Day 15: Stop Making Lame Excuses | 30-Day Weight Loss-athon
Wow – it’s Day 15 of the of the 30-Day Weight Loss-athon. Can you believe we’re halfway through?
All tasks in the 30-Day Weight Loss-athon are adapted from the 52 Weight Loss Missions program.
Read the steps first, then take 10 minutes to think about them and take action. Ready?
What You Need:
- A problem-solving mindset.
Step 1
By now you’ve been working away on your 30×3 exercise program from Day 5. And over the past two days you’ve removed any practical obstacles and got yourself properly equipped.
I’m hoping that you’ve stuck with it pretty consistently.
But sooner or later, you’re going to start coming up with excuses – totally lame reasons why you can’t do it today. You’ll feel tired, it will be raining, your left toe will hurt.
But don’t get too creative with your excuses, because today I’m going to head you off at the pass.
First, let’s learn the shocking truth about exercise. Once you know it, you can’t un-know it – and it will help you win the workout war.
The shocking truth about exercise, as any regular exerciser will tell you (seriously, just ask them!) is that the absolute hardest part of exercise is the conversations you have in your head.
That’s right – not running out of breath, not soreness, not even Lycra. (But Lycra is probably a close second.)
The true challenge is in shutting up your resistant mind long enough to put on your workout clothes and get out the door. This is where the battle is lost or won.
To win the battle then, our first step is to realize that the challenge is more mental than physical, and to switch from being an exercise excuse maker to becoming an exercise problem solver.
Step 2
Next, let’s make a list of your usual exercise excuses – the things you tell yourself that let you get away with skipping out on your exercise commitment.
Once you’ve made your list, it’s helpful to repeat each excuse aloud in a nasal, whiny voice.
Step 3
Now we need to apply that problem-solving mindset to these excuses.
Look at each excuse on your list and consider how you can perform some Jedi mind tricks so that this excuse no longer works.
For example:
Excuse: I’m too tired when I get home from work.
- Don’t sit down – it will be too hard to get up again.
- Have your workout clothes waiting at the door. Put them on straight away and off you go before the voice in your head starts up.
Excuse: I’m not motivated – I’m waiting for motivation to hit me.
- The only thing that’s going to hit you is the sudden realization that your life is passing you by. Motivation is a bonus, for now you’ll have to start without it.
- Tap into the particular motivation you identified on Day 1.
Excuse: The weather sucks.
- Too hot? Go for a swim. Too rainy? Pop on an exercise video or use your stationary bike or grab your wet weather gear and head out anyway.
- There are also indoor sports like racquetball if you enjoy some competition.
Excuse: Exercise feels uncomfortable.
- So does being overweight and unhappy. Two evils. Working out is the lesser, by far.
Bonus Step For 52 Weight Loss Missions Members
Revisit Mission 17: Overcome Exercise Excuses for suggested ways to overcome 15 common exercise excuses.
Check in!
And you’re done!
Be sure to leave your comment below to check in and stay accountable. If you’re reading this by email or in a reader then please click here to leave your comment.
See you tomorrow!
I tend to use the I am too tired excuse. The days I waitress that is valid but the days I do my desk job I will not let myself use that excuse. Besides I do feel better after I exercise.
Feeling quite good. Making sure we all get out and go. It’s great. My little ones all will enjoy it as well. The checking in is good too. All helps the motivation.
I am absolutely TERRIBLE when it comes to making excuses. I talk myself out of exercise all the time. and yet I really enjoy the classes at the gym when I get myself there. so great exercise and I am going to try a lot harder to motivate myself. no more excuses!
No more excuses! I have a one hour class on Saturday morning and Wednesday evening that I go to that my husband knows he needs to be home to watch the kids so I can go. Other than that, if I can’t make it to the gym, I can pop in an exercise video. If I feel too sore from the class the day before, yoga is a good way to stretch out. NO EXCUSES!
As a fibromyalgia sufferer, my biggest excuse is those “bad” days when I’m really fatigued and in pain. I have to remind myself that even on those days I can do gentle stretches and slow walking. Won’t get my heart rate up, but moving is actually better for me than sitting still – that’s hard to remember when I’m hurting – but I’m trying!
Today hasn’t been a good day for me, as I ended up hurting my back while was at the supermarket. Not even sure what I did. So I didn’t get any exercise in for the day. But I’ve been trying to watch what I eat, and continuing to drink more water, which I have actually been enjoying. And I bought myself a new drink bottle. I have been feeling motivated lately at least. Just today is my off day, and laying in bed hoping my back will be better tomorrow.
Whenever a lame excuse hits I tell myself, ” it’s only 3 times a week, easy peasy!” My biggest motivation is I’ve already lost nearly 10lbs since the 1st and I want that flat stomach and slim thighs, my overall goals for doing this!!!
I like to exercise in the morning but there are definitely those days when I convince myself that I need the extra sleep instead of the exercise when in reality I am just not motivated enough to get up and get it done! This was a good reminder when I wanted to give up on my 9 mile training run for my half marathon in two weeks earlier today! I quit making excuses and got out there!
Today has been a very insightful day. I hadn’t been going to church for forever…No, I am not going to unload my spiritual or lack of it unto you. However, my life took a turn I was not ready for. But, chin up, I gave thanks for the opportunity to face another day with the people who love me, good health and good fortune. I observed Lent for the first time in several years (my way of showing gratitude) and celebrated Easter – yes, you guessed it…in Church. SO, second week I go to the new church, and the message was exactly what today’s task is…”Stop Making Excuses”.
The sermon was pretty easy to understand….if you had to calculate the amount of hours we spend doing mindless things in a week (coughfacebook), how is it that we fail to dedicate a little time to ourselves?
Many here are moms with very hectic schedules and rarely make “me-time”, but I feel if you cannot make the time to take care of yourself, how can you possibly be responsible for somebody else…I’m just thinking out loud here. I am not passing any judgment.
15 days in this program and I feel better about myself in the longest time! The biggest challenge though is cutting down on the sugar…I quit smoking, cold turkey…but the sugar is killing me! baby steps, right?
I’m thankful to be beyond the excuse stage–most days! Today I was quite tired, but I talked my son into walking with me, and I was so glad we went.
I need to get up early and just do it before I am awake enough for the excuse stage.
I got a laugh out of this title, because my (very legitimate and Dr. ordered) reason for not exercising is my knee injury….and it said “lame excuse”….I love corny jokes. hehe But this is good reading for when I am cleared to get back out there!
The weather here has been a bit sucky but tonight I’m going to find the old Sweatin’ With The Oldies I have stashed away some place for when walking isn’t an option. Thanks!
My biggest excuse: I don’t have time. Granted, I have 5 children and I homeschool. Yes, I am busy. But no matter the lifestyle, we all make time for what we deem important. My “not having time” is really “exercise isn’t important right now”.
My excuse is always that I’m too tired…however, I weighed myself last night and have lost 2 lbs; hoping that will be an inspiration to me. Also, I am loving the My Fitness Pal app. Every time I’m about to eat, I check it for where I’m at, and it reminds me how many calories I have left and is a huge help in making choices. It tracks exercise, too.
I have a confession. Those things that we are supposed to purge, well… I did but I purged them by eating them. They are no longer a threat and they won’t be coming back. 🙂
Yesterday it rained but I went for a walk before heading to the coffee shop for a tea, no sugar and a few hours of reading and writing. Today the weather is beautiful and heading out for another walk. I know I’ve overcome this battle before and I can do it again. Posting this makes me accountable to myself and my friends! Thanks for the motivation!
ok, so is having one day a week off when you are really exhausted and hurt too much of an excuse? I have been good every other day but today I am feeling challenged. I have done my physio exercises today though and am still finding energy for the half hour treadmill. telling myself to start with just 10 minutes on those days seems to get me there and then I do more anyway. I guess I talked myself into it.
I found a workout buddy (hooray for me!) and she is going to push me. We made a plan and I actually heard a little voice in my head say “I don’t think I can do this…..I’m going to be embarrassed, I’m too fat, It’s going to be too hard!”. But I pushed it out and thought “This is exciting! I can totally do this!” Thanks for the inspiration!
5:30 came waaaayyy too early this morning, but I punched the alarm clock off and put on the walking clothes I had laid out the night befor (!) and headed out the door. The rewards were great! Sunshine, flowers, other walkers/joggers, cute dogs & and 30 minutes of good exercise…powere walking.