12 Excuses Every Person Makes To Avoid Working Out (That We Should Stop Using)

It’s pretty much a universally accepted notion that humans have a love/hate relationship with the gym, working out and/or physical activity in general.

Your body may feel oh-so-good after a nice workout, but you are, undoubtedly, on most occasions, oh-so-reluctant to break a sweat.

And that’s fine. I only know a few people who can resist hitting snooze upon hearing their alarms sound, spring out of bed, into compression leggings and sneakers, and run out the door. But, with summer just around the corner, the pressure is on to get in shape.

Here are some of the most popular types of excuses we have all made — but should definitely stop making — to trick ourselves into not working out:

"I'll start on Monday!"

“My diet starts Monday." This may be one of the most popular phrases to ever pass through the lips of human beings. People who use this excuse postpone, and postpone, and postpone their fitness goals.

They’ll be sure to start their regimes on Monday… or maybe they’ll wait for the first of the month… or the New Year. Procrastination never produces the best results; this applies to your fitness goals, as well!

"It's too cold/hot outside!"

When the winter months remain stagnant and I can’t leave home in just shorts (believe me, it takes some serious cold weather for me to venture to the gym in anything more than shorts), the gym becomes a seriously burdensome task.

Putting on a pair of sweats over a pair of gym shorts is more of a hassle than one may think; now you need a locker at the gym, and sometimes the leg hole doesn’t fit around your sneaker, so then you have to take your sneakers off, remove your pants then put your sneakers back on — it really can be a headache.

Plus, who wants to leave the warmth of his or her own home when there’s an option not to do so? Cold weather definitely wins the to-gym-or-not-to-gym battle. 

To the equal and opposite end of the spectrum, hot weather can also really stop you in your tracks. If your workout consists of going on a run through the fiery hell that is the dry heat of a midsummer day, being hesitant to embark on this sweaty mess of a journey is completely understandable.

I mean, you don’t want to get dehydrated, sunburnt, have heat exhaustion, heat stroke or really, really smelly armpits! Come on, this isn’t an excuse; this is strictly about you looking out for yourself.

Note: In some cases, it may be just too hot to walk a few blocks to the gym, too. It's best to just stay in the comfort of air conditioning.

"It's snowing!"

Weather, in general, is a big one. Who wants to leave the bed after looking out the window and seeing snow, sleet, rain, hail, clouds, wind or anything other than the most perfect of days?

The sight of snow sparks the strong desire to roll myself up into a blanket burrito, watch some Netflix and sip hot cocoa.

There have been countless times when I had to fight this urge with all of the strength I possess in order to brave the tundra and make my way to the gym (There have been countless times when I gave into the previously-mentioned snow instinct, of course).

"My body is achy!"

Nothing hurts as good as your muscles the day after a good workout. Sometimes this pain can translate into an extended workout high, nurturing the illusion that the gym today is totally optional, if not completely unnecessary. Fight this illusion; work the parts that don’t hurt.

"I have my period!"

This one is obviously for ladies only, but it is a heavily employed excuse. Actually, it’s hardly an excuse. This time of the month can pose a serious threat to the workout regimen of many.

It doesn’t allow for a whole week of wimping out on the gym, but the first couple of days of a period, when cramps feel like tiny knives stabbing your ovaries, you can and should take it easy.

"I can't break a sweat today!"

This is a minute, yet persuasive excuse. When you need to be somewhere and look presentable later in the day, going to the gym can be a huge hassle.

It’s nearly impossible to look presentable after leaving the gym. When I’m ready to use this excuse, I ask myself, “Is it more important to look perfect today or feel perfect today (and look better in the long run)?”

"I'll be productive, instead!"

Sometimes I negotiate with myself. If I don’t go to the gym, I have to do laundry. At times, I’ll let my less-fit half win, but I always regret it for the rest of the day, clean laundry and all.

"I'm tired!"

Sometimes, after a long day at work, the gym sounds like an amazing, stress-relieving activity. Other times, however, it does not and sleep can seem like the best way to relieve that post-work stress.

Fighting the urge to put on your pajamas rather than some gym gear is sometimes enough to induce tears, but fighting through that urge can be so rewarding. Remember, no one ever said, “I regret that workout.”

"Today's already ruined!"

When I eat leftover pizza and a scoop of ice cream for breakfast, I think to myself, “Well, today’s going to be a fat day, so why bother?”

Then, I proceed to eat everything I see and promise myself that I will, 100 percent, be on my top fitness game tomorrow. This is beyond unacceptable.

"I need new workout gear!"

“I’ll definitely workout when I get new sneakers, shorts, sports bras and compression tanks,” mutter professional fitness procrastinators everywhere.

While a new pair of sleek sneakers can definitely make you feel that extra spring in your step and roar in your run, this totally should, by no means, be an excuse to skip the gym while you’re working with what you have.

"I'm hungover as f*ck!"

After a night of moderate-to-heavy drinking, the body often needs anywhere from a few hours to a whole day of recovery, depending on the night, person, etc.

When you’re hungover, the gym is just not going to happen. It’s a struggle not to puke while you’re just laying in the fetal position atop your bed, so shaking up your stomach is probably a horrible idea. You don’t want to be the person vomiting on the weight rack.

"I'll just eat super healthy today!"

You don’t need to workout if you just eat super healthy, right? When the last thing you feel like doing is squeezing in a workout, your lazy half might promise your health-conscious half that if you just eat healthy, you can most definitely skip the gym today.

This never works. Skipping a workout can easily lead to the “today’s already ruined" excuse. It’s a vicious cycle; best to stick to your original workout plan for the day.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is pretty important. Not only does it make you look good, it also allows you to feel even more confident and happy with yourself. 

Photo Courtesy: We Heart It