Stay Consistent with Exercise: Why We Don’t and What to Do About It
Why We Don’t: I don’t have time. This may very well be true if exercise requires a trip to the gym–complete with putting gas in the car, picking up and delivering a babysitter, checking in, changing clothes in the locker room and stopping by the store on the way home.
What to Do: Find an at-home fitness program like T-Tapp. No gym, no babysitter, no expensive gas.
Why We Don’t: I don’t have time. Same song, second verse. Planning a workout schedule that includes hour-a-day workouts six days a week works for some people, but probably not for those who say “I don’t have time to exercise.”
What to Do: Short workouts to the rescue. A short workout DONE is better than a long workout planned and not done. Hey, ten minutes of a short workout beats no minutes of any workout.
Why We Don’t: I don’t have time. Yes, again. Reality check: is this really true? Really? Did you spend time on Facebook today? Did you watch the new Pioneer Woman show? Did you make an extra trip to the store for dinner ingredients?
What to Do: Cold, hard fact: We make time for what we want to do. Excuses about time are convenient, understandable and sympathetic. But they’re still excuses. We actually make choices. A choice to skip exercise due to circumstances is valid. Just remember that it IS a choice, and that choices have consequences (even if they’re delayed).
Why We Don’t: I don’t get it. There’s a lot to think about with T-Tapp. Form from head to toe, activating muscle, staying in alignment, and the list goes on. It can get discouraging and/or overwhelming for newbies. Trust me, the first few times I did T-Tapp I felt uncoordinated and silly.
What to Do: Patience, grasshopper. Very few people, no matter what their level of fitness, totally “get it” right off the bat. The only way to get better is to do it. It’s like riding a bicycle—reading about riding a bike is all very well and good, but until you do it and develop the coordination and strength and technique, you’re going to be sitting on the curb. You’ll be surprised at what just a week or two will do for your endurance and form, so hang in there.
Why We Don’t: This doesn’t work. You’ve tried and didn’t lose inches. You did more and more, and you stalled.
What to Do: Check out “I don’t get it” above. Even if you have reasonably good form, your body may be in a phase of rehabilitation on the inside before it will show on the outside. Sometimes we work hard for a month and lose “only” one inch. It happened to me. But if I had quit, I would still be a size 22W–or probably bigger. Working with a T-Tapp trainer or attending an event can provide many ah-ha’s and breakthroughs to take your workouts to a new level. It’s worth it, I promise.
This is just the short list of “why we don’t stay consistent with exercise.” Can you think of some others, and “what to do?” When it comes down to it, the to do’s are more important!
Tell us “why you don’t” and then “what to do!”
I think you stand outside my house peeking in the windows so you know EXACTLY what I need to hear, and when. It’s almost eerie, Charlotte. Yes to all the above “Why I don’t” and “What to do.” Thanks for the reminder that 10 minutes is still better than nothing!
Haha! I promise I’m not peeping! Just keepin’ it real! 🙂
I’d been gone for 3 weeks (no T-Tapp, but lots and lots of walking), and have been home almost 2 weeks and still haven’t gotten back to my workout routine. This was just what I needed to read !!!! Thanks for the push 🙂
Glad to “push!” Some is better than none!
Charlotte,
I’m a snail! Grasshopper would seem lightening speed for me! I’ve been doing T-tapp for 5 years now and am FINALLY below where I wanted to be but the health benefits along the way have so staggered me that I would never dream of giving it up! They are actually way to many for me to list here. But for those who find themselves pushing against it, grit your teeth, put on your shoes, and push play! Take if from a snail…..it’s worth it! The hardest thing for me to do daily is change my clothes and put on my tennis shoes! LOL I know…..stupid….but real.
Real is right! Try to change it up and break the thinking pattern–do something different, think fun!
If I stop, then there is this dread of how difficult it will be when I resume. And sometimes the dread prolongs my return!
And you’re dreading something that is not real! We have to break our patterns of thinking that something will be hard because then we avoid it. Try to focus on the benefits rather than the “hard!” I know, easier said than done…