You Definitely Shouldn't Exercise

Or, "excuses I've used."


You don't even know where to start. 
Ohh, yeah. I feel ya. There's a big, big world of exercise out there, and just a simple Google search of "beginner exercise plan" comes back with more than a million results. Wow. What's a girl to do? 

Here are some basic ways to get your foot in the door: 1) Join an exercise class... these can even be FUN if you find the right people to go with! 2) Get one of your friends to show you around the gym and give you some pointers. 3) Find a popular program such as Couch-to-5K and use that as a starting point. 4) Buy some exercise DVDs and commit to doing them a few times a week. Alternate them to help keep your interest. 5) If you can afford it, set up some sessions with a personal trainer. A routine made just for you? That's awesome. 6) Flip through fitness magazines, or look up little workouts on Pinterest. Find something you like and DO it. 


You do NOT have enough time. 
Sleep is important - I'm not going to argue with you on that one. In fact, I could use a couple more hours of sleep each night. But I digress. If you can't get up an hour earlier to squeeze in some gym time before heading off to work, you do have other options. For instance, how much time do you spend watching TV every day? Browsing the internet? I bet if you rearrange your schedule just a little bit, you'll be able to fit a nice little workout in. If you can't do one hour three times a week, maybe you could do 30 minutes five times a week. And hey, no one ever said you have to workout in the morning. Actually, I prefer working out after 6pm! Find what works for you.


It's painful.
You're right, it IS painful. Getting in shape is not as easy as relaxing on the couch with a good book. You sweat, your muscles burn, you get short of breath, and you get stronger. I find that if I push past the point of discomfort, I can usually settle into the workout and "enjoy" it. Usually. Not always. Also, I think you might find that the more in-shape you become, the easier it will be to work out. Not because it is no longer challenging (if it isn't, you're not doing it right), but because you are more motivated as you have proved to yourself that you are able.

Working out is hard, yes. But the results are worth it.


It's Tuesday. It would be much better to start at the beginning of the week. 
This is just one of the things I had to suck it up and get over it. It honestly does not matter what day of the week you start.


People who see you will think you're such a wimp. 
I understand this feeling, because it's one that I have dealt with... and am still dealing with. I think there are three kinds of people. First, there are people who just don't care. Then there are those who will look at you and say, "HA! The way she runs is ridiculous! What a doof!" Lastly, some will say "That's what I should be doing." Those are the ones I like to focus on. Beyond that, I just try not to mind. Being in shape is more important than what others think of me.


Exercise is boring.
Switch it up! There are so many ways to exercise, if you experiment a little bit you are almost sure to find something you like. Running, swimming, dancing, kickboxing, biking, yoga... maybe you could even do a combination of all of those. You can also add a little pizazz by listening to music, getting a friend to join you, or even reading a book while you work out (think: stationary exercise bike). Variety helps keep things interesting.


You're too sore to even think about doing a jumping jack right now.
Hmm. I have a couple thoughts about this. First of all, you may have been working out a little to hard yesterday. Ease off a bit and take things a little slower. Also, make absolutely sure you have a warm-up/cool-down and stretching routine you do before and after you exercise. This can be a miracle-worker when it comes to soreness. Additionally, make sure you are drinking enough water - staying hydrated is important.

Ugh, exercise.
Yeah, I know. Ugh. Do it anyway.


And I will leave you with this little bit of inspiration: when it comes to working out, those who will, do; those who won't, make excuses.