It’s something with which many of us struggle, so we want to understand how to stop making excuses and start getting healthier and fit. We may start the New Year with good intentions and a great program, but we quickly fall off the wagon. We may change our attitudes along the way and really commit to getting fit, but then life gets in the way.
Though we know that we need to work out to get healthier, we are often pulled in so many different directions, and it falls off the priority list. Though it’s a very common scenario that plays over and over again, it’s one that we need to get a handle on in order to ensure we are our best. It’s time to quit with the excuses and start focusing on being healthy!
The first thing to consider if we are truly going to stop making excuses and start getting fit is to make our well-being a priority. Think of how great you feel after a good workout—and then try to capture that feeling moving forward. That sort of “high” you enjoy after a good workout happens because we are taking good care of ourselves. We can capture such moments by simply making workouts a mainstay in our life. Changing our mindset to embrace what true well-being feels like will help us to stay committed and motivated. The way you view the workouts can make all the difference in the world and keep your excuses away for good.
Prioritize Your Health
If you want to stop making excuses, you need to make workouts a priority. That means you may have to schedule yourself time to work out each and every day. At least a few days a week, pack your gym bag in the car and head straight to the gym before or after work, or on the way home from another commitment. Schedule yourself time to work out no matter what else you have going on. Treat it like a true appointment and stick to it, no matter what else the day brings. This is a matter of prioritization, and when you see that working out is working for you, you will stick with it and make it a top priority.
As you work to stop making excuses, you have to consider what working out does for you. Keep visual reminders around to keep you motivated at all times. Some good examples are pictures of what you want to look like, positive quotes, or written reminders of motivating factors. It may even be that you set goals and don’t quit until you reach them, in which case you should post your goals around you. Once you stick with it for a week, extend it to another week and go from there. Keep measuring your progress. If you can work at it a little at a time, you will be in your best shape yet and never again make excuses for why you can’t work out—because you will always look forward to your workout sessions.
