Do you have a head filled with excuses?

Excuses are something we all use throughout life for many occasions. We justify them. We live with them. And we certainly have an endless supply of them on hand. Especially when it comes to ... exercise!

By far the most common excuse I hear is “I don’t have time”.
Fact is, we all have the same amount of time allocated to us and we are all ‘busy’ - so the real issue is how we prioritise and utilise the time we each have available to us.
So before you use that excuse, look at your weekly schedule and see where you can make time for exercise.
Try creating space in your schedule by sacrificing just an hour of TV time.

Delegate household chores such as making dinner to other family members so you can fit in an evening exercise session. You could even use lunch breaks for regular walks.

Make exercise sessions a PRIORITY, not an afterthought. Mark them as an appointment in your diary, exactly as you would any other commitment. You’re worth it. Aren’t you?
Have a ‘quickie’ and give it all you’ve got! Even if you only have 15 or 20 minutes to exercise instead of 30 minutes or an hour - you just have to make it really count. Intensify it! Go for a really brisk walk or jog/walk, include a hill or three in your route or find a set of stairs to add in.
If you must spend some time in front of the TV, utilise the ad breaks for small activities such as sit ups or skipping, or some of the
ideas we discussed a couple of weeks ago. Keep adding in small lifestyle changes as the weeks progress so your life becomes more active overall.
Combine exercise with spending time with family or friends. Plan trail walks, swimming, or try a new adventure together. Instead of catching up with a friend over coffee head out for a walk together.
“I’m too tired to exercise”? Oooooh what an easy excuse. See the article above right. Exercising regularly actually GIVES us energy!
Though this wet season we haven’t had as much rain as recent years here in the Whitsundays it is still easy to use both excuses, “It’s too hot” or “It’s too wet”.
If it’s hot, early mornings or late afternoons are the best time for a walk. Or exercise indoors at the gym. Wet? Same answer. Head indoors for your workout. Or. Simply, enjoy the rain :) It’s amazing fun to head out into the wet for a workout. Just heed a little caution where necessary.
Then there are those who simply don’t like, moving and think - “Exercise is boring”.
Doing the same thing all the time CAN get boring - for anyone - the solution is to mix up your exercise activities and create more interest within your training schedule.
Don’t get stuck doing the same thing all the time if you like variety in life. Try a new form of exercise - join the gym - alongside weights or squash the Fitness Venue in Proserpine or Cannonvale has over sixty different classes to choose from each week - thats such a huge variety, with times to suit your schedule. You can’t possibly get bored. With practice and consistency exercise then becomes an enjoyable, plus social, habit.
Work with a  trainer who can turn a lackluster workout into an effective and challenging routine! No chance of boredom!
Change your walking route. Exercise with a friend or when you walk or run on your own listen to your iPod.
Learn to talk yourself INTO exercise – not out of it. The trick is to predict the excuses you’ll make and have a counter-argument ready.
For most, exercise and their health, just doesn’t cut it as being a top priority. You really need to cement an exercise habit that you can maintain - the value of that and your life is to important not to.
Excuses, are exactly that. Face them head on so you can overcome and choose to live a healthier lifestyle.
Cheers to a wonderful, active week ahead. Ann