Excuses, Excuses...

Excuses. We're full of them.  We use them to explain away bad behavior or to get out of doing something we'd rather not do. Oftentimes there's no harm done. But as far as your fitness routine is concerned, making excuses can quickly turn into a slippery slope. You miss one workout this week and then two next week, before you know it you haven't exercised for a month. Once you fall out of your routine it will take focused effort to get back on track.

Here are the more popular excuses...maybe they sound familiar:

• I Don't Have Time:  Work and family obligations all seem like valid excuses as to why you can't exercise today, but don't believe it. The fact is that you can find the time to exercise, even on your busiest days. Simply sit down and schedule exercise time into your calendar.
• I Don't Have Anyone to Exercise With: Your spouse or friend committed to exercise with you three times a week, only to quit a week later. Now you are left to workout on your own...or to quit right along with them. Let's be honest, the easy thing to do is to quit rather than face the gym alone, but where does that leave you? Right back where you started-out of shape and unhappy with your body. Don't let someone else's laziness get in the way of your success.
• Another Day Won't Make a Difference: By skipping your workout today you may not wake up one size larger tomorrow, but you also won't wake up in better shape. The fact is that your current body and health are the direct result of all the little choices that you make each day. Resolve to make each choice a healthy one, and watch how your body and health are transformed.
• I'll Never Reach My Goals Anyway: It's been years since you've been in shape and the number on the scale is so large that you don't even know how long it would take to lose it all. It's easy to give up when the task at hand is overwhelming. However, I am here to tell you that you can do it. What you are facing is simply a fear of failure. What if you start exercising only to gain it all back?What if you don't have what it takes to lose the weight? Remember this: You only fail when you allow excuses to stop your progress.

Examine the why: An important step in conquering your excuses is to determine their source. Excuses are often an indication of lowered motivation. Have you forgotten your reasons for getting fit? Another common reason is boredom. Have your workouts gotten stale?

Conquer each excuse: Don't let excuses derail your goals any longer. Use these three tips and get the results that you deserve:

• Focus on the benefits. We all need a reminder every now and then as to why we started exercising in the first place. Make a list of the benefits you enjoy most and read them before your workout.
• Keep it interesting. Do you do the same thing over and over? No wonder you've started to come up with excuses. Throw your old routine out the window and try something totally new. Always keep your routine fresh-it will give you something to look forward to.
• Just Do it.  Sometimes you just have to drag yourself kicking and screaming to the gym and just get it done. Walking into the gym might feel like the last thing you want to do, but I've never heard of anyone regretting having done a workout.
• Treat yourself to Personal Training.  When all else fails, get someone to help.  A fitness professional can keep you accountable and shake up that stale routine.

It's time to stop making excuses. Don't let another day go by without making that next step toward your goals.