Excuses, Excuses
Working Off Extra Pounds Means Working Beyond Cop-Outs
By Annie Pierce Rusunen, The Columbian Staff Writer
Sunday, January 9, 2005
Those who have just made New Year's resolutions to lose weight and get in shape should be afraid very afraid.
Of what?
The couch potato cop-out.
You know, the "I'll go later," "I'm too tired," "Exercise is too difficult" or "I don't have time" excuses. No wonder it's so hard to get motivated and get up off of the couch.
"So many people eat the holidays away, which makes them feel lethargic, and they keep saying, 'Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow I'll exercise,' but tomorrow never comes," said Louise Allen of Vancouver's City Fitness at the James Parsley Center. "Even people with the best intentions use cop-outs."
Exercise gurus say they've heard (and sometimes used) every excuse in the book. Understanding these excuses and discovering ways to get motivated to move can help alleviate the procrastination and the dread that can surface when it comes to exercise.
"The (exercise excuse) I always get the biggest chuckle out of hearing is, 'I'm too out of shape to start,'" said Shawna Care, total health director for the Clark County Family YMCA. "Basically I repeat that excuse back to them, and they usually laugh. Obviously you can never be too out of shape to get moving. Taking that first step is a step in the right direction."
Concerns can become excuses
Whether it's gym intimidation or a lack of time, excuses are often rooted in legitimate concerns. It's crucial for would-be exercisers to understand their personal challenges first, then brainstorm ways to make fitness a part of their weekly routines.
"For example, if you're overweight, nobody wants to exercise next to Tina in her spandex thong with her makeup fully done," said Serendipity Rayo of Vancouver's Exclusively for Women. "Sometimes you have to do some work like finding a gym you feel comfortable at, which might mean staying away from the ones that attract mainly the young and fit."
Rayo should know four years ago she weighed more than 400 pounds. After falling off of a treadmill at a trendy gym, she was embarrassed. She was also under stress from a demanding sales job. Those two obstacles caused her to quit exercising and pack on the pounds.
"I felt so much shame," said Rayo, who has since lost more than 265 pounds and started working at Exclusively for Women. "I want to help other women realize that no matter what (background) you are coming from, exercise can make you feel better, increase your energy and build self-esteem."
Excuse: "I don't have time."
A lack of time is the No. 1 excuse for not exercising.
"Just remember that you don't have to work out seven days a week, two hours a day. Even 30 minutes can make a big difference," said Tammy Jones, who teaches fitness classes at Cascade Park Fitness and Oxford Athletic Club.
Excuse: "Exercise hurts."
This common complaint often surfaces when an exerciser tries to do too much, too soon. Fitness trainers say it's crucial to start slowly and gradually build up duration and intensity. This strategy can not only combat burnout, but can keep soreness and overuse injuries at bay.
Excuse: "I'm too old to exercise."
Jones, who also teaches fitness classes for seniors, said some of her most excuse-proof clients are also her oldest.
Seniors who take her fitness classes seem to enjoy the movement as well as the camaraderie, she said.
"They are proof that you're never too old to work out," she said. "Your muscles don't know how old you are it's your brain that tells you. If you just start moving, a little goes a long way. Even 20 minutes three times a week can make a difference in your lifestyle."
Excuse: "The gym is too intimidating."
Cedric Bryant, chief exercise physiologist for the American Council on Exercise, said many people mistakenly feel that they've got to get themselves into decent shape before signing up for a recreation program or going to a gym. Intimidation is often to blame.
He suggests finding a community center, gym or recreation class that feels comfortable.
Excuse: "Exercise is drudgery."
Many people say they hate exercise simply because they haven't found the right activity yet, fitness trainers say. First, it's important to identify your exercise personality. Physical fitness has many components, including competitive levels, social aspects, location and time preferences.
Determining an exercise personality is crucial to making fitness fit. Do you enjoy socializing? Choose group activities or persuade a friend to walk or run with you regularly. Are you a morning person? Taking an exercise class at the end of the day may not be the best option.
Do you enjoy challenges? Learn to inline skate with your kids, sign up for a rock climbing class or join a hiking group.
Shawna Care of the Clark County YMCA asks people who are resistant to exercise to identify what their hobbies are.
"If there's someone who tells me they love shopping, I suggest that they go to the mall early and do some mall walking before shopping. They are in an atmosphere they enjoy so it doesn't feel like drudgery," she said.
For people who truly believe they hate exercise, it's crucial to exercise with a friend or in a group setting.
"Whether it's taking yoga, a water aerobics class or walking with a friend, it's important that someone else is there that you have to report to," Care said.
Excuse: "Once I get home, I don't want to go to the gym."
"Never go home first," Rayo said. "If you have your workout clothes with you in the car and you go straight from work to a workout, you'll do it. If you go home first, it's all over."
Excuse: "I've failed before."
"One of the first mistakes people make when they fall short of their goal is to think, "That's it, I've blown it. I'll never make this work. Maybe I'm just destined to be a couch potato," said Michelle Guerra of the Illinois-based physical fitness organization called Human Kinetics.
"Don't believe it. A one-time slip doesn't mean you're a failure. That's the 'all or nothing' trap, which is taking the easy way out. It's a fancy way of quitting."
Louise Allen of City Fitness said most people feel they've failed because they want immediate results, yet they aren't willing to work diligently to get those results.
"It's just not going to be instant. Getting fit and losing weight takes some time if you want to do it right," she said.
Excuse: "I'm a working mom or dad."
Care suggests exercising before the kids wake up either on a stationary machine at home or with an exercise video. For those who aren't morning people, consider exercising during lunch breaks by going to the gym down the street or going for a swim, walk or jog.
The best solution for parents is to involve the kids in recreation activities and exercise as a family, trainers say.
Excuse: "I never lose any weight."
The scale is not your friend, trainers say. Why? Muscle weighs more than fat. That's why many new exercisers may find that the scale hasn't budged in weeks.
"It's important instead to judge by how your clothes are fitting. That's where you'll notice the difference," Rayo said.
Ultimately, the more muscle a person has, the more calories they burn throughout the day since added muscle boosts the metabolism.
Whatever activities people choose to try, fitness trainers say moving toward an active lifestyle is important for everyone.
"Exercise won't necessarily make us live forever, but it will make our quality of life so much better. The sooner you start, the better you're going to feel," Jones said.
Did you know?
* The No. 1 couch potato cop-out is lack of time, according to the American Council on Exercise.
* The American College of Sports Medicine reports that more than half of people who begin exercising quit their program within three to six months.
* People burn an average of 800 calories less per day than people did 30 years ago, according to the International Journal of Obesity (remote controls and drive-through windows are partly to blame). That's the equivalent of seven to eight miles of jogging.
* It takes 21 days to create a new habit.