Don’t lie to yourself. It’s not good to make up excuses for not going to the gym, especially because it’s habit-forming.
1. “I’m too sick”
Exercising while sick is sometimes good. It all depends how sick you are. If you’ve just got a cough or a headache, go workout. If you’re throwing up or have a migraine, stay home and recover. In the long run, you’ll be back in the gym sooner. If you chose to workout while you’re sick, be sure to wash your hands several times to avoid spreading your virus around the gym.
2. “I’m way too tired/lazy”
Sometimes working out while you’re sleepy is a bad thing, because your muscles can’t supply all the energy they need to. However, after work/school it’s common to be exhausted. Instead of going to bed and skipping the gym, take a 20-30 minute power nap, drink some coffee, and I guarantee you’ll feel much more awake.
3. “I did have a REALLY good workout yesterday”
Another poor excuse. Just because you did an especially intense chest workout on Monday, doesn’t mean you can miss a workout. Chest and back are two different muscles.
4. “The doctor says i shouldn’t”
Sometimes, doctors can exaggerate. It doesn’t mean they’re always wrong, but I’ve seen an 80-year old man doing dumbbell curls at my gym, and he’s there 3 times a week. He uses a walker and has anyone nearby roll a dumbbell over to his feet. So just because your leg is broken doesn’t mean you can’t do some curls. However, if you have something more serious – like pneumonia, I would advise against working out. If it’s availible, talk to your doctor about physical therapy.
5. “I’m just going to enjoy my vacation”
You’ll enjoy your vacation by not working out for two weeks, then you will come home and feel awfully guilty about missing 2 weeks worth of workouts. Every now and then, if you miss about a week or a little more, it’s not that bad and you won’t lose any gains. However, it’s a good idea to look for gyms in the area before you go on vacation. If there isn’t any, then go for a jog, or so some push ups, pull ups, crunches, or maybe even handstand pushups.
6. “I think the gym is closed today”
You THINK it’s closed, or you KNOW it’s closed? Don’t assume it’s closed just because it’s national broccoli day. Call the gym, and see if they’re open. If not, go on a jog, do pushups, (like above). If you feel like doing a project, fill some empty milk jugs with sand or water, and use em’ for dumbbells. Maybe lift large stones in your backyard. Be creative.
7. “I followed a strict diet today”
So you think that just because you followed your diet plan to every little detail, you can skip working out today? Just because you got in an extra 25 grams of protein, you can just not workout? That’s not the case. Nutrition and exercise do go hand in hand like milk and cookies, but more cookies doesn’t mean you can’t forget about milk.