you feel comfortable.
And remember that gyms today are different. "You don't have the Spandex
gyms as much," says Endress. Women-only places may be more comfortable.
Exercise Excuse No. 6: "I Always End up Quitting."
Set small, attainable goals. Then you're more likely to feel like a
success, not a failure, says Brunett. If you exercise for five minutes a
day for a week, you'll feel good -- and be more likely to want to try
10 minutes a day the next week.
It also helps to keep a log and post it somewhere public -- even on
Facebook. Craft calls it a "wall of encouragement." Friends and family
can then say, "Hey, you did 15 minutes yesterday. Great job," she says. A
log also helps you see if you're starting to fall off the wagon (or the
treadmill).
Having an exercise buddy keeps you accountable as well, says Boston
psychologist Eric Endlich, PhD, who works with patients who need
motivation to diet and exercise. When you back out of a scheduled
workout, you're letting down your buddy as well as yourself.
And look toward the future. It's harder to start exercising than
to stick with it once you've got your momentum going, says David Coppel,
PhD, a sports psychologist in Kirkland, Wash. "I bet you after two
weeks of this," he says, "you'll feel really good."
