How to Excuse-Proof Your Workouts
Hey, hey, it’s Guest Bloggers’ Week, which means we’re bringing you some of the best and most inspiring posts from writers around the web! Click here to see all of the great guest posts that inspire, push us to get fitter, make us think in new ways and crack us the heck up! The post today comes from Laurie Kocanda and Kara Douglass Thom, authors of the awesome book Hot (Sweaty) Mamas.
Workout Excuses: How to Tell When You’re Making Them
There are no good excuses to skip a workout. That’s right. None. However, there are plenty of good reasons that might interfere with exercise. Excuses take on many forms, but 99.8 percent of them are a variation of “I don’t have time” or “I’m too tired.” We’ve all been there.
If you’ve ever missed a workout but knew deep down you could have made it happen, an excuse was in play. It’s like telling yourself a little white lie. Another sign: when explaining your decision, you sound like you’re trying to convince yourself—not just other people—that you did the right thing by skipping. As if repeating the story might make it true.
As for good reasons to miss a workout, those are always clear and definitive; they are often out of your control and don’t require any convincing on your part. You have a fever; your child vomited in the back seat on the way to the gym; your boss asked you to stay late to finish a project. You might have access to a Plan B workout option, but if you don’t, no need to feel guilt. This is especially important for those who tend to err on the side of exercising at all costs; who don’t always recognize a good reason to skip a workout when they should.