By Michael Krueger
The roadblocks to health and fitness you erect in your head are the hardest to overcome. These are the ones that torture you in your private moments. These are the ones that cause you to overeat and not exercise. Then you feel forced to rationalize them or come up with plausible excuses to justify your action (or inaction) lest you go crazy.
So let’s look at a sampling of the reasons and excuses I have heard (or used) over the years.
Reasons 101
When pressed, most sedentary people will just say, “I don’t like to exercise.” This is the most straightforward reason possible. Of course, if I keep digging, it’s more complicated than it seems on the surface. It usually has more to do with having had numerous bad experiences with exercise dating back to childhood–or Phys Ed and sports, to be precise. There is nothing like an ignorant, sadistic teacher or coach to put a damper on your enthusiasm.
If someone has always been on the heavier side, they have most likely endured years of teasing and bullying from their peers as well. Even supposedly well-meaning parents have made negative comments to their children about their weight or lack of athleticism that have stuck with them forever. It would be nice if the cure was to just get into the gym and start exercising, but it’s rarely that easy. Professional help may be the best course of action for these people. Those childhood injuries can take a lot of time and work to overcome; but it’s well worth the effort.
Another excuse is good old-fashioned procrastination. They have all the good intentions in line but just can’t seem to get a program off the ground. This is one of my favorites in part because the word “procrastination” sounds like an illness; therefore, it is a problem outside of their control. Procrastination is often a symptom of laziness, poor time management, rationalization, lack of prioritization, and the feeling of having no control over their life.
I once had a person explain to me for nearly an hour about how he just did not have any time to spare in his day. He only stopped talking because was going to be late for a luncheon engagement.
When chronic procrastinators take a serious look at their lives, they usually will see that there are many other areas where this behavior also causes them problems. It’s a habit that they get into and soon find they are spending all of their energy avoiding doing anything other than procrastinating. It is a vicious circle that swirls tighter and tighter until nothing at all is getting done. Once again, professional help may be needed to modify this behavior.
Another reason is the existence of mysterious and myriad illnesses and injuries. Now, I’m not talking about seriously ill or disabled persons. Oddly, these people are often trying their best to take good care of themselves including watching their diet and exercising to the best of their ability. Chronically ill persons know the value of health and seldom take what they can do for granted.
I’m talking about the people who will rub their shoulder and say, “I don’t know, I just can’t figure out what the problem is.” When pressed for information, they explain that they went to their doctor, who couldn’t find anything wrong and suggested physical therapy. Of course, they said that this didn’t do any good either. But then again, they didn’t do any of the exercises as prescribed outside of the couple of appointments with the physical therapist.
These folks always have tales of previous physical exploits to illustrate that they would in fact be amazingly fit, healthy, and strong if only they could, but they just can’t. Then they call the bartender over for another round.
I find these people to be frustrating. They don’t understand that if in fact they truly do have a problem, it isn’t going to get better just sitting on their butts and talking about it. They should find a doctor that can diagnose the problem and fix it so that that they can get on with their life.
Habit and Resignation
Those who have habituated being unfit are an interesting group. They just accept it as a fact of life. They huff and puff up a flight of stairs and have no issue chalking up their expanding waistline to age. They lament that some things are just inevitable and failing health and fitness with age are two of those things.
These folks are on various medications to treat self-inflicted “lifestyle diseases” and see their doctors frequently. They believe “better living through pharmaceuticals” is the way to go. They understand the value of exercise and eating well, but it’s just not something they ever really got into. It doesn’t cause any anxiety on their part simply because they don’t think about it. They don’t physically participate in life unless it’s absolutely necessary. The even understand that if they did put out some effort and get in better shape that they would feel better and have more fun, but it just isn’t going to happen.
They often make jokes or sarcastic comments when they are around active and fit people. They say things like, “I’m in shape; round is a shape” or “Do you think you are going to live forever?” or “I exercise; just getting up is a workout” or “I can get my heart rate up just by lying in the sun, doesn’t that count?” I never reply; it just isn’t worth it. Habit is a powerful force that can be harnessed for good or for bad.
External Forces
I understand that sometimes life simply gets in the way of exercise. People have jobs and family demands that can eat up an incredible amount of time; but do you really not have the time to exercise?
Most fire departments now have an exercise room at the station, so this can help avoid the “I haven’t the time to exercise” excuse. I know that operational responsibilities can, and frequently do, intrude. In this case, simply taking an hour when your shift is over to change clothes, walk into the gym, and get in a workout before going home is a simple, viable, and attractive alternative. Of course, this means changing your habits, and we know that can be an issue as well.
Making exercise a priority on par with the rest of your responsibilities is the only way to ensure that you are going to get it in. It isn’t just an accessory to your life–it is a major part, and you should treat it that way. Despite the huge contribution it makes to your health and welfare, it doesn’t take up much time. Forty-five minutes per day, three days per week is all it takes. That’s less time than you spend watching TV or surfing the Internet.
The truth is, there isn’t much externally that can get in the way of your exercising if you are organized, prioritized, and disciplined.
Clearing the Way
If you haven’t been exercising, now is the time to make the changes needed in your head and in your life to move fitness up the priority ladder to its rightful place at the top. Nothing you can do in any other area of your life will have the positive upfront and ripple effects that exercise will.
It’s time to shelve the excuses both internal and external. Taking control of your physical life shows that you have control of your mental and emotional life as well. By being fit and strong, you create a synergy that pays you back for your efforts tenfold…
…now that’s an impressive return on investment.
Michael Krueger is an NSCA-certified personal trainer. He got his start in fitness training while serving in the United States Coast Guard. He works with firefighters and others in and around Madison, Wisconsin. He is available to fire departments, civic organizations, and athletic teams for training, consulting, and speaking engagements. He has published numerous articles on fitness, health, and the mind-body connection and was a featured speaker at the IAFC’s FRI 2009 Health Day in Dallas, Texas. E-mail him at MKPTLLC@gmail.
