A little honesty goes a long way when it comes to fitness. If you’re like most people we’ve met over the years, you’re probably pretty good at tripping yourself up when you’re doing well and reverting to your old ways. But not anymore! Because you’re going to read about these 5 common excuses to avoid training and then you’re going to ditch them, for good…..
Excuse #1: I’m really run-down, I think I need to take a break
You know what? Sometimes this holds water. If you genuinely are run-down, you do need to take a break. But 9.8 times out of 10, you’re fine. Or close enough to it to train anyway.
Solution: Get started. Start your session and keep an eye on the clock. If, after 10 minutes, you feel no better than before you started, you can quit. Get out and go home. No guilt necessary. But you might just find that 10 minutes into it, you’re feeling fabulous.
Excuse #2: I’m too busy
Busy is the new black. We’re all busy, all of the time. We don’t mean to be blunt, but you’re not that special.
Solution: Either
a) cancel whatever else you have on and train anyway, or
b) reschedule training to what was meant to be a rest day, or
c) realise that this happens far too often and adjust your training time, possibly to first thing in the morning (before life can interrupt).
Excuse #3: It’s not working anyway
Really???
Solution: Your training programme might not be paying dividends as quickly as you want it to. But you can guarantee that you’ll get the results that you want faster if you stick with it than if you sit on the couch. So pack your bag and go training.
Excuse #4: Injury strikes!!
This happens. Unfortunately, more often than we’d like it to. And you really don’t want to make it worse and worse, until you can’t train at all.
Solution: Be realistic. Is it an injury, or a tiny niggle? Does it get worse during training, or stay the same? If it’s a minor discomfort and it doesn’t seem to get any worse during your session, get on with it. But book a session with a physio or other specialist for the next few days.
If your injury is more dramatic than that. Ie, if it hurts more than a 6 out of 10, if it gets worse during or after training or if it has been hanging around for over a week, it’s time to seek help. Rest alone won’t fix it. So either take today off or do something that doesn’t aggravate it, and book a specialist appointment as quickly as you can.
Excuse #5: I’m getting bored.
Hopefully you’ll get to the point where you enjoy training. Spring programmes are varied (and short-term) enough to keep you interested. But if you’re still battling…..
Solution:
First step, recruit a buddy. Even if they do one session a week with you, it’ll help to mix it up.
Second step, do something fun after training at least once a week. Nothing unhealthy, but feel free to have your favourite meal, catch up with a friend, sneak an extra few minutes to relax while the babysitter is around…. Whatever works for you.
Third step, get realistic. Not everything you do in life is fun fun fun. Which is a bit rich coming from us, we’re all about making life as enjoyable as possible. But a big part of that is learning to make the mundane and the necessary seem fun. Get playful. Entertain yourself while you’re training with daydreams and mini-competitions. Giggle at the people around you. Act like a child. It all comes down to your attitude, and only you can change that.
Every single training session is a step in the right direction. Only you know why you got started in the first place. So keep that in mind, and keep on keeping on.
