With a New Year upon us, everyone is rushing out to get in shape. Drop the holiday pounds, burn the fat, “New Year New YOU”, etc. Everyone assumes that the first of the year means a mad rush to the gym. Having been a personal trainer in Long Beach for 16 years, I can tell you THIS IS NOT TRUE.
Why?
Everyone has the best intentions to get in shape, but they don’t have the best habits. To take it a step further, they also don’t have the right mindset. They are still using the mindset that got them through last year’s procrastination. Last year’s excuses are still valid THIS year. Here are some of the EXCUSES that will SABOTAGE your best intentions:
“I have to get myself in shape enough to do it.”
Most people are under the assumption that their workout is a performance. They assume that they will look weak, out of shape or just not feel good while doing it. Getting in shape is a process. That process has to start somewhere. You will struggle. Day by day, but over time you begin to build fitness and things get easier. That is the process of training. Small incremental improvements to your health, fitness, strength and endurance. There is no special level that you need to reach to begin taking your fitness seriously. If you are interested in working with a Personal Trainer or taking a Small Group Training Class, ALL THE MORE REASON TO JUST GO! You are in the hands of someone who is educated and trained to give you a good, SAFE, and more effective workout that will help you reach your goals faster.
“I don’t have time.”
Same as last year. Well New Year…New chance to re-evaluate your day. Find small windows where you can be active. It doesn’t mean blocking out 2 hours of your evening to marathon at the gym. It means finding a half hour to loosen up, get your heart rate up, get moving. Studies show that is VERY effective.
Time to free up some time and make a change: take 10 minutes in the morning to stretch head to toe. Precook your evening meals for the week on Sunday and now you have freed up 30 minutes of making dinner each night during the week. Do exercises on commercial breaks if you are an avid TV watcher. Every commercial is 30 seconds. That’s a great interval. 30 seconds of sit-ups, 30 seconds of squats, 30 seconds of pull-ups. This is totally do-able, unless one of those drug company commercials come on and you’re stuck for 2 minutes.
“Everyone will be watching me”
I can see how this would be a concern. You see all these fit people walking around, it can be intimidating. Let me just clue you in about gyms. Everyone there is wrapped up in the world. They are usually so involved in themselves that they aren’t even aware of other people. I see it all the time. In the world of Insta-famous, sweaty selfies and various other self promotion going on, the last thing other people are doing is paying attention to the new person in the gym. Go in there and do YOUR thing!
“I’m too busy.”
I bring this one up because it’s different than “I don’t have time.” This excuse says that somehow in your entire day you don’t have a free half hour to yourself to take care of your health.
You work a ton of hours, get home and have time to shower and go to bed only to wake up and do it all over again. If this is the case…STOP! You need to slow down and take time for your health or you’re heading to an early grave. Sorry to be so blunt but it’s the truth.
People spend all their youth chasing money and as they get older, all their money chasing health again. Think about that for a second. If you want to reclaim your health, start looking for ways to balance your schedule and add in a component of fitness that you can regularly do.
Solution: Break the excuses by jumping in with both feet
If any of these excuses are your “go to” then it’s not the end of the world. You can make a change. I prefer a cold turkey method. Schedule something that you can’t back out of. Commit to something that forces you to fit it into your schedule. Becoming accountable to someone is one of the biggest reasons people succeed in their goals. Join a workout class, set a workout date with a friend, hire a personal trainer. Once that becomes set in stone, you’ll see that magically you have more time, less anxiety and no excuses now to beginning your NEW YEAR, NEW YOU Fitness goals.