======================================= EXCUSE-PROOF YOUR EXERCISE PLAN =======================================
We all do, even me. We blow off working out. We don't have time. (That's my big excuse since having a baby.) We don't like doing it. We're intimidated. Or, it just doesn't seem worth all the effort.
Well, here are tricks for getting past those common excuses. Exercise can be simpler (and feel easier) than you ever imagined.
Excuse: It doesn't feel good.
Solution: Do A Cool-Down! Finishing your workout with 5 minutes of easy activity can make it more enjoyable, according to a study by Britton W. Brewer, PhD, of Springfield College in Massachusetts. "People's last impression of exercise is the one that lingers," he says. "With a cool-down, you leave feeling the exercise was easier, so you're more likely to do it again."
Excuse: I'll look silly.
Solution: Forget Perfection. Exercise is not a Broadway performance. "Women put such pressure on themselves." says Carol Gallagher, PhD. "Learning to feel okay with and laugh at little mistakes is good for you."
Walk, dance -- enjoy yourself without worry about how you look. Bonus: You burn more calories when you're not very good at something.!
Excuse: I don't have time.
Solution: Count the small stuff. "Life is never all or nothing, especially in exercise." says Dr. Gallagher. A 10-minute walk is always better than nothing. I found that when I did my workouts it felt more comfortable with casual wear. Forget changing into exercise clothes; I just slip on my sneakers for a quick walk around the block.
Excuse: I'm not getting results.
Solution: Move It All. Try an activity that works both your upper and lower body at the same time: try aerobics, swimming, pole walking. You'll boost your calorie burn without feeling like you're working any harder. In a study of 30 women who cycled, walked, or did step aerobics, researchers found that those doing the step workout requiring the use of their arms and legs felt the exercise was significantly easier -- even though they were working at the same intensity as the others. "Coordinating your arm/leg movements can keep your mind busy, so you're less likely to focus on the exertion," says Lisa Lloyd, PhD, of Southwest Texas State University.
Excuse: I've tried it before.
Solution: Shift your thinking. "You achieve what you focus on," explains Dr. Gallagher. "So instead of focusing on what you didn't do, concentrate on the times you did exercise. It's more empowering and proof that you can succeed."
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